Latest news with #Selfridges'
Refinery29
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Bella Hadid's Perfume Brand, ‘Ôrebella, Made Me A Magnet For Compliments
All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. As a self-proclaimed fragrance obsessive, it's rare for a new perfume brand to grab (and hold) my attention — and even rarer when it's fronted by a celebrity. That's not to say there aren't gems: Kylie Jenner's Cosmic 2.0 and Eilish by Billie Eilish have both been mistaken for far more expensive designer scents on me. Most of the time, though, they all smell… kind of identical. But 'Ôrebella, dreamt up by the one and only Bella Hadid, is built differently. Sure, there are the usual wearable notes (vanilla, jasmine and rose), but alongside them are spicy cardamom, savoury sea salt accord and briny olive — elements I can't say appear in any of the perfumes in my current collection. If that's not unique enough, you can wear them — I mean really wear them — like skincare. Each of the four eau de parfums is designed to be shaken to activate, since they're formulated without alcohol. Alongside the essential oils that give each fragrance its potency, they're filled to the brim with moisturising oils like shea, almond and jojoba. It definitely takes the skin scent trend to a whole new level. Of course, you can spritz them onto your clothes, too, but be mindful that the high oil content might leave behind marks on certain fabrics. While the brand has been racking up sales at Ulta in the US for almost a year now, it has just joined Selfridges' fragrance portfolio in the UK — and the buzz is undeniable. Beyond the milky elixir, the geode-inspired bottle (which doesn't stand upright on its own; you'll need a separate stand, at an additional cost, if you want to display it) is garnering a lot of attention. But what about the juice inside? I tried every single perfume in 'Ôrebella's collection and here's what I want everyone to know. 'Ôrebella Nightcap Eau de Parfum, £67 This is a warm mug of milky masala chai, bottled, and hands down my favourite of all of Ôrebella's fragrances. Something about the soothing vanilla, spicy cardamom and creamy guaiacwood makes it perfectly nuzzly and cosy — so much so, I love wearing it to bed. I'm convinced it sends me off to sleep faster. I wore it to a concert recently, where it's impossible not to get up close and personal with the other guests, and received a handful of compliments; one even wrote the name down in her phone immediately, it's that good. It makes sense. Nightcap was created by perfumer Clément Gavarry, the visionary who gave us Phlur, Kayali and Chloé's most viral fragrances. 'Ôrebella Salted Muse Eau de Parfum, £67 Legendary French perfumer Jérôme Epinette, the nose behind multiple Noyz, Byredo and Victoria Beckham fragrances, is the architect of Salted Muse. Described as a 'woody marine' scent, it blends sea salt accord with fig, sandalwood and amber. At first spritz, it's invigoratingly fresh, not unlike CK One, with a nostalgic '90s feel. It doesn't lose that freshness as it dries down; instead, the green notes (fig, lavender and olive tree accord) come to the fore. It's reminiscent of warm air drifting through a garden at golden hour, when everything smells a little more alive. What I love is the comforting warmth it leaves on the skin hours later — that'll be the all-encompassing amber. My partner and I fight over this fragrance — it's genderless. This one lasts longer than any other in 'Ôrebella's lineup. This is freshly showered skin, sun-dried laundry and cool cotton sheets — though you wouldn't guess it from the long list of lush notes. Think vanilla-esque tonka bean, rich damask rose and intoxicating jasmine. That's all balanced by a sprig of fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon, which cut through the richness and give it a clean, energising lift. I love spritzing this on my neck and décolletage post-shower — it sets me up for the day. Better still, the moisturising oils in the formula more or less double as a body serum. Genius. 'Ôrebella Blooming Fire Eau de Parfum, £67 I'm calling it: Blooming Fire will be summer's most viral scent. It captures that unmistakable feeling of spending all day at the beach, then heading back to the hotel, freshly showered, sitting on the balcony, waiting for your hair to dry while dipping into your snack haul. Sweet jasmine and Tahitian monoi — essentially gardenia petals soaked in coconut oil — give it a warm, sunscreen quality, while zingy bergamot adds freshness and peppery clove evokes sun-drenched skin. As tempting as it is to bathe in this, I'm saving it for my upcoming holidays. Again, perfumer Clément Gavarry masterminded this one, and he has a special talent for creating the perfect skin scent. Phlur's Vanilla Skin and Peach Skin are just a few of his creations, but if you ask me, Blooming Fire trumps them.
