More London Shopping

BOUTIQUES

ALICE & ASTRID
Pretty and pastel-colored with Nordic-influenced decor, this store showcases owner Astrid Blake's line of ultra-feminine lingerie—like delicately printed, tissue-thin cotton camisoles and silk chiffon bed jackets. Rounding out the stock is an ever-changing selection of loungewear, including flounce-hem slipdresses and shrugs knit from the lightest mohair. 30 Artesian Rd., 44-20-7985-0888. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

ANTIPODIUM
This moody, dramatically lit Soho shop is filled with Australian labels. Look for a mix of lines both established—Karen Walker, Rittenhouse, Tsubi—and up-and-coming, like 18th Amendment and Schwipe. Also keep an eye out for the shop's just-launched house label, which features menswear-inspired pieces with creative flourishes; among our favorites are the paper-bag-waist trousers and the traditional button-up shirts with dolman sleeves. 5A Carlisle St., 44-20-7287-3841. Neighborhood: Soho

ATELIER ABIGAIL AHERN
Interior decorator and stylist Abigail Ahern's inviting Islington spot is packed with globally sourced objects that have a minimalist feel. Her carefully chosen inventory includes hand-blown Belgian bud vases, South African orange blossom candles, and chandeliers so elegant you'll be shocked to discover they're made of papier-mâché. 137 Upper St., 44-20-7354-8181. Neighborhood: Islington

BLACK TRUFFLE
The first of this pair of shoe emporiums opened in the shadow of East London's emerging Broadway Market a few years back; a second store popped up last November in Fitzrovia. Both sell highly wearable, trendproof footwear, like Repetto ballet flats and Chie Mihara Mary Janes, plus an assortment of functional bags, including Jack Gomme nylon totes. A cool detail about the Fitzrovia location: It's just opened a shoe-making school where you can learn how to craft a pair of boots, sandals, or heels of your own. 52 Warren St., 44-20-7388-4547. Neighborhood: Fitzrovia and London Fields

BROWNS FOCUS
An edgier offshoot of famed London boutique Browns, this two-level storefront has a reputation for taking chances on young designers. Owner Joan Burstein was an early supporter of Brit-based names like Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan, and she still has a knack for bringing in the new and inspiring; current finds include Josh Goot, Charles Anastase, and Tina Kalivas. Bonus: The well-stocked website ships to the States. 38-39 S. Molton St., 44-20-7514-0063, brownsfashion.com. Neighborhood: Mayfair

COCO RIBBON
This entirely girly shop features floaty tops and ruffle-hem dresses hanging from every corner. It also carries an amazing selection of lingerie and swimwear (most of the pieces have retro touches, like chiffon-trimmed satin boy-shorts and polka-dot bandeau bikinis). New to the store is its "Panty Postman" club, where clients can sign up online (cocoribbon.com) and receive a batch of staff-selected underwear every three months. 21 Kensington Park Rd., 44-20-7229-0555. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

DESIGNERS GUILD
Filled with bright, colorful stripes and floral prints, Tricia Guild's brilliant home-decor line has been a London design favorite for the past 37 years. Guild also carries a gorgeous selection of wallets, beauty cases, and passport carriers. 267-271 and 275-277 King's Rd., 44-20-7351-5775

DOORS BY JAS M.B.
London-based accessories designer Jas Shembi's sturdy leather bags first became popular in Japan, and with the opening of this store—his first in Europe—his fan base is set to expand to his hometown. Inside the tiny rustic space, find Shembi's full JAS M.B. line of shoes, bags, jackets, and wallets—we were especially taken with the miniature doctor-style metal frame totes, which have a very Dickensian appeal. 8 Ganton St., 44-20-7494-2288. Neighborhood: Soho

EC ONE
Founded by husband-and-wife team Jos and Alison Skeates, this Notting Hill jewelry boutique (there is another outpost in Clerkenwell's Exmouth Market) stocks a beautifully edited selection of semiprecious and precious pieces from more than 50 artisans. Our picks include Emma Craig's simple, matte, gold-hammered bangles, Isabel Michelle's '70s-inspired necklaces, and brightly colored earrings by Scott Wilson. 184 Westbourne Grove, 44-20-7243-8811. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

