Best boutiques in London
Looking for something new? We bring you 50 of the best independent shops in London carrying the most stylish designers and cult brands
NORTH LONDON
Anna
Anna Park’s boutiques are dotted around the chicest enclaves of East Anglia – the Primrose Hill store was her first in London and is typical of her passion for colour and print. New additions include Philippe Model’s scuffed glitter trainers and high-tops and clothes from Elizabeth and James. 126 Regent’s Park Road, NW1 (020 7483 0411;shopatanna.com)
Cristobal
Church Street is teeming with wonderful antiques dealers but the jewel in the crown is this costume-jewellery specialist, which has been selling exquisite vintage pieces for the past three decades from some of the best names, including Trifari, Miriam Haskell and Stanley Hagler. 26 Church Street, NW8 (020 7724 7230; cristobal.co.uk)
Diverse
This enduring Islington boutique (28 years and counting) has everything a modern chic wardrobe needs: ready-to-wear from Acne, Isabel Marant and Kenzo, denim from Hudson and Frame and accessories from Céline and Opening Ceremony. 294 Upper Street, N1 (020 7359 8877; diverseclothing.com)
Hub
This popular boutique has built a loyal following for its laid-back offering of off-duty staples from labels such as Baum und Pferdgarten, Wood Wood, Won Hundred and Sessun. There are also utilitarian bags from Ally Capellino and Sandqvist, homewares, plus Beth Graham, designed by the co-owner Louise Power. 49 Stoke Newington Church Street N16 (020 7254 4494; hubshop.co.uk)
Lark London
Founded by the former model and merchandiser Phoebe Pring, this sweet Kensal Rise shop is the place to find crisp chambray separates from Finders Keepers and natty ankle boots from Beau Coops as well as labels you might not have heard of, such as Haaning & Htoon, which makes classic-but-cool pieces including caped evening dresses. There’s glamorous silky loungewear from Yolke, and some very pretty lingerieand vintage shop fittings. 52 Chamberlayne Road, NW10 (020 8969 0232; larklondon.com)
EAST LONDON
11 Boundary
A breezy Shoreditch boutique selling contemporary labels including By Malene Birger, Winter Kate and LNA with jersey from American Vintage and accessories from Tom Ford and House of Harlow. 11 Boundary Street, E2 (020 7033 0330; 11boundary.com)
69b
If there’s pressing evidence that sustainable fashion has come of age then it’s surely this hip Hackney boutique founded by the fashion stylist Merryn Leslie in 2011. There are lots of familiar names – People Tree, Beaumont Organic and Ancient Greek Sandals – but plenty of new names too. The store is also about to launch an e-commerce site. 69b Broadway Market, E8 (020 7249 9655; sixtynineb.com)
Celestine Eleven
With its polished concrete, zinc counters and cool, quirky furniture, this Shoreditch concept store is an inspiring space to shop for young designers (J W Anderson, Marios Schwab, Damir Doma), cult beauty products (from Sans Ceuticals, Dr Jackson’s and Karuna) and books. You can even take a yoga class in the studio downstairs. 4 Holywell Lane, EC2 (020 7729 2987; celestineeleven.com)
EC One
When it opened in Clerkenwell in 1997 EC One was one of the few places to find fine and costume jewellery in a cool contemporary setting. Now with a sister store in Notting Hill, this is the place to come for new names and established jewellers, from Alex Monroe to Shaun Leane, plus EC One’s in-house goldsmiths. 41 Exmouth Market, EC1 (020 7713 6185; econe.co.uk)
House of Hackney
Its bold homeware collection is equalled by a vibrant fashion line from this relatively new British label. Clothes, shoes and accessories can be snapped up from the stunning town-house flagship store – the literal House of Hackney – and feature beautiful patterns including delicate vintage roses and the House’s famed palm-tree print. 131 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 (020 7739 3901; houseofhackney.com)
LN-CC
It doesn’t get much more cutting edge or cool than this influential, by-appointment east London store, with its unmarked door, sci-fi interior (below) and totally unorthodox displays. You’ll find emerging talents alongside more established names including Haider Ackermann and Dries Van Noten as well as records, a bookstore and accessories. 18 Shacklewell Lane, E8 (020 3174 0727; ln-cc.com)
Start London
Run by the larger-than-life Brix Smith Start (the sometime Gok Wan sidekick), this is arguably east London’s best-known luxury fashion destination with heaps of desirable names (Acne, Kenzo, Alexander Wang and Sophie Hulme among them) and a focus on denim, as well as two men’s stores on the same street. 42-44 Rivington Street EC2 (020 7729 3334; start-london.com)
The Goodhood Store
