Retail Environments in London

I was given an assignment for the week to conduct field research into different retail areas in London. I chose to visit Oxford Street and Marylebone High Street. I was asked to note different elements of the areas and explain their differences using visuals and street style shots to show the different types of consumers within the area.

Oxford Street

 The buildings surrounding and on Oxford Street are considered to be dated, this John Lewis store was the first of the brand's to open and is still the flagship store. After originally opening in 1864, this store has undergone many refurbishments over the years to keep up with consumer demand. For example, in 2007 John Lewis' flagship store on Oxford Street opened a Food Hall in it's basement.

This is a photograph of the high street store New Look. As most of the stores along this road are high street stores, the store interiors are all very similar, with a large amount of choice and stock out on display. These are also stores with a large amount of floorspace and this is usually packed very full, with no clear line of travel around the store for consumers. This reflects on this particular brand as they are known for producing a large amount of products in order to appeal to as many consumers as possible.

Consumers around this area are all fashion conscious but it is clear they dress for appearance and this may not always be practical. Most were also young tourists from abroad that are in this area of London to experience stores, some they may actually have in their own country, but as London is considered one of the 'fashion capitals' of the world, Oxford Street is seen by some as a life experience, not a shopping experience.

Marylebone High Street

I could see this street was full as character from as far away as the street before, it's red brick buildings gave lots of contrast to it's calm atmosphere. Originally built around the 1900's, it's core, characteristic buildings have been built around to keep up with consumers of the small boutiques and retailers. It was named the best street in London by BBC Radio 4 for being "a haven in the middle of the frantic city".

The stores and retailers on this street were all very high-end, classy brands. The stores were also all very small, but this says more about their brand values than their brand profits. Having a small boutique-like store means the customer receives a more personal experience within the shop.

The consumers along this street were mostly from an older generation than those I saw on Oxford Street. They also appeared to dress more for function as opposed to dressing for appearance, although, perhaps it was due to being wealthier than those I witnessed on Oxford Street, the consumers along Marylebone High Street had a more elegant and sophisticated street style.

Lauren Wiseman