HEIDI KLEIN
Though a branch of this famed swimwear resource is now found stateside (on New York City's Upper East Side), we have a soft spot for its original London location. Not only is there a gorgeous array of bikinis, tanks, and cover-ups by hard-to-find names, but also a well-chosen cache of caftans and sarongs. 174 Westbourne Grove, 44-20-7243-5665; plus other locations, heidiklein.co.uk. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

HOXTON BOUTIQUE
Raw and gallerylike, this shop was a pioneer of the East End retail scene when it opened in 2000. Since then, it has consistently carried loads of emerging labels. The most recent addition is owner Alison Whalley's Hobo line, which is filled with French schoolgirl–influenced pieces, like yoked jersey smocks, striped cardigans, floral-print bib-front dresses, and suspender jumpers. 2 Hoxton St., 44-20-7684-2083. Neighborhood: East End

KURT GEIGER
Since 1963, this British footwear purveyor has been turning out impeccably made runway-inspired shoes. The best deals can be found in its lower-priced KG line—this season, look for stacked-heel, thick-strapped sandals and patent pumps. The South Molton location has the most diverse selection and also stocks styles from Marc by Marc Jacobs, Gina, Chloé, and Carvela. 65 S. Molton St., 44-20-7758-8020, kurtgeiger.com. Neighborhood: Mayfair

NATURAL HISTORY
Taxidermy aficionados will love this Saturday-only shop (it's located in an antiques arcade right off Portobello Road), which is filled with exquisite examples of the craft. Over the past 18 years, American owner George Grundl has cultivated a network of sources that supply him with outstanding, highly unusual insect shadow boxes, animal skeletons, mounted antlers, and other assorted spoils of the hunt. 286 Westbourne Grove, 44-20-8926-7297. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

PAUL SMITH
Perhaps the most cheerfully British of all British designers, Paul Smith manages to combine cheekiness with utter wearability. One of his coolest endeavors is Westbourne House, a sprawling Notting Hill shop brimming with the full range of Smith's clothing, accessories, and decor lines. Amble from the downstairs sitting room to the upstairs bedrooms, taking in the bright pinstriped shirts, photo-print duffel bags, and starburst-design rugs along the way. 122 Kensington Park Rd., 44-20-7727-3553, paulsmith.co.uk. Neighborhood: Notting Hill

SNIFF
Just opened on the fringe of Soho, this mod shoe store is headed up by two friends who worked for years in the footwear business. Styles from favorite brands such as French Sole mix with Miss L-Fire, Sniff's own line of 1950s-pinup-inspired pumps and heels. The spare space is decorated with bronze ball pendant lamps and cushy, velvet-upholstered furniture. 1 Great Titchfield St., 44-20-7299-3560. Neighborhood: Soho

STORY
Owner Ann Shore founded Story Deli, one of the East End's best-known organic cafés, so it seemed a natural progression when she opened this earth-friendly clothing shop. It's unlike any other place we've visited: Picture a timeworn warehouse filled with ethereal, reconstructed vintage jewelry and recycled lace dresses, plus spans of fabric, yarn, and crystal-studded garlands draped and dangled from the ceiling. 4 Wilkes St., 44-20-7377-0313. Neighborhood: East End

SUNDAY (UP)MARKET
Though London doesn't lack for weekly markets, this recent addition is noteworthy for its adventurous mix. Sunday (Up)Market brings together 140-plus vintage clothing sellers, vendors purveying global goods, and designers so new that this is the first place they're selling their wares. We spotted Pakistani wedding quilts for half what they go for in the U.S., along with tons of leather handbags from the '60s and '70s. Consider dining here too: There are booths selling everything from Moroccan couscous and Creole soup to Indian lassis and Ethiopian coffee. Sundays, from 10 AM to 5 PM, at the corner of Hanbury Street and Brick Lane in the Old Truman Brewery, no phone. Neighborhood: East End

TWINKLED
Located in a bustling shopping court off Carnaby Street, this stylized vintage store is great for those who love secondhand pieces but don't like to dig. Everything is clean, bright, and organized, and the staff really takes the time to help you out. 1.5 Kingly Ct., 44-20-7734-1978. Neighborhood: Soho