It’s just moved from one hipster destination, Hoxton, to another, bigger one in Shoreditch, but still sells everything from hand-crafted skateboards to beautiful geometric rugs handwoven by North American Indians. Its buyers this season are most excited about new collections from MM6, Filles A Papa, and Gabriela Artigas. 151 Curtain Road, EC2 (020 7729 3600; goodhoodstore.com)
The Mercantile London
This spacious Shoreditch store echoes the area’s enduring vintage spirit (industrial brick walls, bare light bulbs) and sings to the East End’s laid-back attitude with Scandi labels including 2nd Day, Baum und Pferdgarten and the bestselling Dr Denim jeans, jewellery and beauty products from Ortigia, Lucia and Côte Noire. 17 Lamb Street, E1 (020 7377 8926; themercantilelondon.com)
YMC
For dandelion-coloured mohair cardies and peg-leg trousers just step into YMC. The east London store of the British brand sells its understated, utility-with-a-twist women’s and menswear and accessories. Another store is in Soho. 23 Hanbury Street, E1 (020 3432 3010; youmustcreate.com)
WEST LONDON
A La Mode
Josephine Turner has been casting her exacting eye over the international collections for the past three decades and now, in her chic store just off Sloane Square, showcases elegant and sophisticated pieces from Nina Ricci, Vionnet, Giambattista Valli and Oscar de la Renta as well as home-grown labels including Peter Pilotto. 10 Symons Street, SW3 (020 7730 7180; alamodefashion.co.uk)
Aimé
The sisters Val and Vanda Heng Vong opened Aimé in 1999 when they couldn’t source their favourite French labels in London. The pair still import their native labels (Isabel Marant, APC) along with Italian labels such as Forte Forte and Faliero Sarti. Its children’s store is next door and there’s another branch in Shoreditch. 32 Ledbury Road, W11 (020 7221 7070; aimelondon.com)
Anya Hindmarch Bespoke
Utterly unique, this wonderfully retro space is kitted out with vintage shop-fittings and display cases and also houses the bespoke workshop where you can see craftsmen working on monograms before your eyes. The personalised Walton weekend bag is the current bestseller. 15-17 Pont Street, SW1 (020 7838 9177; anyahindmarch.com)
Blackout II
This vintage store is slightly away from the well-trodden areas of Covent Garden and, as such, is a bit of a hidden gem. Jam-packed with terrific clothes and accessories from the 1920s to 1980s, it doesn’t have the hefty price-tags of some more polished vintage shops. 51 Endell Street, WC2 (020 7240 5006; blackout2.com)
Browns
This legendary store is famed for its immaculate collection of international labels – from the womanly (Azzedine Alaïa, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino) to the cutting-edge from young British designers such as Christopher Kane. There’s already a waiting-list for the new parkas from Mr & Mrs Furs (below) – last winter’s sold out as soon as they arrived. 24-27 South Molton Street, W1 (020 7514 0016; brownsfashion.com)
Céline
A startlingly modern yet surprisingly warm and textural temple to Phoebe Philo’s much-lusted-after collections. The interior’s dazzling patchwork of marble tiles (all 6,000 of them) is matched in its beauty by one-off fittings such as the huge brass lights that spread out like a spider over the central atrium and the sleek modernist day-bed, both designed by the Dutch artist Thomas Poulsen. 103 Mount Street, W1 (020 7491 8200;celine.com)
Couverture & the Garbstore
Here, there’s a strong leaning towards Scandi designers (Rabens Saloner, Henrik Vibskov), the Scandi-influenced (Minä Perhonen, below) and a clutch of cultish New York labels too (Steven Alan, Rachel Comey and A Détacher). Jewellery, home accessories and cute childrenswear such as the bestselling Oeuf knitwear add to the ecletic mood. 188 Kensington Park Road, W11 (020 7229 2178; couverture.co.uk)
The Cross
From the moment Sam Robinson opened her colourful, breezy and bohemian boutique in 1996 it has been one of the city’s most famous destination stores, with collections from labels such as Dosa and Zero + Maria Cornejo, as well as Queene and Belle knits and jersey basics from Velvet. There are similarly bohemian home accessories too. 141 Portland Road, W11 (020 7727 6760; thecrossshop.co.uk)
Darkroom
This Bloomsbury concept store’s speciality is one-off and hard-to-source accessories from emerging designers and artisans – from the utilitarian, such as Margo’s laser-cut iPhone and iPad cases, to the sleek and sculptural leather cuffs by Lizzy Disney. 52 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1 (020 7831 7244; darkroomlondon.com)
Donna Ida
A denim specialist since 2005, this is the place to come for premium jeans (there’s even a denim clinic to help find your perfect pair) alongside T-shirts from Splendid, blouses from Joie and Equipment, and knitwear from Bella Freud. There are also branches in Guildford and Belgravia. 106 Draycott Avenue, SW3 (020 7225 3816; donnaida.com)