The Sun
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Rise of the ‘kidult' trend that sees young women eschew adulthood for Jellycat, Disney & shacking back up with mum & dad
WATCHING her latest purchase being carefully wrapped in Selfridges- branded tissue paper, Frankie Day had goosebumps of excitement. 'As demand for this particular pop-up had been so high, I'd had to wait two weeks for a slot,' the full-time mum explains. "I was just so excited to finally make my selection.' 6 However, the 31-year-old hadn't travelled two hours from her home in Southampton to London to get her hands on a limited-edition handbag or high-end beauty product. She was on Selfridges' fourth floor – the toy department – to splash her cash on Jellycats, the luxury, cuddly soft toys. 'They'd created this brilliant fish and chip shop pop-up, where staff members 'serve' you Jellycat versions of the iconic meal. 'My haul included a super-cute Lily Fish, Dot and Peg Mushy Peas, and Cosy Chips, all wrapped up in Jellycat newspaper.' Once upon a time, an adult woman revealing an obsession with stuffed toys would have raised eyebrows, but nowadays, women like Frankie form an enormous global community of adult Jellycat fans, with the company's revenues skyrocketing by 37% in 2023 to £200million. They're even causing a crime wave. In February, Ruby Smith, 35, from Suffolk, was given a suspended prison sentence for stealing almost £3,000 worth of toys from different Norfolk garden centres. Seeing how valuable 'Jellies' have become, with one special-edition Dixie Bashful Bunny currently on sale on eBay for an eyewatering £2,398, it's little wonder criminals have turned their sights on the popular plushies. If it seems incredible that anyone would pay so much for a children's cuddly toy, then you haven't met a kidult, AKA an adult who likes doing or buying things intended for children. And in 2025, the kidult economy is booming. Chilling moment yobs steal £20k worth of Jellycats in bizarre night-time raid Generation X – generally seen as people born between 1965 and 1980 – love nothing more than jumping into adults-only ball pools or bouncing the night away at trampoline parks. Millennials – born between 1981 and 1996 – are hiring slime experts to organise "slime and wine' events or running around an 18+ soft-play centre. When it comes to toys, it's the over-18s who are really splashing the cash. Frédérique Tutt, global industry advisor for market research company Circana, says sales to kidults now account for nearly £1 in every £3 spent on toys – an eye-watering £1.05billion in the last 12 months alone. 'The world was suddenly a scary place, but with my Jellycats, I felt safe' That doesn't surprise Frankie. She owns 100 Jellycat toys and still remembers her very first one. 'I was 14, it was a zebra, and I had to convince my grandad to lend me £15 to buy it. 'I fell in love with the Jellycat soft feel and super-cute faces.' When she was 19, Frankie moved in with her partner Danny, now 33, and her six Jellycats went into a box because there wasn't space for them beside the couple's bed – and he thought they were a bit odd. Frankie forgot all about them, until three years later when she saw one in a shop and decided to have a look at hers. 'Opening the box and seeing them again, I had the loveliest feeling. 'It was just so nice to cuddle them and see them back on my bedside table. I couldn't resist buying more,' she says. By the time their daughter Rebekah was born in May 2019, Frankie had around 30 Jellycats. But it was the pandemic, not becoming a mother, that put her collecting into overdrive – until she had over 100. 'The world was suddenly a scary place, thanks to Covid, but with my Jellycats, I felt safe. 'It gave me a lot of comfort to buy them and see their numbers grow. 'I also set up a Facebook group for other Jellycat fans, which now has 1,500 people on it.' The 'forever young' adult is in part a response to shifting economic realities. Many Millennials and younger Generation X-ers face huge financial pressures that delay traditional markers of adulthood. Tina Chummun, Psychotherapist In late 2020, when the family moved into a three-bedroom flat, Frankie decided it was time to give her expanding collection a room of their own. 'It's such a calming place to be. Life as an adult has its ups and downs, but when I'm feeling stressed or worried, going into my room and arranging the Jellycats instantly makes me feel like a kid again,' she says. 