Overdue some retail therapy? Online shopping is great and all, but we’ve been missing shopping IRL. There’s nothing like touching the fabric in the flesh, or spritzing a fragrance to add to the thrill of your latest purchase.
Whether you want to splurge on a new piece of jewellery for yourself, discover a new signature scent, or are perhaps looking for a dress for that thrice-postponed wedding, we have you covered, thanks to a host of new stores opening up across the capital. These are the best shops to visit now London is open.
Vashi Flagship Store
Covent Garden has undergone quite the transformation in recent years, re-positioning itself as a covetable fashion district. Now, the piazza is about to get even more attractive, thanks to bespoke, fine-jewellery brand Vashi’s new flagship store opening on 27 May. A glittering example of Vashi’s new vision, designed with New-York based creative studio Mythology, the sweeping 4,476 square-feet space spans two floors, making it Vashi’s largest store.
Staying true to the Vashi brand codes of co-creation and making bespoke more accessible, the jewellery-making process is even more visible than ever before. The state-of-the-art workshop is at the heart of the store, in full-view of customers, inviting them into the process: seeing their piece made, or even joining the makers at the bench. Whether you wish to buy yourself a little treat from the ready-to-wear collection, or are looking to make a bespoke piece from scratch, Vashi has something for the most discerning of shoppers. Thanks to the smart in-store bar, you’ll likely want to linger a little longer – whether purchasing on the day or not.
Browns Fashion
The new Browns Fashion store is suitably impressive. It may have only moved a stone’s throw from its previous site, but the Grade-II• listed property, lovingly restored by revered Milan-based architects Dimorestudio, is the shopping emporium of dreams. Celebrating Browns Fashion’s 50 years anniversary, whilst looking ahead to 50 more, the store is at the forefront of the future of fashion. There are three floors of delicious fashion, and The Club floor for VIC’s (very important clients to you and me) has a beauty bar for expert pampering, a kitchen, and several private personal shopping rooms. All that shopping is certain to build up quite an appetite, so be sure to stop by Native at Browns – the in-store, zero-waste restaurant – to refuel on delectable small plates and foraged cocktails.
Experimental Perfume Club
Perfume-lovers need to hotfoot it to Seven Dials – the Experimental Perfume Club has just opened its first stand-alone store. Described best as a ‘lab-boutique’, it offers an accessible, warm approach to bespoke fragrance. Showcasing EPC’s six eponymous scents (Rose Rhubarb is something else), customers can purchase a scent off the shelf, or partake in a blending consultation, in which two/three perfumes are combined in front of your eyes to create your own personalised scent. On the ground floor there will be the EPC Academy – a new home for budding perfumers and novices alike to learn more about perfumery.
Annie's Ibiza
If a ‘June 21’ outfit is top of your shopping list, we would suggest taking a trip to Annie’s Ibiza, Carnaby Street. Opening in November, just before we plunged back into lockdown, this store from fashion darling Annie Doble is a veritable feast of sequins, lamé, feathers, and party-wear galore. It’s definitely worthy of a trip if you are planning to dial up the glamour post-lockdown. Annie’s Ibiza launched in Ibiza Old Town in 2015, and has long been one of fashion’s best-kept secrets. Alongside a cherry-picked edit of vintage pieces from Dior to Chanel, you’ll discover the best in up-and-coming names from Christian Cowan, Area, and Saks Potts.
GOOSSENS
French couture jewellery house GOOSSENS has selected Mayfair as the location for its first London outpost. Sitting in very good company, nestled in Burlington Gardens, the store itself is a glossy vision of crisp whites and gold, and showcases the brand’s expansion into the decorative arts – a true extension of the jewellery on display. The boutique hosts GOOSSENS most iconic jewellery designs alongside the newest SS21 collection. Each piece is made by hand, hammered, patinated, and embellished with exceptional stones. It’s the kind of jewellery to give you heart palpitations – it’s safe to say, you won’t be leaving empty-handed.
Seraphina London
Seraphina London has garnered quite a cult following, who lap up the whimsical designs made from sumptuous silk, velvets, and linen. Now Seraphina London’s first pop-up comes to King’s Road, Chelsea from 24 May-30 June. The store will feature all you’ve come to love and expect from the brand, including pretty, ditsy floral dresses and understated glamorous blouses, as well as a darling array of childrenswear in complimentary styles and fabrics for a serious mini-me fashion moment.
CF Top Tip: there will be four exclusive pieces you won’t be able to get anywhere else, so set your calendar alerts to make sure you snap them up fast.
Ralph Lauren Sloane Square
Ralph Lauren brings its all-American energy to the classic streets of Sloane Square with a new store. Offering a deep-dive into the ‘World of Ralph Lauren’, here you will find Ralph Lauren Collection, Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Home, and Polo men’s and women’s. The 395m store is set across two floors, flooded with natural light – all the better for eyeing up your new wardrobe additions, in our opinion. The edit has been carefully curated with the well-healed cliental of Chelsea in mind. Treating everyone like a VIP, there are bespoke appointments and style trials for a seamless shopping experience, helping you to rediscover your style mojo post-lockdown.
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