Bicester Village, arguably the top designer outlet centre globally, celebrates its 30 anniversary this year and it’s marking the event with a new campaign, as well as a series of events and special link-ups.

The luxury shopping destination has just unveiled its new creative campaign concept dubbed What Will You Find?.  

It’s a five-part episodic campaign that aims to transport the audience into the world of Bicester Village. That means “not just what it looks like, but what Bicester Village feels like, exploring all the unique findings of being a guest that far exceed product alone”. 

It’s aiming to “really shift the perception and understanding of the brand” as it marks three decades in business. 

We’re told the campaign is the “first signifier of a new visual language Bicester Village [is] adopting as it continues with its unwavering passion to make a great experience for those who visit. From the level of hospitality to its curation of brands and all the smaller things that go unnoticed, from the landscaping to the architecture. These things haven’t changed but what has, is how the brand speaks about experience and therefore this is not a rebrand as such but a new way to converse this message”. 

‘Magical Realism’, a genre that takes everyday items, settings, scenarios and “reimagines them into something extraordinary”, was the inspiration. It allows the creative team to “play upon the fantasy of luxury fashion, while remaining grounded in reality and the tension between fantastical and everyday familiars”. 

The five episodes capture both the sense of anticipation visitors feel pre-arrival as well the many emotions felt while there and the overall feeling of a day well spent.

Looking across the 30th anniversary year in general, Bicester also has a number of other activities going on, starting with some that focus on its founding decade, the 1990s. 

It has collaborated with The Gentlewoman to create a bespoke, 97-page magazine titled 1995, described as “a literary time capsule and memento celebrating the spirit of the decade. With a reading time equivalent to the rail journey from Marylebone Station to Bicester Village, it makes the perfect journey companion before visitors arrive and experience nostalgic touchpoints”. 

From 1 May to 16 June, a bespoke ‘Village News’ pop-up features in the mall, offering limited-edition nostalgic ‘90s merchandise such as pick ’n’ mix and pin badges, as well as a limited run of 1995 caps, copies of 1995 and a 1995 post-box “where guests will be able to share their favourite 1995 moment”.

A series of immersive experiences for guests “built around Bicester Village’s continued commitment to bringing people together” is also planned. In July, we’re told it will “welcome an iconic Britpop legend” to talk about all things ‘90s nostalgia. This event will be ticketed and available to Bicester Village members on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Also, a bespoke playlist of the decade’s most prominent tracks has been created for guests to experience inside one of the Village’s red phone boxes, which have been transformed into ‘90s-inspired listening booths. 

There will be chances to win prizes too, as well as ‘90s-style dining, iconic fragrance brands of the decade spotlighting their best scents from the era, and even ‘90s fashion, such as an exclusive Marc Jacobs grunge capsule collection.