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Bright ribbons

Dancing with ribbons on Oxford Street, London, March 2021

Bourne & Hollingsworth was a large department store in an 1894 building on Oxford Street. It was remodelled in the late 1920s in Art Deco style and although much of Oxford Street was damaged by bombings in World War 2, most of the art deco frontage survived.

The store itself closed in 1983, and was converted into a shopping and food court, opening as The Plaza in 1986. As part of this redevelopment a sculpture was commissioned from Michael Rizzello.  The Dancer With Ribbon, is believed to have been inspired by Darcey Bussell, who was well into her career as a prima ballerina at that time. The building is now a Next store and the dancer still twirls and shines above our heads as we walk past.

 

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Copyright Debbie Smyth, 8 April 2021

Posted as part of Becky’s April BrightSquare

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17 replies »

  3. I remember Bourne’s/ My sister used to work in the accounts department there and was housed in their staff quarters where they were well-looked after by a sort of matron (the only reason my mother agreed to her living in London). They had individual rooms, a canteen, and were allowed visitors – men to be out by 10.00 pm. Those were the days when big corporations had a sense of duty and responsibility towards their staff. What a change from today.

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