As part of our RI30 anniversary campaign, we asked customers to tell us their favourite River Island moment. Florence and Shiraz were our winners – they were treated to a makeover and featured in the campaign as well as bagging themselves a £300 gift card. Not bad, eh?
Florence is a self-confessed River Island addict who’s been shopping with us for over fifteen years. Flo was born in ’88 and joins us in turning 30 this year. When it comes to her thirties, her birthday wish is to let go her inhibitions and just enjoy the ride. Shiraz is an 18 year-old student who has just been accepted at Warwick University to study biomedical sciences as well as the Fashion Retail Academy for digital marketing. His first RI memory is going to his local River Island in Watford when he was six for a new Eid outfit.
We caught up with them on set to find out just how much they love us…
Tell us a bit about your style…
Flo: Mine’s a bit all over the place, I’d say its boho mixed with rock chick.
Shiraz: It depends how I’m feeling or where I’m going, one day I want to look classy, the next I might want to look edgy.
How would you describe River Island?
Flo: Unique, colourful and vibrant
Shiraz: Sophisticated, classy and unique
What’s your best memory of wearing RI?
Flo: I’d graduated from university and had been for interview after interview to no avail. After a particularly disastrous one where I was rethinking my whole career choice, I met my mum in London and we went to River Island on Oxford Street for a shopping spree. It was in that moment I had a bit of an epiphany – you can only be who you are and dress to that effect. Forget black skirt suits, I wanted to wear hot pink trousers, floral blouses and loud blazers. Now, I’ve landed my dream job as a primary school teacher – my class calls me Shiny Miss Hayles thanks to a pair of glittery ankle boots I got from River.
Shiraz: Mine was a few years ago – I wore an amazing grey checked River Island suit for my prom and it made me feel so confident. I got out of the limo and felt like a celebrity, everyone was looking at me. All of my friends commented on it – even some of the mums!
How does River Island make you feel?
Flo: I often wear River Island when I’m teaching and I always feel comfortable wearing it. I wore those pink trousers for the first lesson I ever taught and knew they’d catch the children’s attention because they were so bright. It worked [laughs].
Shiraz: Confident – I know it’s always going to fit me well and I’m going to look good in it too.