Women’s clothes shop ‘Collection’ closing after 45 years

Image above: Collection, Chiswick High Rd

Closing down sale

The women’s clothes shop Collection, sister shop to the menswear shop American Pie on Chiswick High Rd, is closing down after 45 years. The men’s shop is staying open.

Owner Bashir Mohammed set up the business with his wife in 1976 and they would have continued running it, but the lease has come to an end and they have not been able to agree an extension with the landlord.

Customers in the shop on Saturday expressed their sadness that the shop is closing. Ellen Rooney, who has shopped at Collection for many years, told The Chiswick Calendar:

“There are not too many clothes shops around here that suit my taste. I am very sorry to see them go; I have shopped here since 1993.”

Sarita Sayre told us: “They are always lovely and genuinely helpful.”

Image above: Collection, Chiswick High Rd

“A little corner of eclectic glamour”

Manager Lina, who has worked there for seven years, told us since the ‘Closing down’ sign had been put up in the window they had literally had hundreds of customers some in and tell them how sad they were to see the shop close.

“They’re genuinely upset because it’s been here for such a long time. They are really sad; it’s quite emotional some of them, it’s ruined their day.”

Catherine Power, who now lives in the Unted States, told us she had lived in Chiswick for eight years and still had clothes she had bought at Collection previously.

“I have found so many treasures here that I’ve still got 15 years later. It’s a little corner of eclectic glamour.”

Image above: Collection, Chiswick High Rd

The husband and wife team hand-pick the clothes from collections for both the women’s and the men’s store, buying stock from England, Europe, Scandinavia and America. In previous years they have been to fashion shows in Paris and New York to buy stock.

The staff have been offered jobs in the men’s store when the lease runs out at the end of January. Until then they are selling off stock at a 10% discount and giving away the fixtures and fittings.

Image above: Collection, Chiswick High Rd

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