Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
exchange
Bang Bang
(p. 157) for designer bargains—and
Covent Garden,
a shop-
ping masterpiece stocked with fashion, food, books, and everything else. The original
Covent Garden marketplace has overflowed its boundaries and eaten up the surround-
ing neighborhood; it's fun to shop the narrow streets. Just off trendy
Neal Street
and
Seven Dials,
Neal's Yard
is a stunning splash of color on rainy days if you're looking
to buy foodstuffs from
Neal's Yard Dairy.
Monmouth Street
is somewhat of a local
secret. Many shops here serve as outlets for British designers, selling both used and
new clothing. In addition, stores specialize in everything from musical instruments
from the Far East to palm readings.
Make sure, too, to take in
Charing Cross Road
and get your nose into one of the many secondhand bookstores.
South Bank
Apart from
Gabriel's Wharf
(p. 153), the South Bank isn't really a shopping destina-
tion on its own—although the area is slowly getting a facelift. The
Oxo Tower,
Bargehouse Street (
&
020/7021-1600;
Tube: Waterloo) now has a collection of
upscale boutiques on its lower floors, and
Borough Market
(p. 151) brings foodie
crowds south in their droves, as does
Tate Modern
(p. 154) with its fabulous shop
for artsy visitors and locals.
Southwest London
The home of
Harrods
(p. 158),
Knightsbridge
is probably the second-most famous
London retail district. (Oxford St. just edges it out.)
Sloane Street
is traditionally
regarded as a designer area, but these days it's more “upscale high street,” and
nowhere near as luxurious as
Bond Street
(see above). This is where you can grab
some aromatherapy from
Jo Malone,
150 Sloane St. (
&
0870/192-5121;
www.
jomalone.co.uk; Tube: Sloane Square), a haven for bespoke perfumes.
Walk southwest on
Brompton Road
—toward the
V&A Museum
(p. 102)—and
you'll find
Cheval Place,
lined with designer resale shops, and
Beauchamp Place
(pronounced
Bee
-cham). It's high end, but with a hint of irony. Expect to see little
lapdogs in handbags.
You'll also be near
King's Road
(Tube: Sloane Square), once a beacon of '60s cool,
this is now a haven for designer clothes and homewares. About a third of King's Road
is devoted to independent fashion shops, another third houses design-trade show-
rooms and stores for household wares (Scandinavian designs are prominent), and the
remaining third a mix of dress shops and shoe boutiques. The clothes shops tend to
suit a more mature customer (with a more mature budget), but you'll have fun shop-
ping here if you remain oblivious to shop assistants who can be on the snooty side.
Finally, don't forget all those museums in nearby
South Kensington.
They have
fantastic and exclusive gift shops. If you're looking for jewelry and homewares, the
V&A
(p. 154) and the
Design Museum
are must-visits. The
Science Museum
(p. 153) shop is perfect for inquisitive kids. Make sure to view the collections, too.
They're free, and have some world-class exhibits.
West London
If you're heading west, the first place you should find yourself in is
Notting Hill.
Of
course, one of the main draws for shopping in West London is
Portobello Market
(p. 152). Every Sunday, the whole of Portobello Road turns into a sea of antiques, cool
clothing (and even cooler shoppers), and maybe even a celebrity or three.
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