The thrill of the chase vs The sense of discovery

Monday, 29 October 2007

A friend of mine told me that after moving to London from Melbourne in Australia, she was finding the high street shopping culture quite an eye-opener.

An average Saturday afternoon in Primark on Oxford Street reminds her of their once-a-year Boxing Day department store Sales – crowds that spill out of the doors, people carrying huge shopping baskets brimming with inexpensive bargains, and queues for the cash desks that wind across the shopfloor.

It is quite a contrast to the scene she has left behind, where independent boutique stores are popping up everywhere and are proving increasingly popular among fashion-savvy shoppers. The more obscure the store name, the harder to find it is (many are hidden down alleys or in basements) and the greater the obscurity of the designers on offer, the better the store performs.

Consumers enjoy seeking out something individual and obscure, to ensure that no-one will turn up to an event in the same outfit. Local fashion designers have become revered mini-celebrities. Their names are well known by inner-city dwellers and their collections coveted.

Both styles of shopping have their merits. The high street offers the thrill of the chase, the boutiques a sense of discovery. At ArmCandy we offer both choices although we do tend to favour the unique and unusual so our answer would definitely have to be 'The sense of discovery'.  But what do you prefer? See our online poll and post your answer.