Shopping in London
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After Noah
The kind of shop Islington does brilliantly – a quirky emporium of vintage furniture, retro lamps and ornaments and old-fashioned kids’ toys. There’s a branch on the King’s Rd in Chelsea.
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Reiss
Reiss suddenly came out of the shadows when the Duchess of Cambridge (aka Kate Middleton) was photographed wearing one of its numbers. Now a classic English label of understated fashion.
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Heal’s
Heal’s is more serious, classical and expensive than Habitat, serving a more conservative, yet practical clientele. It’s a long-established furniture and homewares store. Check out the great kitchenware section.
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Gosh!
Draw up here for graphic novels, manga, newspaper-strip collections and children’s books, such as the Tintin and Asterix series. It’s also perfect for finding presents for kids and teenagers.
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Westland London
If you’re renovating, do not visit this treasure house of salvaged lamps, fireplaces and architectural elements. You’ll want everything you see and you’ll never be able to get it all home.
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Ceramica Blue
A wonderful place for original and beautiful crockery, imported from more than a dozen countries: there’s Japanese eggshell-glaze teacups, serving plates with tribal South African designs and much more.
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Past Caring
Stuffed full of second-hand, retro bric-a-brac – from ashtrays and 1970s LPs to mannequins and loud china – this wonderful shop is like a snapshot from three or four decades ago.
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Joy
This funky shop does a great line in retro floral frocks and blouses, hip T-shirts, polo shirts and an imaginative range of inventive gift ideas and quirky accessories.
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Gay’s The Word
This London gay institution has been selling books nobody else stocks for three decades now, and still has a great range of gay- and lesbian-interest books and magazines as well as a real community spirit.
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Stables Market
Just beyond the railway arches, opposite Hartland Rd, the Stables is the best part of the market, with antiques, Asian artefacts, rugs and carpets, pine furniture and vintage clothing.
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Monmouth Coffee Company
Essentially a shop selling beans from just about every coffee-growing country in the world, Monmouth has a few wooden alcoves at the back where you can squeeze in and savour blends from around the world.
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Bonhams
One of London’s most famous auction houses, Bonhams sees some real treasures going under the hammer, from paintings by old masters to Scottish broadswords. There’s a branch in Knightsbridge.
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Matthew Williamson
The upscale bohemian creations of Matthew Williamson show clear the influence of the time he spent in India. Starlets like Sienna Miller and Keira Knightley are regularly seen stepping out in his designs.
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Garrard
Creative director Jade Jagger helped turn Britain's old-fashioned crown jeweller into somewhere funky enough for Missy Elliot to advertise its bling. Jewel-encrusted clothing and gifts are sold upstairs.
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Benjamin Pollock’s Toyshop
Here’s a traditional toyshop that’s loved by kids of all ages. There are Victorian paper theatres, wooden marionettes and finger puppets, plus antique teddy bears that might be too fragile to play with.
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Fabrications
This shop does a lot for the recycling cause, making mostly soft furnishings for the home such as cushions, rugs and mats from unusual and unexpected material, from bicycle tyre tubes to used ribbon.
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Sharpeye
For durable men’s street wear check out Barrie K Sharpe’s collection of loose trousers, tees, shorts and boots with their ‘inna city’ ethos. Lasts a lifetime this stuff.
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Lillywhites
London’s largest sports shop offers five floors of tennis racquets, trainers and track suits. Despite the crowds and erratic service, it’s worth a visit for the regular 70% off sales.
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Steinberg & Tolkien
London’s oldest and most bizarre vintage shop, S&T has had its frocks featured in Vogue, among other magazines; shoppers are always taken aback by its dark and eccentric atmosphere.
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South Bank Book Market
The South Bank Book Market, with prints and second-hand books, takes place daily immediately in front of the BFI Southbank under the arches of Waterloo Bridge.
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Revival
The old Reckless Records store was replaced by Revival, though the outfit hasn’t changed much. It’s still new and second-hand records/CDs, from punk, soul, dance and independent to mainstream.
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Poste
Sitting on one of London’s most fashionable streets, this very cool shop is aimed at boys who like good shoes, and stocks everything from vintage street labels to razor-sharp Italian imports.
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Aria
The mugs, toasters, kitchen equipment and furniture crowd inside the store and in the window display, inviting all lovers of a good browsing session to get lost among the many lovely objects.
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Al Saqi
Located in a beautiful building topped with a dozen busts, this shop specialises in books in English about the Arab world and Islam, including the full catalogue of books it publishes itself.
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Ian Allan
The train-spotter in you won’t be able to resist this shop, which specialises in books on transport and defence: aircraft, motor vehicles, buses and, of course, those choo-choo trains.
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