When did London get so dull?

Before anyone jumps down my throat I am talking about retail in specific. This time last year I researched into east vs west and the ways the retail space was changing. What I found was innovative and engaging. The west was utilising the shop as a gallery and the east was a great place to spot up coming trends and really get inspired. To start researching my final major I decided to retrace my steps and see what developments had been made as well as visiting some of the new retail spaces. 

My first shock came from Beyond Retro on Cheshire Street. As I walked to the entrance I saw this sign;

In store everything was Mad Men. All the displays, all the stock, everything. It seemed alien to me that a shop known for inspiring new trends had to follow such an obvious one. 

The next thing I found was the new Aubin & Wills on Redchurch Street.

The building Aubin & Wills is in is situated over three floors. The top floor is a gallery, the middle, the shop and the basement, a cinema. Aubin & Wills is not a brand I know much about but my preconceived idea was that it was a more expensive version of Jack Wills. The clothes followed this theory but the way the brand was trying to communicate with the consumer did not. There was no sign of the 'fabulously British' catchphrase nor the flocks of gillette wearing floppy haired boys. Instead, an exhibition called Bazooka and a cinema showing the films you could see in any Odeon in the country. In my eyes it is a shame to see a brand like Aubin & Wills occupy a really interesting space. The cinema is most definitely a waste, why would I pay £13 to watch a film that would cost me £8 anywhere else. Granted, I didn't go into the actual cinema so I can't comment on the experience, but from what I saw it did not convince me to try it.  Big brands have been popping up in East London for some time now, but there is definitely something about this one that leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Because of my boredom I am going to Berlin next week.

Lets see what this can bring.