Germany, it's not all dull - really

There is an unfortunate tendency to group German cities into a homogenous whole that is wholly unwarranted. Having just returned from a Berlin jaunt followed by a Frankfurt foray the case could hardly be clearer. On the one hand there's Berlin, centre of Teutonic counter-culture, with its seemingly endless supply of retail novelty and innovation. And then there's Frankfurt the mittel-Europ home of bland.

Bankers may like it, but it's got almost nothing for the visitor other than, perhaps, a startlingly large (and vulgar) sculpture of the Euro in a very unsettling yellow - slap-bang in the centre of the city. In fact, even those living in the city will admit, in their weaker moments, that this is the epicentre of boredom. There's the Kaufhof, tick. There's the H&M, tick. And oh yes, there's the boarded-up Hollister waiting to open. Excuse me while I head off for an overpriced coffee and cake - little reason to do much else.

Berlin is so utterly different, with something worth considering at every turn. I've attached a couple of pics, but even a really extensive gallery really wouldn't do the place justice. Time perhaps for a reassessment of German cities and their retail. Many of them are like Frankfurt, but not all. Think Bremen, Hamburg, Munich and perhaps Köln if you're stuck for ideas. Failing that, just go to Berlin.

And the pics are of the Nike SB pop-up store (it'll be gone by Nov 10) and the Michalsky Gallery, if you're flash and made of cash.

Travelled to Manchester yesterday, jumped into a hire car and visited a place called Rawtenstall, which is about 18 miles north of the city. It's a small Pennine-side town and probably not the first place that you'd think of when seeking out your fab gear...if you're female. Yet, there's an indy called Sunday Best (again, perhaps not a name that makes you think fashion) selling everything from Moschino to Religion (a big brand I'm informed) in a store whose interior is like the most chi-chi parts of designer Manchester. It seems such an odd location, but there again, it has been going for 38 years, so it must be doing something right. And it's just opened a first floor for young fashion shoppers. It's impressive, dark and full of Gothic stage-set trickery combined with a Banksy-like approach to trompe l-oeil graphics. If you're in this part of the world, and I can't imagine why you might be, go visit (alternatively, take a look at Sunday Best online).

Returning to the city, the contrast provided by the newly-opened Helly Hansen store, in the Arndale centre, could hardly have been more stark. This is the UK's first standalone store for the brand beloved (they tell me) of North-Western fashion pundits. Maybe so, but you can't help but wonder at the POS that has been used on the shoe wall at the back of the shop. Each of the technical-looking pieces of footwear has been put on a clear acrylic plinth on the front of which are details of why it's worth buying. All well and good, except that unless you have very good eyesight (I don't) then the font was far too small to read.

A spokesman said that it was "techie stuff" and that therefore it didn't matter that you couldn't read it. The obvious riposte to this is if it doesn't matter, why is is there? Such carping aside however, Helly Hansen has all the attributes of a Scandi-brand - a large, somewhat anonymous white sales floor, large mono-chrome graphics and a lot of brightly coloured clothing - perhaps that's what they like in Manchester, although why it should be so wildly different from London is not immediately apparent. Plans are in place for more stores....in Glasgow, Liverpool and maybe Leeds. Nice touch putting a graphic at the door that reads: "THE FORECAST CALLS FOR RAIN." Where else would this be more likely to happen?

Anthro finally takes a Euro-bow

So this is a few hours ahead of Anthropologie's official opening in London, but given that it's a good effort, I'm sure they'll overlook this. When shoppers, or at least VM sensation seekers make their way through the doors tomorrow morning they will be in for a surprise. Although the 'living wall' - a 50ft high structure containing 1,000s of plants - has been pretty well trailed, what will probably be less well-known is that the store also contains a full-size fabric narwhal (yes, it's one of the smaller cetaceans found in Arctic waters which has a unicorn-like appendage emerging from the middle of its face), algae blooms made from white bin liners and mannequins wearing crockery skirts.

All of which is certainly impressive and designed to make you gape. But will it compel people to dip into their pockets? The pricing of many of the articles, even allowing for its Regent Street location, certainly looks ambitious. That said, there is quite a lot, especially in the homewares area that falls into the upper end of the impulse buy category.

You'd be hard pushed to find a better merchandised range in London at the moment and almost every card has been played in this VM Royal flush. It seems probable that Anthropologie will garner column feet rather than inches and that its unveiling will be the signal for much rejoicing among the VM community.

The second store will open on Kings Road, by which time Anthro's European chief, James Bidwell, will have had sufficient time to gauge its long term future. Hard to call this one, but go see.

Why am I doing this?

This must be the question asked by almost every blogger who first puts fingers to keyboard. In my case, the motivation is straightforward: bullying. A friend whose opinion I set more store by than I probably should, recently dubbed me "naive" for not seeing the very obvious benefits of operating a blog. The outcome of her stinging censure is now therefore before you.

I remain unconvinced, of course, about this exercise, but am perfectly willing to be proved wrong. What follows therefore will probably prove to be no more, and no less, than a sporadic journal of travels around the UK and beyond looking at new stores and talking to people about them. I'm normally scrupulously polite about everything I see when publishing in print, but imagine that I will be somewhat freer to impart my thoughts without fear of suffering legal and /or monetary penalties.

Anyway, enough of the whys and wherefores. The first meaningful blog will be this Friday when I plan to write about whether the UK debut of fashion and homewares retailer Anthropologie is a cause for mild celebration or just another US import.

If you get to read this, thanks for staying with me thus far. I make no promises about providing any kind of epiphany, but hope to offer the occasional diversion.