London is home to some seriously cool street designers. The word “dope” never felt so regular. This is street wear, skaters and hipsters welcome. No shlids please, only cool lids and outer wear. Want some? Then go to these places.
Blood Brother
This is a multi-faceted brand that covers all aspects of the creative industry. Its clothing line, however, has been drawing quite a bit of attention lately. The brand has evolved from jersey staples into a menswear lifestyle brand. They stock flashy statement pieces alongside modern essentials. Ideal to make heads turn, go on and stock up on their gear before it becomes a common fashion name.
Address: 9-10 Charlotte Road, London EC2A 3DH
Tel: 0207 729 5005 Website: blood-brother.co.uk/shop/ Nearest tube station: Old Street
Addict
Addict is one of Britain’s longest standing street wear labels. Started in 1996 in Southampton, Addict has collaborated with global giants like Microsoft, Vans, Marvel and G-Shock. They support musicians, athletes and artists across all spectrums, and repeatedly release coveted limited edition pieces to keep our lifestyle and culture alive. Now based in London, Addict continues to design and create everything in-house, producing unique and timeless pieces which resonate with the youth of today.
Address: 3 Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LL
Tel: 0207 379 9348 Website: www.addict.co.uk/
Nearest tube station: Covent Garden
Palace
Palace is one of the coolest London street wear brands. One of the primary reasons for this is that the Palace team does not really care who knows about them. They make a limited amount of clothing and don’t strive to fill up their store with apparel. Their nonchalance plays to their benefit by increasing exclusivity. They make cool T-shirts and gear for skaters. But they capture the essence of the modern generation so well, even non-skaters like Drake and ASAP Rocky wear their apparel.
Address: 26 Brewer Street, London W1F 0SW
Tel: 0207 287 5048 Website: www.palaceskateboards.com/
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus
Dope Chef
Dope Chef has been a London street wear staple for many years now. They take bold concepts and usher it into mainstream street wear. Not afraid to take risks, they deliver some really unique clothing options. They have turned African dashikis into sweatshirts.
They even incorporate gothic lettering and flag print into their apparel. You will always find prestigious stores housing their clothes. If you want to stand out from the crowd and really show off your style, then definitely visit Dope Chef.
Website: dxpechef.com/
Hype
Hype is one of the newer street wear brands on this list, established in 2011 by two friends during their summer break from university. But it has captured the imagination of thousands of Londoners with its bold prints, vibrant patterns and unique designs. Cool and kitschy, their designs will always turn heads on the road.
Address: Unit 6, Boxpark, 2-4 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6GY
Tel: 07855 212149 Website: www.justhype.co.uk/
Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street
Lazy Oaf
Established in 2001, Lazy Oaf first started with a line of men’s T-shirts. It has now grown into a fully fledged store. Lazy Oaf effectively captures the youthful side of street wear, which often gets lost when people are trying to be cool. They follow a simple philosophy of having fun, while looking good. Step inside this beautifully done store and walk out with an apparel that matches your funny side.
Address: 2 Ganton Street, London W1F 7QL
Tel: 0207 287 2060 Website: www.lazyoaf.com
Nearest tube station: Oxford Circus
Cassette Playa
Cassette Playa is the brainchild of London-based designer Carri Munden. She has worked with music stars like M.I.A., Klaxons, Nelly Furtado, Rihanna, Chris Brown and Lil Wayne.
Cassette Playa is not for the conservative fashionista. It breaks all corny style rules to deliver unique stylistic pieces which will have all eyes on you – in a good way, of course! Many of their psychedelic designs are inspired from the spiritualism and rejection of atypical society recurrent in today’s internet culture.
Website: www.cassetteplaya.com
King Apparel
Launched in 2002 by former snow/skateboarder Tim Hoad and graphic designer Paul Linton, it initially featured accessories and T-shirts. Now they present a comprehensive range of garments for every season. They’ve collaborated with New Era to produce exclusively designed headwear. Another interesting fact about King Apparel is that all their outerwear garments and accessories are limited to exclusive runs of 300 pieces. It is no wonder that they rank among London’s best street wear brands.
Address: Suite 339, Stratford Workshops, Burford Road, London E15 2SP
Tel: 0208 221 1611 Website: www.king-apparel.com/
Nearest train station: Stratford High Street
BOY
BOY was absolutely massive in London during the 1980s club scene. At the height of its fame, BOY finally buckled beneath the numerical demands of an international buyers list that has spiralled out of control, causing the label to indefinitely close its books. But now it’s back like it never left, with its quintessential black-on-black, and black-on-white bold graphic lettering and eagle logo.