Dover Street Market
Inspiring, innovative and quite possibly the most influential store in the world, this Mayfair mecca is crammed with the most desirable labels (Comme des Garçons, below) displayed in a series of flowing spaces, and has the wonderful Rose Bakery on the top floor. 17-18 Dover Street, W1 (020 7518 0680; doverstreetmarket.com)
Duke St Emporium
This Mayfair newcomer is a sister store to The Shop at Bluebird and has a similar style but with more of a focus on smaller labels (Maison Kitsuné, Raquel Allegra, Studio Nicholson) alongside collections from Jigsaw and a lovely Fernandez & Wells café. There’s menswear too. 55 Duke Street, W1 (020 7042 2770; dukestreetemporium.com)
Feathers
Originally set up in Kensington High Street in 1969, where it sold Ossie Clark and Bill Gibb, Feathers (below) has decamped to Knightsbridge and is run by the second generation – Peter and Suzanne Burstein, who buy labels including Rick Owens, Jil Sander, Haider Ackermann and Rochas, plus home-grown talents such as Alexander McQueen and Markus Lupfer. 42 Hans Crescent, SW1 (020 7589 5802; feathersfashion.com)
Feather & Stitch
This stylish Richmond store is owned by Fiona Sanderson, a former buyer for a certain large high-street retailer. Her shop focuses on European labels that have a reputation for feminine, very wearable collections – Filippa K, By Malene Birger, Des Petits Hauts (purses, below) and the newly stocked Samsøe and Samsøe are all typical of the aesthetic here. 16 King Street, TW9 (020 8332 2717; featherandstitch.com)
Fleur B
The former fashion buyer Fleur Bird opened her first boutique in 2008 with her eponymous label, plus other equally stylish ones. The latter include denim from Mother, Paige and Victoria Beckham, ready-to-wear from Carven and Goat, chic Clare Vivier pouches and totes, and 1970s-inspired dresses from Ellie Lines. There’s an additional store in Duke Street. 8 Elystan Street, SW3 (020 7225 3050; fleurb.co.uk)
Folk
J Crew, Pentreath & Hall and Darkroom are all neighbours to Folk, a specialist in understated, cool collections in offbeat colours. It also stocks other like-minded labels such as Sessun, Les Prairies de Paris and Tsumori Chisato. 53 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1 (020 8616 4191; folkclothing.com)
Heidi Klein
From the moment you enter this airy white-washed space you feel in full-on holiday mode. There’s a fabulous selection of swimwear, cover-ups and accessories as well as treatment rooms offering spray tans and other pre-vacation prep. 174 Westbourne Grove, W11 (020 7243 5665; heidiklein.com)
J Crew
It may be a chain, but J Crew’s Brompton Cross outpost feels far more like a boutique with its premium-collection line, which pulls together the most fashion-forward and richly constructed pieces (sweater, below) alongside covetable collaborations with labels from Comme des Garçons and Cutler and Gross to Barbour and Birkenstock.171-175 Draycott Avenue, SW3 (020 7591 1350; jcrew.com)
Joseph
Its own label is enjoying an amazing renaissance, but this flagship boutique has always been a destination for an impressive pick of international labels (Céline, Balenciaga, Lanvin, Azzedine Alaïa, to name a few) alongside the eponymous collection. 315 Brompton Road, SW3 (020 7225 3335; joseph-fashion.com)
Kabiri
With an additional outpost in Chelsea, an own-range of graphic gold and pavé pieces designed by its owner, Nathalie Kabiri, and both costume and fine jewellery ranging from cutting-edge fashion pieces to the most elegant classics such as diamond eternity bands, this is one of London’s most diverse jewellery destinations. 37 Marylebone High Street, W1 (020 7317 2150; kabiri.co.uk)
KJ’s Laundry
If you like low-key but luxe separates, this calming, nicely edited store is just the ticket. Off-duty staples (jersey dresses from Humanoid and Rabens Saloner, prints from Clover Canyon, pieces from Studio Nicholson, below) sit alongside the bestselling printed shirt-dresses from Samantha Sung. 74 Marylebone Lane, W1 (020 7486 7855; kjslaundry.com)
Lock & Co
Even if you have no plans to purchase a hat, this wonderfully old-school shop in St James’s is a true London classic. On the ground floor there are elegant men’s hats, including a wonderful range of panamas, while upstairs Sylvia Fletcher presides over the millinery atelier where the Duchess of Cambridge has often sourced her chic toppers. 6 St James’s Street, SW1 (020 7930 8874; lockhatters.co.uk)
Machine- A
This unique boutique is an independent concept store selling contemporary fashion. Here you can expect the most up-to-date pieces from the fashion industries most exciting designers. Machine-A aims to promote emerging talent so expect to see recent Central Saint Martins graduate collections as well as established brands such as JW Anderson and Sibling. 13 Brewer Street, W1 ((0)20 7734 4334; machine-a.com)