DEPARTMENT STORES


HARRODS
With 330 departments, 27 restaurants, and one very famous food hall, this legendary retailer is Knightsbridge's most famous fixture. Luxury abounds, from the gilded ceiling embellishments to the intricately carved balustrades, and the labels available here are established and high-end. While other department stores in town may have a bit more edge than Harrods, they can't match the sense of old-school opulence that this 150-year-old institution practically invented. 87-135 Brompton Rd., 44-20-7730-1234, harrods.com. Neighborhood: Knightsbridge

HARVEY NICHOLS
"Harvey Nicks" has long been the go-to location for sourcing the newest young-designer labels, and though its reputation has slipped in recent years (Selfridges and Liberty—see the March issue of Lucky—have stolen some of its thunder), it's still a spot-on resource for burgeoning indie names like Tevrow + Chase. Also notable is the massive beauty department, which is packed with products from nearly every obsession-worthy label you can imagine. 109-125 Knightsbridge, 44-20-7235-5000. Neighborhood: Knightsbridge

FENWICK
This New Bond Street emporium doesn't have the square footage to compete with the other heavy hitters in town, but it consistently draws us in with a smart mix of traditional and hipster: psychedelic Pucci scarves and dresses by Anna Sui. 63 New Bond St., 44-20-7629-9161. Neighborhood: Mayfair

HIGH STREET CHAINS
Trendy chains, known as "High Street stores" in Britspeak, abound on nearly every London corner. Here, a short list of our favorites (plus the best locations of each).


ALL SAINTS
Known for a moody, slightly goth take on the current trends, this chain is geared more toward the citified and edgy than the cute and sweet: Picture cropped biker jackets, voluminous jersey dresses, and Lurex-threaded sweaters. Best location: 114 Commercial St., 44-20-7392-8098

DOROTHY PERKINS
Career girls love D.P. for its well-fitting, not-stuffy-at-all dress shirts and pencil skirts. It also offers great dresses (especially short flirty ones for evening). Best location: 189 Oxford St., 44-20-7494-3769, dorothyperkins.co.uk

HOBBS
Though more conservative than many of the other High Street chains, Hobbs occasionally pulls out a wild card, like a pair of Wizard of Oz–like red glitter heels or a neon tartan shawl. But even the more classic pieces are worth checking out: Hobbs sells perfectly fitting pants and has mastered the design of simple black flats. Best location: 217 Regent St., 44-20-7437-4418

MISS SELFRIDGE
This sweet store was one of the first High Street hits back when it launched in the '60s, and it hasn't lost a bit of its playfulness. Find every permutation of the latest trends here, from bright cotton peacoats to white eyelet smocks. Best location: 36-38 Great Castle St., 44-20-7927-0188, missselfridge.co.uk

MUJI
Thoughtfully designed, highly utilitarian items are the signature of this Japanese brand, and every product in its spare, modern stores—from simple cotton tees to cardboard-covered iPod speakers—reflect a less-is-more sensibility. Best location: 187 Oxford St., 44-20-7437-7503, www.mujionline.co.uk

NEW LOOK
Like many of the other chains, ultra-trendy New Look regularly works with emerging young designers to do exclusive collections. This season, Brit talent Giles Deacon has created a gold-themed array of dresses, jackets, and shoes. Best locations: 175-179 Oxford St., 44-20-7025-6703; 500-502 Oxford St., 44-20-7290-7860

OASIS
This something-for-everyone spot covers all the bases: There are classics like button-down shirts and denim skirts for traditionalists, runway-driven designs including trapeze tops and high-waisted jeans for risk takers, and a trove of basics (tees, tanks, leggings) in a rainbow of colors for everyone. Best location: 292 Regent St., 44-20-7323-5978

REISS
The goods are more upscale (and therefore pricier) than at other High Street shops, but this store's consistently gorgeous stock, especially the well-made dresses and bags, will assure you that you've spent well. Best location: 78-79 New Bond St., 44-20-7493-4866

WAREHOUSE
You may recognize this easy-to-wear brand—it's also sold in the U.S.—but there are loads more choices at its English outposts, like jewel-tone belted tunics and Empire-waist silk baby-doll dresses. Best location: Oxford Street Plz., 44-20-7436-4179

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