Why Selfridges & Highsnobiety Just Forged a Retail Partnership

U.K. department store Selfridges and streetwear media company Highsnobiety are joining forces on what they are calling a “first-of-its-kind” pop-up concept that will showcase exclusive collaborations and specially curated product releases.

Housed within Selfridges’ Corner Shop at its London flagship, the new Co.Lab will span 1,600 square feet and feature a café, bookstore and retail space selling both own-brand and co-branded merchandise. It is scheduled to open on Jan. 6 and run until Feb. 9.

“Highsnobiety’s unique position as a cultural aggregator and authority, [as well as] its multi-platform, multi-disciplinary approach, have unlocked the next level of brand collaboration,” Sebastian Manes, Selfridges’ executive buying and merchandising director, said in a statement.This opportunity for our customers to engage with a project via digital and social elements — by film, art, a need-to-see space, and of course world-class product — reinforces our feelings of positivity, optimism and energy for 2020 retail.”

New product drops will take place each week. The shop will kick things off on opening day with a collection of Highsnobiety merchandise commemorating the documentary “Colette, Mon Amour,” a tribute to the now-shuttered and much-loved Colette boutique in Paris. Additional releases will follow throughout the month from Matthew Williams’ Alyx x B&O, Sotheby’s and Maison Margiela. All of the products will also be available online through the Highsnobiety Shop.

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Selfridges, Highsnobiety
The first release of the new Co.Lab pop-up shop will be a collection in tribute to the documentary “Colette, Mon Amour.”
CREDIT: Highsnobiety
selfridges, high snobiety
The “Colette, Mon Amour” collection will debut on Jan. 6.
CREDIT: Highsnobiety

The partnership marks an interesting intersection of the media and retail industries that could spark a larger trend as stores seek new and innovative ways to set themselves apart in a competitive climate. David Fischer, founder of Highsnobiety, said the upcoming pop-up installation sets “a new precedent in merging digital and physical retail.”

He added: “This partnership was a natural fit as Highsnobiety is leading the way for a new type of storytelling and digital curation of products, while Selfridges truly understands how to curate and tell stories within a physical space. [The collaboration] will challenge the way our audience interacts with unique collaborations and prestige brands.”

Founded as a blog in 2005, Highsnobiety now boasts a following of more than 50 million people across all its platforms. The company recently branched out into e-commerce, and it has created buzz-y collaborations including one celebrating the hit Netflix series “Stranger Things.”

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