Margaret Howell
Elegant, airy and also inspiring, this flagship store not only houses Howell’s hugely desirable collections but also serves as a gallery space for a hand-picked selection of Ercol furniture, accessories including Anglepoise lamps, and books. 34 Wigmore Street, W1 (020 7009 9009; margarethowell.co.uk)
Merchant Archive
As the name suggests, Sophie Merchant’s starting point when she opened her boutique in 2007 was her own vintage collection. Her business then expanded to include precious pieces from the past alongside contemporary labels and home accessories (including the bestselling brass pineapples, below) and jewellery. Merchant also designed and launched her own label, which veers towards more contemporary silhouettes. 19 Kensington Park Road, W11 (0207 229 9006; merchantarchive.com)
Mouki Mou
In fashion circles Maria Lemos is well known as the director of the influential showroom RainbowWave. Last year Lemos opened her concept store in the achingly fashionable Chiltern Street. Her shop is packed with labels she loves: Dosa, 45rpm, Coral & Tusk and beautiful jewellery collections from Ten Thousand Things and Anna Sheffield. 29 Chiltern Street, W1 (020 7224 4010; moukimou.com)
Other/Shop
Founded by the directors of the now-closed b store, this unisex Soho concept shop has built up a loyal following for its clutch of cool labels, including Christophe Lemaire, Cédric Charlier, E Tautz and Peter Jensen. There are also gorgeous accessories from Sophie Hulme. 21 Kingly Street, W1 (020 7734 6846; other-shop.com)
Oxygen Boutique
This mother-and-daughter-run shop stocks some of the most coveted contemporary labels from New York and beyond including Band of Outsiders, ALC, Clover Canyon, Each X Other, as well as modish jeans and basics from Current/Elliott and James Perse. 51 Eastcastle Street, W1 (020 7636 6001; oxygenboutique.com)
Rellik
This legendary vintage store is not only a hunting-ground for A-listers from Kate Moss to Lady Gaga, it’s also a brilliant mash-up of the seriously collectable (Vivienne Westwood, Yohji Yamamoto, Ossie Clark) and much more affordable pieces from the 1970s to 1990s. It’s a bit chaotic and cluttered, but the thrill is in finding serious gems. 8 Golborne Road, W10 (020 8962 0089; relliklondon.co.uk)
The Shop at Bluebird
Owned and curated by Jigsaw’s Belle Robinson, this huge, airy store (below) cherry-picks from international collections (think Marni, Chloé, Carven, Isabel Marant) and up-and-coming labels and has a wonderfully eclectic collection of accessories – from bags and books to candles. 350 King’s Road, SW3 (020 7351 3873; theshopatbluebird.com)
Sixty 6
From this month, Marylebone will again become home to this bijou boutique. Beautifully edited by its owner Jane Collins, it stocks Essentiel, 360Sweater, Geoffrey’s London and scarves and vintage costume jewellery, which have earned it a loyal clientele. 17 Bulstrode Street, W1 (020 7935 3705)
Trilogy
If there’s a pair of jeans that’s perfectly cut for you, the team at Trilogy will be sure to find it. For autumn the store has plenty of new arrivals and exclusives from labels such as AG, Current Elliott and J Brand. As well as denim, there are all the things you may want to pair with it – jersey from American Vintage and Splendid, blouses from Tucker and separates from Vince, and Chinti and Parker knits. 31 Duke of York Square, SW3 (020 7730 6515; trilogystores.co.uk)
Wolf & Badger
A super-modern fashion destination focused on emerging talents and cutting-edge labels which are provided with their own retail space in this constantly evolving concept store. This autumn promises digital prints from Judy Wu and newcomer Arianna Cerrito, plus strident shoes from Dear Frances. 46 Ledbury Road, W11 (wolfandbadger.com)
SOUTH LONDON
Iris
Two friends, Annie Pollet and Sarah Claassen, launched their first store in 2004 in Queen’s Park and now have four, each with an accessible, feminine approach with easy-to-wear names such as Ba&sh, American Vintage, Etoile by Isabel Marant, Vanessa Bruno Athé and Chinti and Parker. There are gifts and cute childrenswear too. 97 Northcote Road, SW11 (020 7924 1836; irisfashion.co.uk)
Matches Wimbledon
The phenomenal success of this chain of boutiques and online store lies in its fresh, contemporary edit of desirable labels that are always on-trend but with a mix of classics too. Grown-up staples from Max Mara, Bottega Veneta and Dolce & Gabbana sit alongside more directional collections from labels such as Altuzarra and Christopher Kane. Autumn favourites include strong looks emerging from the revamped Issa and the colourful teddy-bear coats from Shrimps. 36 High Street, Wimbledon Village, SW19 (020 8947 9777; matchesfashion.com)
