Seletti brings a bold 1960s-inspired supermarket experience to Selfridges London, blending art, design, and Italian flair in a playful retail takeover.
This summer, one of Italy’s most unconventional design brands has taken over the basement floor of Selfridges London,and it’s not pulling any punches. From 31st March through 31st August 2025, SELETTI MARKET brings a colourful, chaotic, and unmistakably playful installation to the iconic department store, transforming it into something that looks like a 1960s supermarket,but not the kind anyone remembers from history books.
Seletti, known for breaking the rules of traditional design, has teamed up with Milan-based studio Baschera Brigolin to build an experience that’s part art show, part retail, and all attitude. The concept is rooted in Italy’s first supermarket, which opened in Milan in 1957. But this isn’t a nostalgia trip. It’s a visual and cultural remix where classic consumer culture is pushed through Seletti’s offbeat filter.
Straight from Milan to Oxford Street
SELETTI MARKET first appeared during Milan Design Week at Rinascente Milan and later in Rome. London is now the next stop,and it feels like a perfect fit. The installation has taken over Selfridges’ lower ground floor, packed with vivid displays and eccentric product styling. The setup may look like a grocery store at first glance, but everything here has been designed with intention and a sense of humour.
“I am incredibly excited to bring SELETTI MARKET to London,” says Stefano Seletti, Artistic Director at Seletti. “This project is rooted in a desire to connect with our heritage,after all, the first Italian supermarket opened in Milan in 1957, just a few years before Seletti was founded,but also in the idea of playfully and humorously reimagining the classic elements of the consumer society we grew up in.”
Art Meets Retail,with a Twist
The aisles are stocked with Seletti’s signature designs, including its headline-making collaborations with Studio Job, Toiletpaper, Marcantonio, Uto Balmoral, and CTRLZAK. There are also exclusive products made just for this installation,conceptual takes on familiar packaging, unexpected items, and designs that blur the lines between function and commentary.
Oversized graphics and surreal imagery cover the space, and yes,there are actual trolleys and baskets you can use to shop. This is a working store, after all, even if it looks like it belongs in a pop art exhibition. The products are real, and the checkout tills are active.
The concept doesn’t push an agenda, but it does invite you to rethink what shopping can look like when creativity leads the way. It’s commercial design taken to an extreme,without losing its sense of fun.
A Physical Encounter with Digital Culture
One of the highlights of the space is Blue Bear, a sculpture from the InBetweeners NFT project co-created by Justin Bieber and Italian artist Gianpiero d’Alessandro. Originally a digital work, the bear has been brought into the physical world as part of this collaboration. The project has gained traction for its message of positivity and inclusion,something that fits right into the tone of SELETTI MARKET.
This crossover between digital art and real-world installation adds another layer to the experience, especially for those tuned into the NFT world or interested in how design is evolving beyond traditional mediums.
The Seletti Café Brings Italian Flavour
In true Italian style, there’s a place to eat and drink while you’re here. The Seletti Café, a temporary addition to the space, is run in partnership with three leading Italian names: Lavazza, Venchi, and Ferrari Trento.
Lavazza brings its rich espresso heritage, Venchi offers handmade gelato and chocolate, and Ferrari provides a range of sparkling wines. The café offers more than a caffeine hit or a sweet treat,it gives visitors a taste of Italy in a setting where nothing is left to chance.
This addition keeps the experience immersive without being gimmicky. It’s simple, well-executed, and doesn’t compete with the visuals happening around it.
The Permanent Seletti Space at Selfridges
For those who want more than just a pop-up, Seletti’s permanent concession within Selfridges continues to showcase the brand’s most iconic pieces. From the Classics on Acid collection by Diesel Living to the fragmented elegance of Kintsugi by Marcantonio, and the East-meets-West aesthetic of Hybrid by CTRLZAK, there’s a clear through-line: bold ideas, unapologetic presentation, and craftsmanship that holds up under scrutiny.
Later this season, the space will also introduce Superfurniture, a new project by the anonymous design collective Hello Again. Not much has been revealed about the collection, but given the brand’s history, it’s likely to continue Seletti’s tradition of taking design in a completely unexpected direction.
Why SELETTI MARKET Works So Well
What makes SELETTI MARKET stand out isn’t just the design. It’s the sense of permission it gives visitors. You’re allowed to laugh, to look twice, to wonder whether a product is real or a joke,and maybe to buy it either way. There’s no pressure to understand everything. You just experience it.
For a space like Selfridges,where luxury retail often follows strict visual codes,this installation offers something looser, more chaotic, but no less thoughtful. It challenges assumptions about what belongs in a store and proves that design, at its best, is as much about provocation as it is about beauty.
