On Friday, something surreal unfolded on New York’s West 34th Street. The Empire State Building glowed cerulean blue, while a Hollywood-style carpet unfurled along the sidewalk. Then came Sarah Jessica Parker, flanked by a motley crew of A-listers — including Andy Cohen, Emily Ratajkowski and Winnie Harlow — all smizing for paparazzi to commemorate the opening of… wait for it…. A Primark. Yes, Primark, the Irish fast-fashion chain best known for bargains like “three thongs for £10” ($13.50).”
The spectacle has already become the subject of online bemusement, particularly among Brits (myself included), who are struggling to reconcile the retailer’s mass-market reputation with the full celebrity fanfare of a Manhattan flagship launch. In the U.K., Primark occupies such an unserious place in the cultural psyche that we call it “Primarni” — a mashup of Primark and Giorgio Armani to highlight its cheap lovability — that you’d be hard-pressed to find a U.K. celebrity willing to walk the blue carpet with the same sincerity as SJP. That’s partly because Primark’s image at home is complicated. Alongside its ultra-low prices and cult basics, it has faced sustained scrutiny over the environmental and labour implications of fast fashion, as well as criticism of its often chaotic in-store experience. Visiting the London flagship store on Oxford Street is a bit like entering Dante’s Inferno — screaming babies, strange odours and piles of random clothing strewn everywhere. It’s somewhere you go every 18 months to stock up on the essentials like multi-pack tank tops, underwear and makeup sponges.
