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With 5,000 pairs of shoes spanning labels from Topshop to Chanel, Selfridge's just-opened shoe department is the world's largest. The new "Shoe Gallery," as store executives refer to it, took more than two years to create, and employed the architect who was also responsible for creating Givenchy's Paris boutique. As for opening a new luxurious shopping experience when many people are still climbing out of financial difficulty? When times are tough, it's shoes, not it-bags. that people will splurge on, says Alannah Weston, the department store's creative director.
· World's largest shoe department opens in the UK [CocoPerez]