11.03.09
Selfridges, Oxford Street celebrates 100 years
Selfridges, Oxford Street, opening day 15th March 1909
Selfridges on London’s Oxford Street will be 100 years old next Sunday, 15 March 2009. Celebrations will start on Friday 1 May and continue throughout the summer.
This media update has two sections:
• Background on 15 March 1909
• Update on May 2009 celebrations.
Background on 15 March 1909 (archive images available from the Selfridges
press office)
Gordon Selfridges arrived in London from his native America to create a store and a style of shopping never seen before in the UK.
The doors to what he described as “London’s newest shopping centre” opened promptly at 9.00 am on Monday 15 March 1909.
A bugler stepped out onto the first floor balcony and blew a fanfare – the signal for the ruched silk curtains covering the twenty-one plate glass windows to lift revealing fashion scenes inspired by Fragonard and Watteau paintings.
Ninety thousand people were counted through the doors that day. Takings
were a modest £3,000, but Gordon Selfridge didn’t mind. It was
the impact that mattered.
The following day, one of the newspapers commented: “Most of the great
stores in London have risen from lowly beginnings. They have achieved greatness.
But Selfridges is born great”.
Update on May celebrations
The 100th birthday of Selfridges will be celebrated in May and throughout
the summer.
Here are some of the highlights:
The Selfridgettes
The Selfridgettes arrive in May – frothy and fun, the essence of modern
celebrity.
You won’t be able to miss these lovely ladies, dressed in iconic Selfridges Pantone 109 yellow. They’ll be around town and on the town – and doing their thing in Selfridges Oxford Street every Friday and Saturday in May.
The Yellow Festival
Every weekend in May in Selfridges Oxford Street store there will be quirky,
cool and unexpected entertainments and diversions.
Music on Fridays, Fashion on Saturdays and Cabaret on Sundays.
The Oxford Street canopy
As well as being beneath the famous “Queen of Time” sculpture
installed in 1931, the canopy over the main Oxford Street entrance to the
store has been home to many remarkable installations – from a replica
of the Christ the Redeemer sculpture (as part of Brasil 40 degrees in 2004)
to a huge eyeball created by Dadadandy in 2006 for Selfridges celebration
of surrealism.
From 1 May, the words “Open To The World Since 1909” will be emblazoned in giant neon on the canopy. The phrase is inspired by a press advertisement that appeared on the opening day, Monday 15 March 1909.
A fascinating and visually-stunning look at Selfridges from 1909 to the present day. Curated by Lindy Woodhead (author of “Shopping, Seduction and Mr Selfridge”), this exhibition will open on Saturday 2 May in the Ultralounge (lower ground floor, Oxford Street store) and run until 30 August.
Selfridges defined the concept of creative window-dressing in the early 1900s and has been a leader in the art ever since.
Today’s award-winning team will stage two schemes to celebrate the centenary.
The first, running from 1 May to mid-June, will feature windows from past decades – from a 1920s boudoir to the 1930s “great kick off” football display – all created with a modern twist.
The second scheme, from July to the end of August, will be a whimsical exploration of ideas for future living.
Download press release as a PDF