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After being in London for a few months and with the weather warming up, I'm feeling the need to revamp my wardrobe. But where do you go? What part of London has fashion stores and what type? I was clueless when I first moved to London. So I made sure to create a guide to show you the best areas to go for shopping.
I realised that some of the towns of London have the same names as some areas in New York City such as Soho and Chelsea. Then, I learned that these areas in London are great shopping hubs. So that's a good way to remember where to go in London to shop.
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Soho
The Liberty is a beautiful Tudor-style building similar to a department store with several floors of high end fashion including J Brand, Acne Studios, Citizens of Humanity, and so forth. It's also known for selling beautiful fabric and home goods. You can find everything here from women's fashion, children's fashion, home goods, and gift options. In the middle of shopping, there is a cafe to grab lunch or a refreshing juice.
Coming out of the Oxford Circus Station, you can find fast fashion shops such as Mango, & Other Stories, Zara, Uniqlo, H&M, Anthropologie, and so forth along Regents Street and the intersecting A40. There's also a John Lewis right by the station, which if you're unfamiliar with, is similar to the Bloomingdales in the States.
Soho is a great area because it reminds me of shopping in New York City. There is a wide range of fast fashion and high-end name brands. I can also go back and forth between competitors within walking distance. And since these shops are in the centre of London, you can be sure they're massive in size. The H&M here is five stories high! So you shouldn't have difficult in finding your style or your size.
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a well known area for shopping, especially for tourists. This area feels more like an outdoor shopping mall, which you may find much more convenient. It's directly east of the Theatre District of London with tons of popular restaurants which makes for a complete day of shopping, eating, and going to see a show. On the weekends, you may find one-man shows in the walkway area. I once saw a man performing some magic tricks while I waited outside for a table at a nearby restaurant.
The Covent Garden area has high end shops including Mulberry, Burberry, Paul Smith, Jigsaw, and so forth. My personal favourites here are the Apple Store and Reiss. They don't have just luxury brand stores, but they also have Venchi (the popular chocolate and gelato store), the Moomin' Shop for children (and adults into the Moomin' cartoon), the Petersham Nurseries shop (where you can purchase houseplants), and more. There's something for everyone here.
Chelsea
Once you step out of the Sloane Station, you're staring straight into tons of storefronts. You'll see Tiffany & Co, J.Crew, Poetry, even Peter Jones & Partners (owned by John Lewis), and much more. You'll want to check out Sloane Square found at the intersection of Sloane Street and Kings Road. In Sloane Square, you'll find the largest Zara storefront in London, Free People, Rag & Bone, Valentino, Tom Ford, Chloe, and many more luxurious brands. There are also outdoor seating restaurants to take advantage of the warm weather during your shopping days.
There are fashion shops sprinkled all around London even in Camden, Angel, and Spitalfields. But Soho, Covent Garden, and Chelsea are where several shops are close together, making it much easier to find what you're looking for. These areas are also filled with well-known restaurants, so you can wind down your shopping excursions with a delicious lunch or dinner.
Waterloo | Off the Beaten Path
There is one place I wanted to share with you off the beaten path called Gabriel's Wharf. You'll find it in Waterloo along the River Thames. There are boutique women's fashion shops, a children's fashion shop, an art shop with the work from local artists, restaurants with outdoor eating, and more. It's a quaint area much like Sloane Square, but without the luxury brands. If you love promoting local business owners, this is where you want to go.
I came across Gabriel's Wharf after a trip to the Hayward Gallery. You can make a whole afternoon trip out of it by visiting an exhibition at the gallery and then coming here to shop and eat.
Whether you're going for high-end brands or fast fashion, you can find plenty of options all over London, including some random chain stores in each town such as Gap, H&M, and some native to London. I hope you have an amazing time shopping, and then heading over to a nearby outdoor restaurant to enjoy the view. Let me know how your excursion went! Feel free to leave a comment below. Can't wait to hear how your day went.
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