Selfridges to launch in-store meditation area with ‘headspace-pods’

After a few hours of sifting through racks for the right size, despairing at your figure in the unflattering 360 degree changing room mirrors and fighting other shoppers for space, it can be bliss to finally get home, kick off your shoes, sit back and close your eyes.

This month, London department store Selfridges will invite shoppers to take a breather while they shop.

‘No Noise’, opening next week, is a silent area designed as a mid-shop retreat from the bright lights and endless barrage of information and consumer pressures.

Founder Harry Gordon Selfridge had the idea of a silent shopping area over a century ago but only now is the concept being put into action.

From January 7 to the end of February, visitors will have the chance to relax in an area featuring meditation sessions and ‘headspace pods’ for utter relaxation.

Shoppers will be asked to leave shoes and mobile phones at the door to minimise distractions and enhance the feeling of ‘letting go’.

Selfridges’ current creative director Alannah Weston said the space: “Invites customers to find a moment of peace in a world where we are bombarded by a cacophony of information and stimulation.”

Of course, nowhere is truly safe from the lure of consumerism. Perhaps hypocritically, No Noise will feature a small shop of its own, called the ‘Quiet Shop’. All products sold here, from fashion to stationary, will be de-branded with plain packaging to promote the idea of considered shopping.

Over the next two months the department store will also be hosting a range of creative events designed to ‘nurture the imagination’, from specially commissioned art installations, to silent orchestras and the world’s largest meditation event.

Mediation is an Ancient Eastern practice rapidly gaining popularity here in Britain along with a host of other alternative therapies.

To experience meditation with a professional, you may find Yoga Therapy interesting. You can find out more by following the purple link.

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View and comment on the original Vogue article.