In celebration of five decades in music, one of the world’s most iconic bands, QUEEN, a dedicated experiential pop-up shop on Carnaby Street in London, opened Tuesday (September 28).
The shop, “Queen The Greatest”, will remain open until January 2022 with a lineup of limited-edition music releases, exciting fashion collaborations and lifestyle products with weekly new product drops and events. Each month will have a theme — Music, Art & Design and Magic — with visual installations that act as storytelling from each of QUEEN‘s historic five decades.
The “Queen The Greatest” store will take visitors on a journey over two floors, from 1970s thrift store (Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor had a stall in Kensington Market), 1980s iconic live performances and tours, 1990s record store, 2000s DVD homage through to 2010s tech concepts.
The new store, created in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group‘s merchandise and brand management company, features all of the hallmarks of the band. The store includes an exciting apparel collection including exclusive collaborations from a host of fashion brands including Champion, Wrangler and Johnny Hoxton jewelry.
The Champion collection features unisex T-shirts and sweatshirts, with a nod to the fashion brand’s heritage. Denim pieces from Wrangler, some adorned with iconic song titles, sit alongside solid gold and silver jewellery from British jewelry designer Jonny Hoxton, known for his tongue-in-cheek jewelry that fills the sweet spot between traditional craftsmanship and underground pop culture.
The proceeds from an exclusive Freddie Mercury T-shirt will go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust. The charity was founded by Brian May, Roger Taylor and Jim Beach in memory of Freddie Mercury and raises vital funds and awareness for HIV/AIDS
Music Month – October
The band’s continuing album and single releases will be a big part of the shop’s pulse. Limited-edition music will be available to buy throughout music month with drops every week including a limited edition of a “Greatest Hits” vinyl, exclusive to the store, as well as both current and new solo releases from Brian May and Roger Taylor.
Art & Design Month – November
Showcasing a lineup of collaborative partners including Japanese designer Tokolo, a limited-edition bear from Steiff, and the first viewing of a soon-to-be-released pinball machine.
Magic Month – December
Fusing the magic of five decades of QUEEN with the magic of Christmas. Product includes Rubix Cube, Christmas jumpers, cards, wrapping paper and accessories.
The store will feature screens showing archive QUEEN performances and Instagrammable moments that fans won’t want to miss. For those unable to travel to the store, a selection of items including the vinyls will be available online at: queenonlinestore.com/The-Greatest-Pop-Up-Store.
QUEEN said: “We are pleased to collaborate with Bravado on this project, which will be an exciting experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy. Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for the store to celebrate five decades.”
David Boyne, MD, Bravado, said: “We are delighted to announce this innovative partnership with QUEEN. The project will add another cultural moment to their rich legacy and will be a destination for fans to immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world’s most iconic and beloved bands.”
Queen The Greatest
57 Carnaby Street
London, W1
September 28, 2021 – January 2022
Monday – Saturday: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Sunday: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Apparel
Alongside the collaborations, a range of exclusive clothing will be available to buy, including QUEEN‘s iconic Crest logo across t-shirts, sweats and jackets. Interpretations of vintage tour tees will be available in different designs which run from the 1975 tour crest through to the European 1984 tour pharaoh-inspired design.
Gifting & Accessories
A range of QUEEN products will be available for fans to own, including caps, tote bags, socks and various drinkware. Christmas-specific products will give QUEEN fans the chance to theme their festive period. Visitors can “tour” the world with the band with a Queen Monopoly game.
