Selfridges introduces Radical Luxury with new cinematic short

One of London’s most famous department stores, Selfridges, is making the leap from store to cinema on Friday 27 April showcasing an exciting short film titled Radical Luxury, which aims to examine the role of luxury within today’s society – and how it could evolve in the future.

The creative 60-second short was shot by notable photographer and filmmaker Norbert Schoerner, who has previously shot for Prada as well as editorial work for Garage, LOVE and ID. Other highlights of his career portfolio include contributions to The National Portrait Gallery’s Vogue 100: A Century of Style, Somerset House’s Dazed & Confused: Making It Up As We Go Along and his own short film MADE which debuted at Cannes film festival to critical acclaim.

Radical Luxury takes the viewer on a visual journey exploring the role luxury plays in our everyday lives, and coincides with Selfridges in-store thematic campaign. Featuring a combination of archive footage and CGI clips looking at art, fashion and film, the short will be shown in selected cinemas across London, Birmingham and Manchester until 19 May.

“It’s been an absolute pleasure to collaborate with Selfridges on this very special film, perhaps the most modern piece of work I’ve created.” said Shoerner. “It was an exciting challenge to convert a concept as ubiquitous as the ‘meaning’ of luxury into a unique visual narrative and to play with a broad range of art historical references in the process. Hopefully this film will connect with people and allow them to rediscover Selfridges through an unexpected lense.”

Selfridges is also opening a multi-sensory exhibition Flipside in support of the film, combining art and performance. Presented at The Old Selfridges Hotel adjacent to the Oxford Street store until 20 May, the first of its kind spectacle features installations by some of the world’s biggest fashion brands are presented – including Google and Louis Vuitton who focus on luxury travel in line with the house’s vision of the future. Luxury fashion brand Loewe also present a ‘forest of sculptural forms’ segment focusing on how intelligent design could lead to protection of the Earth’s resources.

Elsewhere at the store, a new rooftop bar in collaboration with independent Italian restaurant San Carlo opens April 27, bringing traditional Italian dishes to the West End. Guests will be able to tuck into signature dishes such as seabass, truffle raviloi, and meat and fish from Tuscany, beside a backdrop of a ‘secret Italian garden’ housing a beautiful floral and Italian chinotto fruit installation.