'I may have had an argument with Danny or been worried about Rebekah, but the second I start organising the Jellies by colours or size, I'm transported back to childhood, when life was much simpler. 'When Rebekah was born, I did buy her some Jellycats of her own. 'But seeing them get played with and become grubby, I decided to put mine on a high shelf out of her way. 'I've never had to say to her: 'These are Mummy's, so please don't touch them.' She just knows,' Frankie explains. 6 While the kidult trend spans both Millennials and Generation X, a 2024 YouGov report found that the average age of those engaging with kidult brands online is 36.7. And the majority are female – something that doesn't surprise Nicole Booz, author of The Kidult Handbook. 'Women have historically been expected to mature quickly, take on caregiving roles, and suppress playfulness,' she explains. 'Kidulthood is a way to reclaim joy on our own terms. 'It's also deeply tied to self-care. 'Women are prioritising what makes them happy, whether that's watching their favourite childhood movies or collecting plushies.' Psychotherapist Tina Chummun is clear that there are significant benefits to indulging in so-called childish activities. "Nostalgia serves as an emotional regulator, offering comfort in uncertain times,' she explains. 'In a world that feels increasingly unpredictable, revisiting childhood favourites can trigger a sense of safety and belonging.' Fun facts you didn't know about Jellycat Jellycat was created in 1999 by brothers Thomas and William Gatacre. They come in seven sizes from tiny at 13cm to very big at 108cm. One of the most iconic plush toys is the 'Bashful Bunny', a soft and cuddly rabbit with long ears! The most popular Jellycat is "Bashful Beige Bunny". The rarest Jellycat is said to be "Bashful Bunny Imogen" - released in 2011, it's a lilac bunny that is worth £600+ now. Snow Dragon is another rare toy - released in 2020, the brand doesn't make dragons often and plushie collectors are desperate to find. Slackajack Monkey is the Jellycat that's been around the longest - 21 years to be exact! According to Statista, Jellycat recorded a revenue of almost £200 million in 2023. As for the factors driving the recent kidult explosion, Tina believes one of the biggest is the rocketing cost of living. 'The 'forever young' adult is in part a response to shifting economic realities. 'Many Millennials and younger Generation X-ers face huge financial pressures that delay traditional markers of adulthood. 'That makes it easier, and sometimes necessary, to seek joy in accessible, low-stakes pleasures.' Amber Hay, 30, an events organiser from St Albans, loves her life of holidays, eating out and weekends away - all things she admits she'd never be able to do if she didn't live at home with her mum and dad. 'I love living at home, cooking with Mum and getting lifts from Dad, and have no plans to move out any time soon,' she says. 'I moved in with my then-boyfriend for six months aged 27, and I was paying £1,200 a month for a tiny studio flat. 'But now I'm back home, I pay just £250 a month and, as I have a much larger disposable income, this allows me to travel more. 'In the last two years I've been to Ibiza, America and a family holiday skiing in Switzerland.' 6 6 Amber isn't the only adult child to still be at the family home – her sister Sasha, 26, a model and business development manager, and brother Dylan, 20, a lettings agent, also refuse to fly the nest. 'Mum makes it so nice, we don't want to leave!' Amber says. 'She loves cooking for us and lets my boyfriend stay here as well. 'Although she sometimes despairs of us all, she says the house would feel empty without us. 'My friends are either shocked when I tell them about my living arrangements and say they couldn't still be living with their parents, or are envious of my amazing set-up. 'But more of my friends in their early 30s are now moving back home, so they can save for a house or because the cost of living is just so high.' While Amber clearly loves living with her mum and dad, Tina believes that for others, the situation can be problematic. 'I'm 49 and when I go back to my parents' house, I unconsciously slip back into the role of being a child. 'Those family dynamics are powerful and can make you stagnate if you stay in them for too long. 