Shopping in London
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Beyond Retro
Huge selection of vintage clothes, including wigs, shoes, jackets and lingerie, expertly slung together in a lofty warehouse.
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Ginger Pig
London’s best butcher.
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Start Menswear
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Konditor & Cook
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Warehouse
Somewhere between TopShop and Oasis in the fashion stakes.
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Village Books
Very much the village bookshop that depends on the support of local and itinerant book-lovers, Village Books is so small you could swing the proverbial dead cat and dislodge books from all four walls. But tininess is this shop’s forte, with a wealth of knowledge and experience from Hazel Broadfoot and other staff, who are never far away for literary queries, bookish pointers and excellent service. Stock is very strong, so you should find what you are looking for. There’s also another branch in Wandsworth.
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Village Books
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Sting
The new kid on the fashion block, the Sting is a ‘network of brands’: most of the clothes it stocks are European labels that are little known in the UK. Spread over three floors, you’ll find anything from casual sweatpants and fluoro T-shirts to elegant dresses, frilly tops and handsome shirts.
reviewed
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Selfridges
Selfridges loves innovation – it’s famed for its inventive window displays by international artists, gala shows and, above all, its amazing range of products. It’s the trendiest of London’s one-stop shops, with labels such as Boudicca, Luella Bartley, Emma Cook, Chloé and Missoni; an unparalleled food hall; and Europe’s largest cosmetics department.
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Rough Trade East
This vast record store has an impressive selection of CDs and vinyl across all genres, as well as an interesting offering of books. There are stacks of knowledgeable recommendations and staff are happy to help. It also sells good coffee and stages live events.
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Retro Man
Part of the same outfit as Retro Woman, this caters to fashionable gents, with shirts, ties, trilby hats and trousers from way back.
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Rellik
Incongruously located at the foot of one of London’s most notorious tower blocks – the god-awful-yet-heritage-listed concrete Trellick Tower – Rellik is a fashionista favourite retro store. It stocks vintage numbers from the 1920s to the 1980s and, while you rummage among the frippery, it’s not unusual to find an Yves Saint-Laurent coat, a Chloe suit or an Ossie Clark dress. This is a real treasure trove for those in the know.
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Portobello Green Arcade
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Penhaligon’s
Most people’s perfume-buying experience nowadays is limited to picking up their favourite scent at the airport duty-free. Penhaligon’s is the antidote to such an anonymous and soulless process: here, attendants will ask you about your favourite smells, take you on a little exploratory tour of their signature range and help you discover new scents. There is a range of products, from traditional perfumes to home fragrances and bath and body products. All products are made in Devon, England.
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One New Change
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Oasis
Good catwalk copies that are sure to keep you in fashion.
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Minamoto Kitchoan
Walking into this Japanese sweet shop is a mind-blowing experience. Wagashi – Japanese sweets – are made out of all sorts of beans and rice and shaped into glazed red cherries, green-bean bunches or spiky kidney bean rolls. Order a couple, sit down and enjoy with a complimentary green tea, or buy a box for a sure-hit souvenir.
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Lucy in Disguise
Opened in 2010 and owned by singer Lily Allen, Lucy in Disguise is a high-end vintage boutique. The collection is a mix of haute couture (Yves St Laurent and Chanel numbers are not unusual) and unbranded garments. The large number of 1980s outfits can sometimes make you feel like you’ve walked into the dressing room of a Dallas or Santa Barbara filmset.
reviewed
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Lock Market
Right next to the canal lock, with diverse food, ceramics, furniture, oriental rugs, musical instruments and designer clothes.
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Limelight Movie Art
This fantastic shop is ideal for collectors of vintage film memorabilia, or merely nostalgic browsers. A framed Dr Strangelove (£850) would look good on anyone’s wall, or there’s 1979’s Alien (£475), Dr No (£385, unframed) and many, many more.
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John Sandoe Books
The perfect antidote to impersonal book superstores, this atmospheric little bookshop is a treasure trove of literary gems and hidden surprises. In business for decades, loyal customers swear by it and the knowledgeable booksellers spill forth with well-read pointers.
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Ceramica Blue
A wonderful place for original and beautiful crockery, imported from more than a dozen countries. There are Japanese eggshell-glaze teacups, serving plates with tribal South African designs, gorgeous table cloths from Provence and much more.
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Benjamin Pollock’s Toy Shop
Here’s a traditional toyshop that’s loved by kids of all ages. There are Victorian paper theatres, wooden marionettes and finger puppets, and antique teddy bears that might be too fragile to play with.
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