Shopping In London: Your Guide To Where & Why
London is arguably one of the fashion capitals of the world. Not only is it the headquarters of renowned fashion labels like Alexander McQueen, JW Anderson and Marques Almeida, it is also home to some of the most celebrated schools in fashion. Don’t forget that the London Fashion Week is also one of the most awaited annual events in the fashion industry. Hence, there’s no better place to go shopping for clothes than in London.
The city has many shopping destinations that many fashion enthusiasts should check out. Some of the most popular fashion districts include:
Bond Street
According to a report by Cushman & Wakefield’s Main Streets Across the World, Bond Street is the third most expensive shopping street in the world. That’s because you can find numerous luxury fashion brands here: Chanel, Mulberry, Louis Vuitton and the like. Even exclusive jewellers like Cartier and Tiffany & Co. have stores here, so it’s no surprise that even celebrities come here for a shopping spree. Whether you want to go on an extravagant retail therapy or just luxury window shopping, Bond Street will satisfy your cravings.
Covent Garden
Looking for designer clothes, or something a little more avante garde? Covent Garden probably has just what you’re after. Variety is what makes the place a popular fashion spot. You can shop for all kinds of women’s wear, men’s wear and kids’ wear here, plus other goods such as cosmetics and arts and crafts. Covent Garden recently improved its services with the opening of The Shop at Bluebird, a store that features unexpected luxury fashion finds. The place now offers more fashion choices than ever that feeling overwhelmed is understandable!
Westfield Shopping Centre
Home to some of the newest fashion, beauty and lifestyle shops in London; it has become a very popular haunt for shoppers.
Located near the iconic London Stadium, The Westfield Shopping Centre is Europe’s largest shopping destination and one of the busiest tourist hot-spots in East London. Included in the over 250 shops, there are plenty of sportswear and other sports-related stores, due to its proximity to the stadium. Whenever a match is on sports fans tend to flock to the shopping centre before or after the game. Therefore, Westfield also includes plenty of restaurants and entertainment options. Westfield also has a sister mall in White City, where you can find high street favourites like Marks & Spencer and Debenhams, as well as luxury labels like Jimmy Choo and Louis Vuitton. Either shopping centre is a great spot to start your day, especially during Christmas time.
Oxford Street
For high street fashion, Oxford Street is your best bet. It’s got Topshop on one end and Selfridges on the other. In between, there are other clothing giants like H&M, Zara, and even Adidas. The street is often crowded with around 4 million visitors each week. But things will potentially improve, as the London mayor proposed pedestrian-exclusive lanes in the area. The absence of cars and other transport may reduce the chaos and allow shoppers to further enjoy their retail therapy.
Carnaby Street
Carnaby was the birthplace of the Swinging Sixties, a youth revolution that saw the rise of the Mods, Skinheads, Punks and the New Romantics. This movement became iconic for the bolder styles and edgier music it introduced, and Carnaby was the central hub of it all. Music legends like Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger were known to shop here during that period. Today, you can still visit these unique and stylish shops reminiscent of the Swinging Sixties. If your style is more on the edgy side, this is the one place in London you should visit.
Fancy a spot of retail therapy outside of the City? Check out Belle’s roundup of the UK’s top cities for fashion.