'If a 'forever young adult' misses their moment to leave home and be independent, it can mean they struggle to ever find their feet in their life.' But, she says, stepping back into the embrace of childhood temporarily can be powerful in the very best way. 6 This is something that happens every time Charlie Day, 36, catches sight of Disney's Cinderella Castle. 'It was a huge deal for my family when we all went to Disneyland Paris when I was four,' remembers the business owner from London. 'When the fireworks finished, the compere announced that if you believed in Disney magic hard enough, when you opened your eyes, you'd see Tinkerbell flying over the castle. 'When I saw her – a physical 'fairy' being pulled over the castle – it was pure joy.' Charlie started collecting Florida travel brochures and dreamed of visiting Walt Disney World, which she did when she was eight years old. 'The whole holiday was incredible. As soon as we walked through the gates at the Magic Kingdom Park, we all felt happy and free. We made some amazing memories,' she says. By the time she met her husband Lewis, now 36, in a nightclub in March 2011, when she was 21, Charlie's love of Disney was clear to see. He didn't understand why, as an adult, I loved Disney so much. He didn't get that the movies, the music, the souvenirs, all made me happy. Charlie Day, 36 'Lewis walked into my bedroom, saw a Tinkerbell duvet cover and a Disney star toy with the slogan: 'Believe in your dreams,' and was clearly a bit taken aback!' she remembers. The pair fell in love quickly, despite Lewis' insistence that, when they moved in together six months later, she ditch the Tinkerbell duvet. 'He didn't understand why, as an adult, I loved Disney so much. 'He didn't get that the movies, the music, the souvenirs, all made me happy. 'But when we went on our first Disney cruise together in 2012, I won a medal at the musical quiz, and he saw my face light up at the Little Mermaid show, and he realised then that Disney is a fundamental part of who I am. You can't love me without it,' Charlie says. The couple tied the knot in August 2015 (she even dressed up as Minnie Mouse on her hen do), and by the time their son Ernie was born in December the following year, the couple had been on 10 Disney cruises, costing around £70,000. 'Becoming a dad helped Lewis really fall in love with Disney and we've taken Ernie to the parks in Paris, Florida, California and Hong Kong, as well as on four Disney cruises. 'He could see it through Ernie's eyes and understood that when you're walking into the parks, you're transported into a different world. 'Outside, things can feel scary, but step through the gates, and it's all left behind.' 'Our two-week trip to Florida, including a suite at a top Disney hotel, will cost £32,000' Practical and ambitious, Charlie sees Disney as both a motivation for success and a reward for it. 'Since 2019, I've created a manifestation vision board each January, and Disney is always on it,' she says. 'The more successful my business Charlie Day Sales is, the bigger and more frequent our holidays can be.' In 2024, she spent over £30,000 on Disney. 'That included holidays to Florida and Paris, a cruise, a trip to Disney On Ice and lots of memorabilia. 'This year our two-week trip to Florida, including an exclusive firework event and a suite at the top Disney hotel, will cost us £32,000.' He did raise an eyebrow to see me spending between £50 and £200 a month on them. Then someone got in touch with me after seeing a picture of my collection on Instagram, and offered me £850 for a big lilac bunny. He was amazed Frankie Day, 31 Even Lewis is on board, although he does put his foot down occasionally. 'I recently discovered that if you get married at a particular Disney hotel, Mickey Mouse gives you away at the ceremony. "I said: 'Let's do that for our 10th wedding anniversary!' But he thought that was a step too far.' For Frankie's partner Danny, who works in a hospital pharmacy, his conversion came when he realised how much her numerous Jellycat toys were worth. 'He did raise an eyebrow to see me spending between £50 and £200 a month on them. 'Then someone got in touch with me after seeing a picture of my collection on Instagram, and offered me £850 for a big lilac bunny. 'He was amazed. 'I've probably spent more than £3,000 on my collection over the years. 'But I never look at my Jellies and see a price tag. 'The comfort and happiness they bring me is priceless, and whether I'm 31 or 91, I know that will never change. 'If that makes me a kidult, I'll wear that label with pride.'
Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Times
Best luxury fashion rental sites in the UK
Rental fashion is on the rise, with the online rental market valued at an impressive $1.52 billion in 2023 and projected to reach $3.12 billion by 2032. While the act of loaning luxury items is nothing new — those in the know have been directly borrowing from designer showrooms and boutiques for years — the best fashion rental sites have now made it easier than ever. The summer season calls for certain outfits — whether that's formal daywear for Ascot or black tie for a wedding — that are unlikely to fit into your everyday, capsule wardrobe, which only makes the non-committal nature of designer rental sites that much more appealing. You can trial looks and trends safe in the knowledge you will return them once the event is over. There is sheer relaxation in being able to simply click rent on your favourite pieces without worrying about all the other places you could possibly wear them in the future. By renting, you will get your new-season fix (whether your kryptonite be designer bags, shoes or off-the-runway looks) while feeling pretty smug that you aren't contributing to the 92 million tons of textile waste that ends up in landfill each year. • This article contains affiliate links that earn us revenue Technology has undoubtedly changed the game when it comes to online rental platforms. Previously, one had to trawl vintage shops and friends and families' wardrobes for an amazing (more environmentally-friendly) second-hand find. Now, thanks to the advancement of rental communities and apps like Hurr (which manages its own collection of designer clothing as well as allowing vetted individuals to rent out their own wardrobes) you can scroll the most coveted luxury items and have them delivered to you in as little as 20 minutes through Deliveroo. With this level of efficiency it's hardly surprising that this business earned £100 million through fashion rentals last year, and the platform's top lender took home £100,000 through loaning her own Keep scrolling to find out more about the best fashion rental sites. Since launching in 2018, Hurr has remained one of the most successful fashion rental platforms, offering high-end fashion through its app, website, and a permanent space in Selfridges' London store. Hurr features a mix of peer-to-peer rentals (where vetted individuals are able to loan out and monetise their own wardrobes) alongside stock that is centrally managed and available directly from their exclusive partnerships with luxury brands like Burberry. Last year, following demand to extend their rental periods (currently blocks of four, eight, ten or twenty days), the brand launched Hurr Flex, a subscription service which provides users with unlimited rental access and allows you to build an outfit with numerous items over a 30 day period using a credit system. Think of it like ClassPass but for your wardrobe. By Rotation is basically one big shared wardrobe — one with over 150,000 items in it, including coveted Birkin and Kelly Hermès bags. The platform is a peer-to-peer fashion rental app that lets users browse vetted lenders' wardrobes using filtered searches to find exactly what they need. It's super easy for those simply looking to rent as lenders are responsible for cleaning (although you may be charged extra for delicate pieces). While the minimum rental period is usually three days, the length of the loan is ultimately up to the lender so can be however long you please — depending on your persuasion techniques. By Rotation recently opened the UK's largest fashion rental pop-up in Mayfair (complete with its own champagne bar) and have expanded internationally with services in the US, and soon the UAE. Since launching 2019, My Wardrobe HQ has been one of the leaders of the try before you buy model. While the site offers rentals of designer items from over 500 different brands, including Stella McCartney, Gucci and Chanel, it also gives users the option to buy the items at a resale price. There's also a subscription service available for those who like to switch up their wardrobes sustainably: the silver membership, at £59 per month, allows you to rent 2 items monthly, whereas Gold, at £99, gives you the chance to loan four different designer pieces each month. Located in east London's Broadway Market, the rental boutique Rites lets you browse rails of designer pieces in person — from luxury ski wear to coveted clutch bags — with an even wider selection available online. Meg O'Hara, the founder of Rites, says: 'We keep the edit tight on purpose, to remove the noise and make the choice feel easy. Rental isn't a compromise: it's a considered decision for a standout moment, without the overwhelm.' Rites purposefully takes the stress out of renting with built-in cleaning fees, a fit policy which allows you to arrange credit or an exchange, as well as free returns and optional damage protection. 