A$AP Rocky predicts a big future for pop-up stores

A$Ap Rocky is confident that pop-up shops are the future of retail.

The rapper has set up his own temporary space at London’s Selfridges, bringing the vibe of New York to the basement of the Oxford Street store.

Fans can get their hands on all sorts of items, from clothes by his secretive creative agency AWGE to Krispy Kreme doughnuts and Twinkies, and A$AP predicts the type of environment he’s offering will become more popular as time goes on.

“I think the future of retail is going in a crazy direction - you know, physical stores aren’t as popular because of online shopping,” he told Vogue.com. “Most of the time you occupy a space that doesn’t guarantee a quota of customers, and before you know it, it becomes a conflict. With pop-ups, you get in and get out. That’s where everything is headed. Look what I am doing.”

His Big Apple-themed bodega is open now and runs until 11 October (17), with a selection of garments from A$AP’s Guess collaboration also on offer to guests as well as pieces by brands like Harun and Midnight Studios.

The 29-year-old, real name Rakim Mayers, hopes the decor reflects the vibe felt in his hometown and entices a range of people to stop by.

“The bodega is significant because minorities owned it - Hispanics, Arabs, and Koreans,” he explained. “Outside of New York City, you don’t experience the whole traditional bodega feel. You don’t see cats lying on the bread, or asleep on the rice... (It’s about) different ethnic minorities coming together and living together cohesively - and this has been going on for decades. That’s why I’m bringing this fusion of different cultures, manifested in one AWGE Bodega. It is ghetto, but not trashy, which is very true for New York City.”