True to its original spirit, it is not a shop in any conventional sense, but rather a continually shape-shifting whirlwind of basement parties, living art installations and design studios.
Tel: 0207 366 0043 Website: www.boy-london.com/
Trainerspotter
Trainerspotter reinvented the iconic 1980s Windjammer jacket. By taking the silhouette of a staple piece of sportswear and then deconstructing it by juxtaposing the lightweight waterproof nylon against floral Liberty print fabric, they created a true sports fashion garment.
Trainerspotter began as a side project between two friends for their love of vintage sneakers. They’ve come a long way from sneakers, to providing a full range of clothes. Their range is available online or at Route One stores.
Website: www.trainerspotter.com/
Trapstar
The hustler mentality of Trapstar has helped them transition from cult favourite, to a favourite of megastars and supermodels. Stars like Rihanna, Chris Brown and Stalley have all been spotted in their all-black goods. They introduced the pop-up shop system, which they termed “Trapstar Invasions”. They have come a long way from facing resistance from established retail shops, to expanding overseas in the United States.
Address: Unit 21 Portobello Green Arcade, 281 Portobello Road, London W10 5TZ
Tel: 0203 538 9198 Website: www.trapstarlondon.com/
Nearest tube station: Ladbroke Grove
Dover Street Market
This ground-breaking six storey space combines the edgy energy of London’s indoor markets, replete with concrete floors and corrugated iron shacks. It houses high-end fashion labels such as Givenchy, Lanvin and Azzedine Alaia, as well as the Comme collections. To stay upmarket, and in sync with current trends, Dover Street Market has a biannual event “Tachiagari” wherein the stores are closed so the designers can make changes to their concessions. Needless to say, this place is ideal for repeated visits if you want to stay fashionably relevant.
Address: 18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG
Tel: 0207 518 0680 Website: www.london.doverstreetmarket.com/
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus
LN-CC
LN-CC (Late Night Chameleon Café) is no ordinary boutique. If you haven’t been there yet, be sure to book an appointment to enter the shop. Yes, this boutique requires a prior appointment. Their elegant interior seems like a cross between the set of Red Dwarf and a futuristic tree house. This avant-garde store is creatively merchandised and separated into themed zones. They feature iconic designers like Dries Van Noten, Haider Ackermann and Balenciaga, amongst others. There’s also a books and records store, as well as an in-house disco for the odd event!
Address: 18-24 Shacklewell Lane, London E8 2EZ
Tel: 0207 275 7265 Website: www.ln-cc.com/
Nearest train station: Rectory Road
Goodhood
This boutique-like store houses unique street wear with items weighted towards Japanese independent labels. They feature a variety of collections such as knits and T-shirts from Australia’s Rittenhouse, shirts and tops from Norse Projects, womenswear from APC Madras, and coveted pieces from Peter Jensen and Wood Wood. You normally find what you’ve been looking for here. This place is ideal to shop for hard-to-please partners, with its eclectic collections and reasonable pricing.
Address: 151 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3QE
Tel: 0207 729 3600 Website: www.goodhoodstore.com/
Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street
Wolf and Badger
This address is Wolf and Badger’s flagship store. This two-floored premises showcases established brands from the Newgen stable, such as Bora Aksu, Mark Fast and Gasper Garvida. An elegant boutique, it features black walls with aesthetically placed designer lights and backlit contemporary jewellery. The basement, which has its own entrance, retains the original white walls and floor, and is used as a gallery space.
Address: 32 Dover Street, London W1S 4NE
Tel: 0207 229 4848 Website: www.wolfandbadger.com/uk/
Nearest tube station: Green Park
Lewis Leathers
Lewis Leathers is a true Brit heritage brand. From Kate Moss to just about every notable rocker (The Clash, The Sex Pistols, Ramones, Iggy Pop), their intimidating leather jackets and boots have set stages on fire. One of the best shops in London, it enjoys iconic status. Their cool biker-wear and cult Tokyo following, along with high-tech wizardry, lend this brand an irresistible appeal. This made-to-measure shop is a little on the pricey side, but you can’t really put a price on vintage style. Moreover, how cool would it be to flash the same brand as some legendary rockstars!
