Thursday 12 June 2014

Cardiff's New Primark Concept Store

Listening to a male voice choir at 8 o'clock in the morning isn't your usual start to the day, but that's just what I did earlier this week at the opening of Cardiff's new Primark store.  Opposite the site of the old store on Queen Street (where BHS used to be), the new store is twice the size and ten times as fancy.  It opened on Tuesday morning, and myself and some other bloggers were lucky enough to have a quick tour in the relative calm before the shoppers were let in (and before I had to go to the dentists, instead of joining the other bloggers on a shopping spree!).

Primark Cardiff


On our little whirlwind tour of the five floors by a lovely member of the management team, the design and layout stood out straight away as something new and thoughtful, and probably more expensive.  We decided that it was more like Topshop in Oxford Circus than your average Primark store.  The fixtures and fittings are all very impressive - no more the untidy piles of knickers merging into each other on those white shelves, now each size and colour is separated by little pink perspex boxes.  There are video installations, huge photographs, themed backdrops, gold rails for special collections, and mannequins showing different looks.  The 70 odd fitting rooms operate on a one-way system like the M&S ones do, and the tills are so numerous they reminded me of airport check-in desks.  Because of the amount of space available, there's a dedicated beauty area for the first time in Cardiff, as well as a larger home section and a specific section for denim.

Primark Cardiff

Primark Cardiff

Primark Cardiff

Primark Cardiff

Primark have consistently provided me with vintage inspired buys over the years.  A white 1930's style faux fur jacket, a '50s style sundress, a Victorian-looking corset top, and countless pairs of burlesque style big knickers.  Sometimes with more budget stores like Primark, there's an assumption that it's all about disposable fashion.  I have to say, I'm not into disposable fashion.  If something fits with my sense of self, then I can buy things impulsively (as many full-skirted dresses as I can stuff in my basket!).  But as for grabbing the latest trend off the rails and discarding it weeks or months later when the fashion magazines tell us it's passe, that's not me.  I've got a Primark jumper that I bought over ten years ago.  I've mended a seam on occasion, but it's still going and has washed and worn as well as much more expensive purchases.  Quality varies within stores, not just between them, and the price tag doesn't always relate to the quality.

So, before everyone gets a bit over-excited at the new Primark store, I urge you to think carefully about your purchases, and make sure they're of sufficient style and quality to carry you through the years.  Vintage styles were obviously strong enough looks to come back in fashion again, and are a safe bet when making considered purchases for your wardrobe.  If in doubt, make a list before you enter the doors of this overwhelming shop, and stick to it!  That's my plan of action anyway and I'll let you know if I managed to do it, or if I became thoroughly hypnotised by the shiny surfaces and left with patterned leggings, fringeing and neon eyeshadow.

Thanks to St Davids and Primark for the tour, and for our goody bags which generously contained a voucher, that I have mentally spent already!

19 comments:

  1. Five floors, holy smokes! New stores are always lovely when they are tidy, be interesting to see how they manage to keep on top of five floors of merchanise when you next pay a visit ;-)
    It does look good though, what a great sneak peek morning you had.

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    1. We were all joking as we walked around about how untidy it would be by the end of the day!! I'm planning a trip on my next day off, but I'll be there at 9 in the morning as I don't have patience for other shoppers these days, blimey it's hard work sometimes! P x

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  2. That looks like an amazing store & how wonderful that you got to go & be one of the first through the doors! I agree with you on the disposable fashion & I've learnt over the years to limit purchases & make them worthwhile ones! I've sold a few pieces recently, pass things onto friends & the rest is always given to charity. I would of cancellet the dentist! lol! Ax

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    1. In retrospect I probably should have moved my dentist's appointment, yes! x

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  3. Oh my goodness I want to raid that place!!!
    Baci,
    Coco
    Coco et La vie en rose / Bloglovin / Facebook

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    1. I just had to look up 'baci', it means kisses, like bisous in French, yes? i love learning new snippets of a different language! P x

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  4. I have similar feelings about fast fashion, disposable fashion, whatever you want to call it. It might be cheaply made, but if you buy pieces that suit you well and take care of them, you can actually hold onto them for a really long time. I have a lace blouse that I bought from forever21 six or seven years ago that was on sale for $5, and it's still in good shape and I still wear it.
    That's so fun that you got to tour the store, it looks fabulous.

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    1. Definitely Jessica, it's about your attitude to fashion, not about the store/brand's attitude. Someone with a lot of money could probably treat Gucci like disposable fashion!! P x

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  5. It looks amazing! Might have to visit this store and do a bit of shopping! :)
    theemeralddove21.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Worth a visit, and lots of other lovely things to do in Cardiff x

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  6. i'm waiting for the new primark store at berlin alexander platz to open for two years now ... i really like to get flats for summer there and - as some of my readers might know - simple cardigans in all kind of colours ... anyhow, if i buy at high street shops like h&m and primark i mostly just get basic pieces. anything else i prefer to buy vintage, flea markets ans thrift stores.

    how will this new primark store look after 100s of ladies went through ... probably like all the other primark shops do: like a battlefield. ;)

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    1. I remember your Primark cardigans, I too got the same one in about 5 different versions! I think you had the pale blue, which was a colour I didn't buy myself. I do prefer rummaging in car boot sales and charity shops, it's much more fun than spending lots and lots of money on the high street, but for some things I have to buy new, like shoes, because I am a large size and find it hard to track any vintage ones down.

      And yes, battlefield is an accurate description!
      x

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  7. Seriously impressed with that shoe display. It looks very boutique-esque. I can see what you mean about the Top Shop vibe x

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    1. I liked that shoe display too, really nicely laid out. Much more appealing! x

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  8. WOW, that store looks incredible!! It must have been so much fun to get that tour of the store.

    xo Jackie
    Something About That

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    1. It was indeed, I felt like a proper VIP! x

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  9. Lucky you - would love the chance to peruse a Primark store when it's empty and tidy! Looks amazing!
    Abbi x

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    1. The emptiness and tidy feel didn't last for long..! x

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  10. I need to go back here again, looking at your photos I can see things that I missed! Fab write up. x

    Leanne - A Slice of My Life

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