“This is a destination where fans can connect and immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of the band.”
The world-first Rolling Stones flagship store on London’s Carnaby Street will throw open its doors tomorrow (September 9), with music fans being promised an exclusive mix of collections and collaborations.
It is certainly a bold time to be launching a new permanent retail space in London, but the aim with RS No.9 Carnaby is to provide a major long-term boost to music tourism in the capital.
The experience is at the heart of historic Carnaby Street in Soho, which has been synonymous with British music culture since the 1960s.
The new store – created in partnership with Bravado, Universal Music Group’s merchandise and brand management company – features all of the hallmarks of the iconic band and includes exclusive new fashion label ‘RS No. 9 Carnaby’.
The band’s continuing album and single releases will be at the heart of the shop’s pulse. Music will be available to buy including the Goats Head Soup album and Scarlet single, along with an exclusive 500 copies of the Goats Head Soup 2020 album in the Stones Red colour.
The store’s windows feature a world first soundwave installation – taken from the opening to the 1966 hit track Paint It Black. The audio of the beginning of the iconic song is visualised as a soundwave and reinterpreted into a striking red metal sculpture.
Jointly curated by the Rolling Stones and Bravado, the shop fit follows the brand colours of red and black. The glass floor features many of the bands lyrics, and the fitting rooms are adorned with iconic album artwork – Exile on Main Street (1972) and Some Girls (1978).
Inside, there is an exclusive and curated mix of collections and collaborations for fans of all ages. The store will also introduce ‘Stones Red,’ the official colour from Pantone which is seen in the design elements of the store, as well as an exclusive apparel and accessories collection.
Exclusive store collaborations include Chateau Baccarat, from French luxury brand Baccarat, a collection of crystal wine glasses, champagne flutes, tumblers, wine decanter, and a beer glass engraved with the Tongue and Lips of the Rolling Stones.
Other exclusives include The Soloist chairs and scarves and from premium Swedish raincoat brand Stutterheim there is a handcrafted high quality rubberised cotton raincoat which features the Rolling Stones logo. More collaborations are due to be announced soon.
One for superfans are the ten limited edition signed and numbered framed artworks by John Pasche, the original creator of the iconic Rolling Stones logo, which was first used on the Sticky Fingers LP in 1971.
The store also features a bespoke T-shirt customisation station – choose from an array of exclusive designs on the touch screen menu to create something unique.
The Rolling Stones said: “Soho has always encapsulated Rock ’n’ Roll so Carnaby Street was the perfect spot for our own store. We are confident this exciting project that our friends at Bravado have created will be an unrivalled experience for everyone to come to London and enjoy.”
Mat Vlasic, ceo of Bravado said: “With this innovative partnership, the Rolling Stones add yet another cultural touchpoint to their rich legacy.
“RS No. 9 Carnaby is the result of years of planning and decades of building one of the world’s most recognised brands. It creates a destination where fans can connect and immerse themselves in the music, style and spirit of one of the world’s most iconic and beloved bands.”
Want to read more news like this? Simply sign up to our daily digest by clicking here. You can also follow @LicensingSource on Twitter and @licensing_source on Instagram.