There’s a big splash on Oxford Street today as Selfridges - the world’s best department store, on the busiest shopping street - has been taken over for five weeks to help save our seas with Project Ocean.
The brainchild of Selfridges’ Creative Director Alannah Weston, Project Ocean sees the retail icon work in close cooperation with the Zoological Society of London to bring ocean issues to the masses and raise money for conservation projects.
Selfridges famous façade and window displays will be focused on fishy issues throughout the five weeks, with the tube’s advertising network saturated with Project Ocean promotion.
A staggering amount of celebrities (from Prince Charles, to Katherine Hamnett, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Kate Humble), policy makers, designers, artists and musicians are all involved with the five week event.
Project Ocean sees Selfridges collaborate with over twenty marine
conservation and environment organisations, including Greenpeace. We’ve been
working with Selfridges for a number of months, and are all hugely excited to
be involved in this project.
The ground floor and Ultralounge of the central London store will be
transformed, becoming a unique space to talk about a huge range of oceans
issues, to a broad spectrum of audiences.
Just some elements of this ambitious project from Selfridges include:
- a weekly series of talks and debates on ocean topics, featuring celebrities and experts from around the world
- screenings of oceans-related films – including Hugh’s Fish Fight
- interactive arts activities – for all ages
- Displays of marine inspired fashion (including Lady Gaga’s infamous lobster hat)
- Friday night parties at the Dive bar, thanks to NME and Camden’s KOKO venue
- a sumptuous fish guide for your pocket or your smart-phone
… and you can even try your hand at a whale rodeo if you fancy!
Greenpeace and other groups will also have the rare opportunity to bring marine
issues to this special setting. We’re showcasing our oceans work
from around the world, by giving voices from Africa and the Pacific a platform
to discuss how fishing issues directly affect their communities.
Greenpeace will also be collaborating with fellow Project Ocean collaborators to shout
about important issues – such as sustainability and marine reserves.
Selfridges are fundraising too. Already they’ve made the huge financial
commitment to dedicate their store to fishy issues, but they’ve also sorted out
their seafood sourcing policy to be sustainable - and are urging others to do
the same.
They’re also supporting real conservation like Project Seahorse,
and raising money for more work on Marine Reserves.
Keep an eye on this blog daily for more on what we’re up to at Project Ocean -
and what’s happening at Selfridges between now and June 12.
And, follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news from behind the
scenes.
Project Ocean – dive in!
Like this? Find our more about Greenpeace oceans campaigns:
- Guest blog: Britain's Secret Seas - by Frank Pope
- African fishermen tell EU fleets: Stop stealing our fish!
- Deepwater Horizon - One Year On
- The BP Oil Spill: One Year Later - a video on the US report
- A change in tuna policy: Morrisons move means all UK supermarkets switch
