I am extremely disappointed with the way my girlfriend and I were treated at Van Cleef & Arpels inside Selfridges today, 31 August 2026 at approximately 1:12pm.
We came to the boutique with the genuine intention of purchasing a necklace. I registered our details and joined the waiting list so that a sales advisor could assist us. After waiting for around 10 minutes, a male staff member standing at the reception/entrance told us that we could be waiting for a long time and then suggested that we should go outside and wait.
I found his attitude incredibly rude, dismissive and completely inappropriate for a luxury brand of this level. We were already registered, patiently waiting inside, and were there specifically because we intended to make a purchase. What made the situation even worse was that at almost the exact moment he was telling us that we would have a long wait, I had already received a message saying that it was our turn to be seen.
So what exactly was the purpose of telling us to leave the boutique?
It genuinely felt like a very obvious and disrespectful attempt to get rid of us. A member of staff working at the entrance should understand that every customer deserves to be treated with basic respect, regardless of whether they have already made a purchase or are still waiting to be assisted.
For a prestigious brand such as Van Cleef & Arpels, this type of customer service is completely unacceptable. Staff behaviour like this can seriously damage the reputation and image of the brand. Customers come to a luxury boutique expecting professionalism, courtesy and hospitality — not to be made to feel unwelcome or indirectly pushed out of the store.
I hope management reviews who was working at the entrance at approximately 1:12pm on 31/08/2026 and addresses this properly. The attitude of this particular employee seriously needs to improve.
Booked an appointment and was met by Scarlet who assisted me with the purchase of a bracelet. She made the whole experience really special and I love my new purchase.
WY
wang yijiang
Aug 2, 2026
A very arrogant Italian sales associate showed me a few necklaces, but the service was extremely disappointing. He didn’t offer to help me try them on, so I had to put the necklaces on myself. While I was trying them on, he was busy looking at his phone.
Let’s be clear: customers come here because of the Van Cleef & Arpels brand, not because of any individual sales associate. When people are spending thousands of pounds on fine jewellery, attentive and respectful service should be the minimum standard. Unfortunately, this experience fell far below what I would expect from a luxury boutique.
Please go to their New Bond St store where the staff are helpful, polite, courteous and friendly. If you like being valued as a customer and made to feel welcome when shopping at a luxury brand, avoid this ‘outlet’ in selfridges. walk 10 minutes down the road to their store in New Bond st where a warm welcome from the hosts to the assistants await.
CB
Christiano De Barros
Apr 1, 2025
Great service