We visit the new Weekday store from Swedish conglomerate H&M. The Regent Street opening promises youth clothes for the everyday.
Weekday has sought to merge high street fashion with mindful fashion, and uses organic, recycled or sustainable materials in its clothing. The store emulates the brand’s Scandinavian roots, particularly on the ground floor where the design is minimalist and simple with clean lines, but is elevated with pops of colour that nods to youth culture and street-style influences – perfect for its millennial target customer. The open space is interjected with retro neon and digital signage, and the display units come with shiny iridescent hues or pastel wood chip textures.
The customer is lead down to a cavernous basement via a contemporary wooden staircase that, in contrast with the minimalist ground floor, is densely packed with product, wall-to-wall clothes rails and displays. Still incorporating the neon and digital throughout, this space feels a tad chaotic and lacking in focus. The dressing rooms are a nice feature with long industrial-style poles for customers to sit on, brushed metal doors and lots of mirroring to create an endless effect.
Weekday has an innovative T-shirt initiative where each week new zeitgeisty slogans will be emblazoned across T-shirts using the print press in the centre of the Menswear Department. This creates a fun in-store experience and gives the store a sense of purpose.
The store boasts heavy doses of denim, slouchy tailoring, and minimalist staples with a just enough fun statement pieces. Although the basement did feel crowded, the overall design does a good job in reflecting the product’s unfussy, Scandi style with a millennial twist. The in-store T-shirt service is an engaging touch that elevates it from H&M’s other high street brands, helping Weekday feel more relevant.
