A posh high street store in Mayfair – which has Victoria Beckham and Hailey Bieber among its fans – has come under fire for ‘snobbish’ and ‘patronising’ staff, as shoppers are also complaining that it’s overrun with influencers, who get preferential treatment.
Los Angeles brand Realisation Par, where dresses go from £110 up to £370, has a branch in one of west London‘s most affluent neighbourhoods.
But scathing reviews have attacked everything from ‘sassy’ customer service to ‘crowded’ stores, and a new £7 in-store photo booth has also divided shoppers.
As well as flocking to the shop for its stunning interiors and trendy pieces, social media stars have been documenting their attempts to use a black and white photo booth in store.
While previously it appeared anyone could use it – without needing to buy a clothing item – shoppers have since claimed they were not able to take a picture unless they had made a purchase.
And many feel that influencers get special treatment from staff.
Scathing reviews have attacked everything everything from ‘sassy’ customer service to ‘crowded’ stores, and a new £7 in-store photobooth has also divided shoppers
‘I had a really disappointing experience at Realisation Par,’ one Google review read. ‘The staff were incredibly rude and made us feel judged from the moment we walked in. We were followed around the store, which made the whole experience uncomfortable and unwelcoming.
‘It’s such a shame because I had my heart set on buying a dress for my 30th birthday, but the atmosphere completely put me off.
‘What made it even more frustrating was seeing influencers freely taking content in-store, while other customers were not allowed to take photos. The inconsistency felt unfair and unprofessional.
‘Staff should be the face of a brand and reflect its values, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case here. The customer service simply didn’t deliver.
‘Overall, a very disappointing experience for a brand I was excited about, and I won’t be returning or purchasing.’
‘The clothes are beautiful, but the customer service was genuinely awful,’ another shared.
‘From the moment I arrived, several staff members were cold, dismissive, and made customers feel like asking for help or trying things on was an inconvenience. The only genuinely kind person I encountered was the staff member fetching items.
‘What made it worse was seeing how differently people were treated. A few customers, who seemed to be influencers or somehow “important” were given much more attentive service, including staff calling another store to check sizes for them.
‘Meanwhile, other customers were brushed off and made to feel annoying for asking basic questions.
‘I still ended up spending around £400, but honestly I regret it because the whole experience felt condescending and unpleasant. I left feeling judged, unwelcome, and upset. No one should feel like that in a fitting room.’
Elsewhere, one shopper was left ’embarrassed’ after trying to use the photobooth.
Los Angeles brand Realisation Par, has a branch in one of west London’s most affluent neighbourhoods. Influencers such as @elliee_thomson have weighed in
Shoppers are also complaining that it’s overrun with influencers, who get preferential treatment
Victoria Beckham spotted wearing a Realisation Par dress in 2022
Emily Ratajkowski in a skirt from the clothing brand
Hailey Bieber has also worn dresses from the brand
‘After trying on several dresses, none were quite the fit I was after. On my way out I noticed the Photo Booth and went to take a picture and the sales person immediately stopped me and asked “did you make a purchase?”,’ she wrote.
‘Confused, she let me know that the Photo Booth was only for people who buy things. I truly couldn’t believe that the price of entry for this Photo Booth was a £300 dress (+ the £7 for the actual photo!)
‘A bit embarrassed by the situation and being loudly called out in the store, I hurried out.
‘As I did the woman made a fuss as if I was being rude, truly just embarrassing me further. I quickly got out of there, and can’t say I’ll ever be back or buying one of their dresses online.’
Taking to social media, many have also shared their attempts to get into the photo booth.
‘POV: You made it to the viral photo booth before they changed their policy,’ @amyfergusson3 wrote.
Elsewhere, @elliee_thomson shared she ‘sees both sides of the argument’.
‘I spent many, many years working in retail. I fully understand there are some days where customers are your worst enemy.
‘But my initial thoughts when I saw it all kicking off on TikTok were “what did you expect?”
‘You create this beautiful… space and this aesthetic photo booth in the middle of Mayfair…’
She believes the shop should have displayed the rule that you need to buy something to use the photo booth – or simply let the ‘hype’ die down instead of changing the policy.
‘Just wanted a Photo Booth of my 23rd birthday,’ @romasvanity recounted.
‘Everyone else on TikTok saying they had the best experience in there but they wouldn’t let us use it as we weren’t “paying customers” but would paying for the photo booth not make me a paying customers. So sad rn.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Realisation Par for comment.
Realisation Par has two stores in London. The Mayfair location opened up in 2024, and last year, there was also a ‘summer store’ in Belgravia.
The A-lister loved brand, which is also a hit with influencers, was founded in the US by Australian Alexandra Spencer and Teale Talbot.
It promises ‘individual pieces rather than collections’ and ‘seeks to provide those special items we felt were missing from our own wardrobes and put them into yours’.
Popular online, its slinky dresses and tops typically go for £300 or above.
Victoria Beckham, Claudia Schiffer and Alexa Chung have all worn pieces by the brand, as have Hailey Bieber, Kaia Gerber, Nicola Peltz and Emily Ratajkowski.
As well as enjoying popularity in the UK, Realisation Par has also had a recent surge of popularity in China.
Speaking to Vogue last year, the business owners revealed they have had record-breaking success in East Asia.
‘All the inventory we would normally ship to the US went into Tmall Global instead,’ Teale shared. ‘We didn’t do anything different – it was simply about meeting demand.’
‘We have enjoyed a successful online presence in China for several years. Our Chinese consumers truly appreciate Realisation Par and look gorgeous in our dresses.
‘Following the success of our pop-ups in London, LA and Sydney, we believe it’s the perfect moment, with the ideal partner, to connect with our Chinese audience IRL.’
