Selfridges has taken a big step forward with the opening of 40 Duke, a ‘private members club’ spanning 2,300m2 of its London flagship and taking in personal shopping, cultural programming and social space. Selfridges said it’s the ‘pinnacle of the Selfridges customer universe’ with shopping, hospitality and membership within a single destination for the first time. It aims to ‘reposition Personal Shopping in Selfridges London’ and take it a step further as it co-exists with a series of exclusive social and cultural environments, including The Club Lounge, a 64-cover bar and lounge with an 18-seat bar. Also included are further adaptable settings for exhibitions, events and brand activations and Selfridges said its balance ‘between spaces to shop and spaces to socialise - 40 Duke reflects a wider cultural shift beyond transactional retail, towards experience-led engagement’. Personal Shopping at 40 Duke brings together 24 Studios and Suites, a 60-strong multilingual team of private client managers and specialist experts, and expanded services across fashion, fine jewelery, watches, beauty and lifestyle, including bespoke services. (Top photo, from left to right: Meave Wall, Nilam Powar, Chart Chirathivat, André Maeder, Judd Crane and Leonie Foster.)