On the 14th of October, the newly refurbished Battersea Power Station opened its doors. The space now boasts 250 stores, such as MAC, Space NK, Aēsop, and many more. An architectural marvel, the space offers a unique shopping experience.
Construction on Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s Battersea Power Station began in 1929, and the first electricity was produced in 1933. It supplied electricity to Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament at its peak, powering ⅕ of London’s homes during that time. A number of unsuccessful attempts were made to redevelop the site after the building was decommissioned in 1983.
Standing tall and unharmed through WW2, it survived heavy artillery bombardments from the Germans, as it was used by the Luftwaffe during aerial searches for London. When flying in bad weather, the station served as a compass for RAF pilots. It stands today free of any shelling impact, preserved and maintained by architects who acknowledge its historical elements with a modern sensibility.
We visited the new Space NK store:
With over 2,100 square feet, the new concept store is the largest the prestige beauty retailer has launched to date. The store is an evolution of the existing Space NK format but with added free-standing brand gondolas to encourage customers to dwell and discover by themselves, with staff ready to help nearby. To create a sense of calm, there is a lot of raw wood and bright lighting. The store had a number of new brands to discover such as Stella by Stella McCartney, Nimya, Ceremonia, Soho Skin, and Bread alongside more established brands such as Ultraviolette, Augustinus Bader, Charlotte Tilbury, NARS, Rose Inc. etc.
Other free-standing stores included:
This expansive store is located inside the iconic turbine hall of Richmond’s Battersea Power Station while making a playful reference to mid-century sci-fi cinema.
To create a bespoke concept, Jo Malone London has taken inspiration from mid-century design cues, incorporating materials, patterns, textures, and influences from 1950s furniture.
MAC, Le Labo, and Rituals are amongst the other free-standing stores.
We would have loved to see more new concept stores and indie offerings alongside some of the well-known beauty and fashion stores in the line-up of stores; hopefully, this will come once Battersea Power Station becomes more of an established shopping destination. The opening weekend saw over a quarter of a million visitors, a mixture of architecture and history buffs and people interested in the retail offerings. As one of the largest retail destinations in central London, it is set to contribute an estimated 20 billion pounds to the UK economy (WWD, 2022)
Check out our mini vlog here: Battersea Power Station Vlog