The Body Studio, the latest concept in wellness retail, opened in April 2016 as the largest department in the 107-year history of Selfridges, the iconic London store. Offering lingerie, swimwear, hosiery, sportswear, lounge and sleepwear, the Body Studio aims to celebrate diversity and encourage confidence among women, while also supporting them in their health and wellbeing goals.

To promote the Body Studio, Selfridges has created EveryBODY, an ad campaign created with input from choreographer Wayne McGregor that “features non-professional models representing the ‘every-woman’ via a broad selection of shapes, sizes and ethnicities,” according to a news release.

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WEB Selfridges launches The Body Studio entrance01
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The Body Studio is a retail expression of the way consumers now think about their bodies, and their health in general. As described in our New Natural report, consumers are recognizing the importance of the “me-cosystem,” a holistic approach to health in which nutrition, mental health, fitness and more coalesce to influence wellbeing.

The Body Studio offers a strong experiential program: Psycle, the high-intensity studio cycling initiative, and Yung Club, a multi-sensory, immersive yoga experience, will offer classes as part of the launch. Deepak Chopra, Lauren Cuthbertson and Rhian Stephenson and other noted wellness authorities will speak on panels.

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In one of these discussions, panelists explored new definition of fitness that see it as part of a social community. Suzanne Duckett, a wellness journalist from The Antidote, asked: “What if we switched fitness, exercise and working out for words like synchrony, unity, vitality, community? Have we got it wrong that we’re not focusing on the feeling that exercise gives to you?”

The holistic offering at the Body Studio also includes a Fit Studio where women can be fitted for lingerie free of charge, a hair salon by noted colorist Daniel Galvin, and a café by the UK’s preeminent sister chef duo, Hemsley + Hemsley.

Consumers are increasingly interested in experiential retail, and this includes wellness, specifically. In a SONAR™ study conducted for our forthcoming retail report, 57% of US millennials and 45% of UK millennials said they would be more likely to visit a retail store that offered a gym or athletic facility.

The growing interest in wellness gives brands an opportunity to support consumers in their bid for better health. Providing consumers with a convenient, all-inclusive and layered experience like the Body Studio is an exciting way to inspire and educate. For more, look out for our forthcoming trend report, Frontier(less) Retail.

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Hemsley Cafe, Body Studio at Selfridges London. Photography by Matt Writtle © copyright Matt Writtle 2016.

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