20/03/2026
🇬🇧Adding some London highlights to the grid
Spring in the UK was not only a breath of fresh air, but being back soaking in the legacy brands & revisiting familiar buildings made me reflect on how much they add to not only the fabric of our society, but our sense of nostalgia, tradition and belonging.
Along with being vintage-hotel obsessed, I'm also a massive retail-experience enthusiast.
Wandering around and soaking in how these historic brands are slowly but surely bringing customers back from behind their screens and through the doors was truly inspiring, and it filled me with hope 🥰.
It's why as a brand, I'll always support bricks and mortar stores by being a part of them. These stores give back to our society, just by being there;
paying rent, the huge effort of setting up shop, employing staff; they give society consistency, presence and most importantly human connection.
And when they deliver a beautiful retail experience, it's good for everyone 🥰.
Online-only stores are convenient for sure, but they contribute little to our society on any meaningful level, and have caused the demise of so much. We've all seen it happen...
What's interesting is that, surprisingly, it's the younger generation driving the current shift BACK into physical stores. Tired of the shipping delays, disconnect and the (sometimes) disappointing products thrown onto their doorsteps by the Amazon van, Gen Z is driving the resurgence back to physical retail.
They're apparently valuing the tactile experience of physical stores again too, and are looking for instant gratification. In fact, 47% of Gen Z prefers to shop in-store - that's a significant shift!
Gen Z prioritizes brands that offer an online e-presence, but that also offer a real life experience too.
As for this Gen X-er, I'm all in for supporting the stores & restaurants that shape our physical world. Because when we lose our surroundings, we lose a part of our human connection too.
I'm making sure my everyday choices make a difference, and I'm so happy to see the turnaround in others too 💪❤️
Do you a favourite bricks and mortar store or restaurant? Share and spread the word!
With love,
Kendall 🥰❤️
