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In pictures, Instagram sensation Susie Bubble looks… well, bubbly. In person, she’s more reserved, and slighter in frame than she appears in her signature trapeze dresses and oversized coats. The fashion guru, who boasts some 445,000 followers, was approached by Bicester Village (the sister outlet of Kildare Village) before Christmas about working together on a project that would celebrate Chinese New Year at the Oxfordshire shopping outlet. The pop-up shop she says was “cooked up” between them.
Susie Bubble at the Celebrating China pop up boutique in Bicester Village
Bubble, who is represented by Irish agent Marianne Gun O’Connor, also visited Kildare Village several years ago and is a fan of the outlet shopping experience, visiting Bicester regularly from her London-based home to shop. I’m not surprised. Like Kildare Village, Bicester offers a heady mix of discounted designer labels, although it’s at least twice the size of its Irish-based relative.
Inside the Celebrating China pop up
The Celebrating China pop up, which opened yesterday, January 29, and will run until February 17, features new-generation Chinese designers handpicked by Bubble for inclusion. Among them are Ryan Lo, i-am-chen (my favourite brand on the day), Matter Matters and Yang Li. These designers were all on Bubble’s radar already, she explains, from Shanghai fashion week, Instagram, and international fashion weeks, which are great showcases for emerging brands.
Knitwear designer i-am-chen
Tailoring by Mukzin
Bubble says the pop up doesn’t showcase a particularly Chinese aesthetic but that each of the pieces stands up in its own right on an international platform. “Some of these designers design with a more international aesthetic and others draw from their Chinese culture, but in a nuanced way.” She explains that young Chinese designers who have spent time abroad, maybe studied abroad, have the confidence now to use their heritage as inspiration. “In the past, it was more about assimilating into the prevalent fashion culture.”
The ease with which you can fly to London and travel to Bicester from there (the village has its own train station) makes the outlet a Mecca for international shoppers. According to Valerie Forde, PR and communications director at Kildare Village, the majority of Bicester’s customers are from outside the UK. There’s certainly plenty to tempt the savvy shopper, but if you are planning a trip, try and make it before February 17. The Celebrating China pop up is well worth a visit. In the meantime, check out the Diane Von Furstenberg collection at Kildare Village. It’s sublime, and only a car ride away.
Kildare Village will also be celebrating Chinese New Year on February 9 and 10 with a host of fun activities. For more information visit kildarevillage.com.