Address: 3-5 Whitfield Street, London W1T 2SA
Tel: 0207 636 4314 Website: www.lewisleathers.com/
Nearest tube station: Goodge Street
Celestine Eleven
Celestine Eleven is a luxury one-stop-shop that provides everything you need to dress and live well. This vast fashion store focuses on elegant style brands with labels sourced from Paris, London and Scandinavia. From techy shoe designer Joanne Stoker to IT designer JW Anderson, this capacious shopping space provides a relaxed browsing pace. In addition, it also houses treatment rooms for pop-up events and fashion-focused book groups.
Address: 4 Holywell Lane, London EC2A 3ET
Contact Number: 0207 729 2987 Website: www.facebook.com/celestineeleven/
Nearest tube station: Shoreditch High Street
Machine-A
Machine-A is one of London’s most visited independent boutiques. You can find punky Louise Gray and the conceptual neoprene from RCA graduate Peiran Gong. This edgy outlet in Soho benefits from a fashionable footfall. While there may be some exorbitantly priced items like the monogrammed rucksack by MCM, you can also find slightly reasonable alternatives from Agi and Sam, and Keeley Hunter.
Address: 13 Brewer Street, London W1F 0RH
Tel: 0207 734 4334 Website: www.machine-a.com/
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus
Supreme
This London outpost of New York’s legendary skate shop has a cult fan following. They are renowned for creating extremely hip street wear, worn by rappers, pop stars and skaters. They also produce skateboard decks, making it quite the collector’s item. In collaboration with well-known artists like Larry Clark, Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst, they have created limited edition skate decks that are sold at auction houses.
Address: 2-3 Peter Street, London W1F OAA
Tel: 0207 437 0493 Website: www.supremenewyork.com/stores
Nearest tube station: Piccadilly Circus
Present
Present is one of those boutiques for men’s designer fashion and footwear, where you would also find high-end grooming products. Its white, clinical interior houses labels from streetwear Billionaire Boys Club and Japanese Haversack to Raf by Raf Simons. You can also find the odd polka-dotted pair of socks. They collaborate with various designers and labels to produce limited edition pieces. Street wear to die for!
Address: 140 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE
Tel: 0207 033 0500 Website: www.present-london.com/
Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street
Nicholas Kirkwood
You can expect great things from Nicholas Kirkwood. This stand-alone shop by the shoe designer, championed by Isabella Blow and Philip Treacy – whose heels are worn by fashion’s most adventurous elite – showcases his award-winning designs in a gallery-like space, replete with white walls and angular lighting. Repeat visits are a must as the stock is rotated every three months.
Address: 5 Mount Street, London W1K 3NE
Tel: 0207 290 1404 Website: www.nicholaskirkwood.com/
Nearest tube station: Bond Street
Blitz
When Blitz opened its doors in 2011, it instantly put other vintage shops to shame. Set in a gloriously renovated old furniture factory, each floor has been clearly merchandised with a furniture selection from Broadway Market’s The Dog & Wardrobe, an accessories floor, a book collection and rails of neatly presented fashion. You will find immaculate seersucker blazers, coloured denim, brogues and silk kimonos amongst a host of other killer pieces in this vintage fashion store.
Address: 55-59 Hanbury Street, London E1 5JP
Tel: 0207 377 0730 Website: www.blitzlondon.co.uk/
Nearest train station: Whitechapel
The Shop at Bluebird
Situated in an art deco garage on King’s Road, this chic lifestyle boutique features avant-garde design. The 10,000 square foot space houses a broad collection of designer clothing, shoes, accessories, books, music and furniture. If you find choosing the perfect thing(s) to buy taxing, you can unwind in their spa with a variety of treatments. They also stock some rare skincare brands including New York’s Bigelow, Ole Henriksen, DCL and Kaeline. But the street wear is rocking!
Address: 350 King’s Road, London SW3 5UU
Tel: 0207 351 3873 Website: www.theshopatbluebird.com/
Nearest tube station: South Kensington
The Old Shoreditch Station
A café bar and exhibition venue in a decommissioned train station, this was once the original Shoreditch Station. Now it is part of the Jaguar Shoes Collective. It was one of the first stores in London to stock the now ubiquitous Cheap Monday and Swedish Hasbeens. They stock a great mix of London designers and global indies, from Hackney-based jeweller Noemi Klein, to American urban espadrille brand Toms.
Address: 1 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DA
Tel: 0207 686 0027 Website: www.jaguarshoes.com/venue/old-shoreditch-station/
Nearest train station: Shoreditch High Street
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