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LondonTown.com's snapshot guide to the best shops by area. So wherever you are, whatever you want, our guide will help you find it.
Let LondonTown.com help you get to grips with the homegrown talent and international names represented in London. Our shopping guide picks out the best shops by area. Bond Street
 For serious fashionistas, Bond Street and its environs are the place to be seen in and shop! New Bond Street boasts one of the biggest and best concentrations of designer shops in the world, including Donna Karan, Prada, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Nicole Fahri, Armani, Versace and Ralph Lauren. Quintessentially English style can be found at Mulberry and Burberry's new flagship store. Bond Street also plays host to Sotheby's auction house and a number of antique stores and markets have popped up in the area. If you or your other half has a thing for diamonds, you should know that Cartier, Tiffany and Asprey & Garrard are among the jewellers on this exclusive, expensive street. Nearest Station: Bond Street Tube  Carnaby Street
The name Carnaby Street is synonymous with 1960s "Swinging London" - a phrase coined by Time magazine. Nowadays the area has gone through something of a revival and is once again boasting cutting edge designer talents and trendy street ware. With over 140 shops, bars and restaurants to choose from in the area, it's definitely worth a visit. Shoppers will find ad hoc collections like those at The Dispensary which stocks everything from John Smedley to Elspeth Gibson for the girls. There are also a couple of stores (notably Diesel and Animal) owned by multinational clothing corporations posing as urban clothing outlets. Carnaby Street is a fantstic place to buy footwear, but there's also great vinyl to be had at Deal Real records or Phonica, a number of fine cosmetics shops and a few boutiques selling vintage mod clothing - The Face is probably thee best. Stylish. Nearest Station: Oxford Circus Tube The King's Road
King's Road takes its name from the seventeenth-century when it was King Charles II's private thoroughfare between Whitehall and Hampton Court Palace. The area was made famous by a lively local scene during the 'swinging '60s' and punk fuelled seventies. The doyenne of punk fashion, Vivienne Westwood, still runs her first ever store at the so-called 'World's End' end of the King's Road. Although the area has none of the character of that time, it is still full of famous faces and one of the best and most varied places to shop and eat in London. For fashion, the King's Road offers High Street regulars such as Jigsaw, French Connection and Benetton. Plus, American Classics still sell vintage Levis and tuxedos while Johnsons stocks 50s and 60s inspired velvet suits and bowling shirts. A number of one-off boutiques and designer stores exude sartorial elegance, such as Ben de Lisi's store in Sloane Square which offers the ultimate evening wear in simple, but luxurious fabrics and his near neighbour Philip Treacy - who's millinery work has adorned the heads of the rich and famous for over a decade. Lulu Guinness's highly collectible and novel handbags can be purchased on Ellis Street, Emma Hope designs exquisite women's footwear and for those in the know, there's Jo Malone (Sloane Street), where you can splash out on chic skincare and scents. Covent Garden
A visit to Covent Garden is a must, whether you intend to shop, sightsee or soak in the carnival atmosphere. The focal point of Covent Garden, the market, has dominated the area ever since the Middle Ages when monks tended their market garden here. Since the nineteenth-century the market has expanded. Watch out for mime artists - harmless but irritating. The Garden is a mecca for hoppers because of the variety available here. High Street outlets include Oasis, French Connection, Next, Hobbs, Marks & Spencer and Mango. Menswear is available at Diesel, Replay, Firetrap and for the smarter guy, Paul Smith. There are a huge number of women's fashion stores and Neal Street, which runs out of the Piazza, is probably the best shoe shopping street in the capital, with numerous trendy outlets including Office, Foot Locker and Size. If (perish the thought!) you tire of clothes shopping there are scores of excellent spots for a coffee. Men can vent spleen built up lookig at hundreds of pairs of shoes by paying a visit to the excellent Kite Shop or fiddling around in the Gadget Shop. Knightsbridge
Knightsbrige is one of the most unchanged, attractive areas of central London, with little in the way of offices nearby but plenty of shops and restaurants to serve the needs of local residents. There are plenty of ways to spend money in this beguiling corner of the capital. Harrods is the most famous of the local shops, a huge tourist attraction employing over 3000 staff in more than 300 departments. However, locals turn their nose up at this garish overcrowded place and much prefer Harvey Nichols, a chicer alternative with three floors of designer wear, a huge beauty department and delectable delicacies on the fifth floor, all at extremely high prices. If you have the money to spend and want some designer clothes, look no further than Sloanne Street. Christian Dior, Chanel, Prada, Gucci, Armani, Alberta Ferretti, Nicole Fahri and Katharine Hamnett are all within doors of each other. There are also a number of exquisite specialist lingerie stores including Rigby & Peller on Hans Road and La Perla on Sloane Street itself. Finally, for home improvements on the Fulham Road, check out the Conran Shop for modern lines and chic timeless pieces; Divertimenti where Italian and French kitchenware comes into its own; Jerry's Home Store for American kitsch and Tridias (Bute St) to keep the kids occupied! Oxford Street
With over 200 million visitors a year, more than 300 shops and 5 million square feet of retail space, Oxford Street lays claim to being London's busiest street. The opening of Debenhams and Selfridges in 1909 marked the beginning of the street's dominance as a shopping centre. Amongst the chaos and bustle, retail therapists will find an oasis of calm in the area's unrivalled collection of department stores. Debenhams has a great line in designer garments at more affordable prices. Look for Jasper Conran and Lulu Guinness. Who doesn't love John Lewis? From fabric to feather boas, children's toys to cutlery this store stocks the lot. They have a 'lowest price' guarantee so you can buy with confidence and the simple lay out means you won't spend hours searching for it either! Less intimidating than Harvey Nicks and more down to earth than Harrods, Selfridges is the department store of Londoners. There's an incredible selection of British and International designers available and plenty of great restaurants and cafes to chill out in if you get a bit tired. Oxford Street also offers some of the best choice in terms of High Street fashion, if you can fight your way through the crowds. Among the best shops are inexpenswive but stylish Spanish favourites Zara and Mango; up to the minute trends at Topshop's flagship store and it's male counterpart Topman; Benetton and French Connection or cheap and chic Swedish store Hennes (H&M). Hot on their heels is Nike Town - several floors dedicated to sports wear in every conceivable guise and colour. Regent Street
Don’t be put off by the fact that Nash’s sweeping design for Regent Street was inspired as a means of separating the riff-raff (Soho) from the well to do (Mayfair) back in the 1800s. Regent Street is home to a number of large outlets offering everything from toys and trench coats to fabrics and food. A great place to window shop if nothing else. Perhaps the street’s most famous resident is Liberty's. Founded in 1875 the owner was so inspired by the musical The Mikado that he sought to bring Oriental goods to the capital. Beyond the store’s mock Tudor façade, this influence can still be felt. Designer labels like Mui Mui, Anya Hindmarch and Yohji Yamamoto can be found on the first floor; Liberty fabrics and the Designer’s Guild are an inspiration for the home; bags, leather goods and accessories dominate the ground floor. Grab a coffee, watch the world go by and indulge… Laura Ashley also offers excellent homeware and there are some excellent unisex clothing stores including Racing Green and Aquascutum. Many of the shops along Regent Street (and especially Saville Row running parrallel) are extremely expensive and suitable only for a very special occassion. However, if you have children, the world's best toy shop should give them something to remember! Hamley's is a London institution, a huge, well-run emporium stacked from floor to ceiling with excellent toys. It is a wonderful place to take a child, and fun for adults as well. |
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