'This season, rental feels less like a back-up plan and more like an intentional part of how people dress for major occasions,' O'Hara says. Part of the department stores initiative to explore new ways to shop more sustainably, Selfridges launched an online rental platform alongside its resale site in 2021. Renters can loan items for either four, eight, 16 or 30 days and new styles are added to the site regularly. All deliveries, returns and dry-cleaning services are complimentary, too. Known as a members club for luxury handbags, Cocoon differs from other fashion rental services with its flexible membership plans rather than one-off rental fees. Specialising in designer handbags, membership starts from £59 which allows you to borrow one bag a month from Cocoon's standard collection, which features the likes of Prada, Chloe and Fendi. However, at the top of the tiered membership system sits the platinum membership which gives you access to exclusive, limited-edition styles and the option to borrow up to two bags at once from any of the curated collections for £199 a month. This luxurious membership includes iconic Lady Dior bags as well as new styles from Bottega Veneta that are worth over £4,000. Founded in 2020 by sisters Isabella, Bea and Claudia — who were inspired by the familiar thrill of borrowing something from your big sister's wardrobe — Loan the Look is a fashion rental service with a London-based studio in the heart of Portobello Road. 'It feels like you're in on a secret coming to the Loan the Look dressing box,' the brand says. 'You have to come through another store and downstairs to the basement to find us.' In-store appointments offer exclusive access to the boutique for an hour, with one-to-one styling support. Plus, there's a helpful live chat function on their website for online rentals. All the pieces from brands such as Alexander McQueen, Emilia Wickstead and Galvan London are centrally managed to ensure the highest standards, and delivery within two hours is available for London clients any day of the week. You'll find statement feathered gowns by Taller Marmo and ready-to-wear Nensi Dojaka on the luxury fashion rental site Front Row. With the choice to rent looks for three or five days, the team includes a group of experienced stylists who can assist with everything from personal styling to luxury sourcing and even wardrobe decluttering. 'We focus on delivering fashion-forward pieces from both heritage brands and rising stars,' the brand says, 'Designers like David Koma and Magda Butrym have been among our most-rented names this year, alongside perennial favourites like Gucci and Missoni.' Front Row also works with a luxury aftercare service The Restory to carefully clean and repair vintage handbags and shoes to prolong their lifespan. To ensure rental items fit, you can book a private appointment at the brand's central London suite or contact Front Row within four hours of receiving the garment for a refund or size exchange. Due to increased demand, Front Row has plans to launch in Dubai later this year, bringing its edit to existing (and hopefully new) clients that frequently travel there. Is fashion rental sustainable?Fashion rental can be a more sustainable alternative to buying new clothes. It reduces the need for the production of new garments and extends the lifespan of clothes already made by increasing the circulation of one particular piece, meaning less textile waste has to unnecessarily be abandoned in landfill. How long can I rent an item for?While rental periods can vary, most services offer a minimum of four days. However, Hurr launched its new 30-day rental period, Hurr Flex, last year, and has subsequently seen a 230 per cent increase in longer-term if the item doesn't fit?Some services offer a 'fit guarantee' or allow a return if the item doesn't fit. Other rental sites, such as Rites, By Rotation and Hurr, have permanent and pop-up spaces in London that allow you to try items to ensure a good fit prior to happens if I damage or lose the rental?Most services have policies in place to address damage or loss, which may include additional charges. Many also partner with dry-cleaning and repair services to care for items between rentals, helping to extend the lifespan of garments and ensure they're fresh for the next borrower.
