Business, Lifestyle, TechCarl ThompsonNovember 08, 2019Smartech, Tech, Technology, Selfridges, Store of the futureComment

Smartech Announces New 200 sqm ‘Store of The Future’ Flagship at Selfridges, London

Business, Lifestyle, TechCarl ThompsonNovember 08, 2019Smartech, Tech, Technology, Selfridges, Store of the futureComment

You've not arrived in life unless you have a patch in Selfridges. Yes I have high hopes for a concession there myself one day with Hawkins & Shepherd and my soon-to-launch jewellery collection Dion Dreyes.

However, today I'm going to talk about the launch of Smartech, an experience-led tech concept store, with a new flagship in Selfridges Oxford Street. I attended the launch the other week and let me tell you, it's a must-see if you're into gadgets, tech and future-thinking.

I'm always looking out for the next best gadget to make my life easier. To facilitate a better way of listening to audio, watching TV, even interior design.

Covering 200sqm, Smartech introduces a state-of-the-art store designed by renowned British designer, Robert Storey – previously of Prada, Hermes and Off-White. Smartech hopes to open your mind to what culture, tech, art and sustainability will look like in the not-so-distant future.

Incorporating contemporary and sustainable influences, Smartech’s innovation space showcases a new design identity, embodying a never-before-seen mixed reality of tech and futurism combined with modernity.

It's an ideal place to check out some gifting ideas for Xmas. Such as the Drink Ripples, the gadget that enables you to personalise everything from your cappuccino to your cocktail with your name, your face or emojis.

This tech playground is home to over 80 carefully curated cutting-edge innovation pieces. Fronted by exclusive robotics, IoT, smart art, FemTech and the very latest in Deep Tech, it’s the largest and most experiential shop-in-shop at the iconic London department store.

The thing I love about Smartech is they've given us future-boys (and girls) a playground to experience the future. It's so rare you get a physical space to experiment with design innovation.

Growing from 7sqm, to 45, 90 and now to 200sqm, since 2016, Smartech has been turning the retail game on its head, with huge success, by reimagining the tech retail experience. It’s a concept store, designed with discovery in mind, created for people to have fun, diving into a future filled with surprises such as The World’s First Robot Bartender, Facebook VR Elevator, Snapchat Augmented Reality experiences, and Electric Valet Parking powered by Segway.

The digital revolution is coming and will have an effect on everything. Everything from social media persuading you to vote in a party election. (It happens trust me). Or how you can learn a musical instrument through digital means rather than sitting down learning boring scales. (Which in truth, is still a good way to learn an instrument).

Experiencing an aggressive global growth over the past three years, and over 143% above target year on year, Smartech continues its upward path with this new Selfridges flagship location to offer a wide range of pioneering tech.

Sore highlights include these exclusive products:

Royole FlexPai – labelled “the future of smartphones”, the Royole FlexPai is a fully bendable smartphone tablet hybrid. Smartech is the first store in the world to stock it

Waterlight Graffiti – an innovative art piece made up of thousands of LED lights and powered by water. The wetter the material gets, the stronger the light!