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"To steer traffic to its flagship store in London, Selfridges sought divine intervention—that is, a 50-foot statue of Jesus. The small-scale replica of Rio de Janeiro’s famous monument gazed down on shoppers during a month-long Brazilian-themed promotion. Combined with a radical redesign of the retail space that makes each of Selfridges’ four outlets feel more like a collection of quirky boutiques than one gargantuan marketplace, stunts like the Brazil 40° celebration have transformed the once-staid 95-year-old British retail chain into a premier arbiter of hip. Selfridges’ success has spurred retailers worldwide to take a closer look. Typically, department stores develop their own merchandising strategies, resulting in a retail space crowded with Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and other predictable names arranged in displays that rarely vary from one chain to the next. Selfridges, however, operates on the theory that no one understands a product better than the designer or vendor that created it. So individual designers are allotted space in Selfridges and asked to create in-store displays that highlight their work. Traditional “departments” such as shoes, cosmetics, and men’s business wear have been organized by lifestyle—youth, sports, or women’s contemporary. This helps expose customers to merchandise they might not otherwise see. Recently, Selfridges asked a tattoo and body-piercing parlor called Metal Morphosis to set up shop next to some women’s fashion vendors. Metal Morphosis was such a huge hit with shoppers en route to the clothing racks that it will soon expand to other Selfridges outlets. Selfridges is also known for its “happenings.” They recently opened a low-cost interfaith charity shop within the confines of their luxury brand Oxford street store in London. Performance artist Miranda July was involved in the creation of this shop-within-a-shop, which partners with Islamic, Jewish, and other faith groups to promote the charity store. Ironically, shoppers can find bargain-priced donated blouses just feet away from some priced at over $3,000. Selfridges opened a new store described as a “silver blob” or “spaceship.” The building has no straight lines and is covered with 15,000 anodized aluminum disks. The atrium is an array of high-gloss white elevators and balconies that are all slanted to avoid “the atrium look.”"