why do shops like New Look and Peacocks smell like they do...

[MaryAnnSingleton]

..it's a certain odour - is it me, or does anyone else think that /

It's the smell of child labour....

or cheap floor polisher mixed with manmade shoes

mm, manmade material shoes and child labour, think you have it there Slouchy

i kinda know what you mean
i barf at teh door and dont go in...

Starch? Something that is used to "finish" cheap cloth.

it's very distinictive,but I can find words to describe

I think it is the smell of 'cheapness'. Cheap clothes, cheap fabrics, cheap interior fittings mixed with cheap perfume.

what do other shops smell like, or don't they ? I can't think of what Gap smells of...obviously Lush smells of Lush from about 5 miles away and The Pier smells all scented candle-y

horrible chemical stuff
tis vile

worst shop is QS
or Ethel Austin.... bleurgh!

it is despair

A lot of it is cheap dye/ink which is used to print the colours on some of clothes.

I used to work in rag trade, and that smell is distinctive and not smelt in posher shops

It's the dyes.

It's even worse in cheap shoe shops, sometimes it leaks out as you walk past. A bit like a Lush experience but more harsh chemical than overpowering smellies iyswim.

My BIL works in an upholstery company and he says when people choose cheap leather for their sofa, they have to work with the windows open to try to reduce the overpowering stench of chemicals. (And the leathers are thinner and split more easily just in case you are htining of buying cheap leather sofas)

Abercrombie and fitch smells gorgeous! All men's cologney