NOTJUSTALABEL.COM

 I can't believe I haven't discovered this little gem before now! This site is my perfect little bit of something I like. Everything is laid out for you right there on the home page, in a very concise layout; arts, fashion, events and brilliant industry insights all in one place, not to mention the stunning photography featured on the collection pages.  I'm especially impressed by the 'Community' tab, which provides contact details for various fashion houses around the world, along with job opportunities in the industry and courses available for study; its fanatastic! There's something for everyone, I would definitely recommend a visit!

FARFETCH.COM

The first thing to strike me about this site was the super-sleek graphics, completely up-to-date with modern contemporary fashion. The whole layout is really engaging and I'm a particular fan of the 'People' branch of the home page, which has everything from upcoming exhibitions to the latest fashion must haves. Farfetch is a fantastic resource for not only fashion but for arts too! I love everything about this site, from the photography to even the fonts used. It all appears to be very carefully considered and there's great attention to detail which really makes a difference to the aesthetics and appeal of a website along with the quality. The perfect go-to when you need a 'hot off the press' fashion fix!

ABSOLUTE VINTAGE: 15 Hanbury Street, Greater London

Absolute Vintage, not far from Brick Lane, was a great find! It had a bit of a warehouse feel with hundreds upon hundreds of little gems spilling from shabby, antique-looking furniture as soon as you enter. However, as an avid vintage and charity shop shopper, I found it slightly overpriced and overwhelming. I'm not usually a firm believer in the 'less is more' approach to interiors but in this case, the store could definitely benefit from a thorough clear up! But despite my little grumbles, Absolute Vintage still holds that little charm which comes with all vintage stores; something I can never resist. So for me, still a pleasant venture.

WARNING: do not enter if you have an issue with tidiness, I would say it loosely resembles a jumble sale!

START: Rivington Street

I had great difficulty finding this store! Admittedly this may have been something to do with my distraction by Brick Lane, however it's a great little boutique store with a very sumptuous feel created by the beautiful chandeliers and dimmed lighting. START has a very contemporary vibe, or as some would say, 'hipster'; appealing to the younger experimental customer with a very friendly reception. It almost struck me as a higher end alternative to Urban Outfitters with a similar to the clothing collection and certain aspects of the decor sparked a familiarity.

SELFRIDGES: Oxford Street

A buzzing epicentre of thriving fashion activity; Selfridges is completely mesmerising in all aspects, from the incredible installations (shown above), to its vast collections and displays. I could spend a whole day in this store simply in awe of everything. As I think (or hope!) is normal,  I spent my entire visit scouring the crowds for those famous faces and hoping to catch a glimpse of something so incredibly chic and exciting. The enormity of this store is unreal, with little boutique style sections devoted to separate designers; there is a very exclusive feel about this store, you almost feel like a celebrity yourself just being there. Everything is on such a huge, glamorous scale; down to the furniture and even the perfectly styled locks atop some of the staffs' heads! The goings on in this shrine to fashion is quite overwhelming and would expect it to be more intimidating than anywhere else, when in fact the staff were more than happy for myself and friends to collect photographs and jottings of our findings. Selfridges is a great representation of what the modern fashion industry really has to offer.

ACNE: Dover Street

A beautiful store complete with brightly painted piano and an array of magazines and interesting books on display with great attention to detail in the layout of the store. I was unfortunate in that I was unable to purchase an Acne Paper but have been lucky enough to take a sneaky peak at one of my friends' and it is a great representation of the store and brand itself. The staff were incredibly helpful and friendly; more than willing to provide any information needed and seemed much more welcoming than some of the other high end stores. Would definitely not hesitate to make a second visit!

DOVER STREET MARKET: 17-18 Dover Street

Undeniably one of my favourite stores in London on the whole. The interior and layout is reminiscent of a museum, with the various glass cabinets displaying intricate and beautifully crafted jewellery and ornaments; it is truly magnificent. The welcome however, is not quite as spellbinding as the contents; with photography forbidden, security guards around every corner and finely groomed staff leering suspiciously at anyone who dares enter without a Laboutin laden model profile.

BROWNS & BROWNS FOCUS: South Molton Street

A duo very different from one another. On one side we have the very up market, sophisticated Browns store aimed towards the 'Ladies who lunch' portion of London, with an incredibly dismissive collective of staff towards the likes of you and me.









And then we have the fantastically engaging Browns Focus store with it's sleek interior, dimmed lighting and modern approach to fashion. The windows, dressed with fantastic caricatures of some of the biggest names in fashion, instantly create a completely different mood to it's sister store and noticeably draws in clientele from an entirely different background.

LIBERTY: Regent Street

A slightly demeaning and intimidating experience; a place I do not wish to visit on a regular basis. But how ever overbearing and disapproving the staff are, passing you by as they tend to the more 'deserving' customer,  it is difficult to resist the beautiful setting of the store and the traditional display of the worlds biggest names in fashion. A very 50/50 experience.

TOPSHOP: Oxford Street

                                                               THE ONE AND ONLY.

Comes with a warning: do not enter when time is limited, you won't be able to tear yourself away!

Everything you need is right here, from Boutique collections to vintage and designer; complete with hair salon, nail bar and a shoe lounge fit for Queen Liz herself! The great thing about Topshop, and particularly the Oxford Street flagship store, is that there's something for everyone and always a bubbly little clan of staff on hand to help. Its vastness adds that little touch of excitement and glamour; a maze of bustling high street fashion activity.

BLUEBIRD: 350 Kings Road SW3

The fashion hub of the city with a museum-like interior and a marginally intimidating vibe (until you buy something!) This shop just oozes style and sophistication, with everything perfectly laid out in ornate wooden cabinets or delicate glass tables. Even the little buzz of important meeting going on in the corner added a little excitement!

Warning: do not try to take photos as you will be chased down by a very burly looking security guard with his disapproving expression!

OXFAM BOUTIQUE: 245 Westbourne Grove W11

As expected, a very welcoming entrance with the typical musky smell of a charity shop but with that extra touch of class and sophistication in the layout and presentation of the store's little treasures. What makes this charity shop a 'boutique' is that hushed atmosphere usually saved for high end stores, almost a nod of respect to the new-found glamour of charity shopping.

MATCHES: Ledbury Road W11

How ever initially intimidating, Matches is a surprisingly friendly and welcoming store with an incredibly chic layout, offsetting the clothes from the centre of the store in carefully considered, dimly lit little alcoves,  displaying the best of each collection; typical of a high end boutique.  The staff, two incredibly groomed men, were more than happy to engage in polite conversation and even exchanged pleasantries in the form of a little 'good luck' as we left!

URBAN OUTFITTERS: 38 Kensington High Street

A quirky store with a hipster vibe. Friendly, welcoming staff and an industrial/warehouse feel portrayed by the interior, in contrast with the traditional ceiling on the top floor, which is beautifully and intricately carved. The unfinished, shabby-chic styled interior personally made me feel much more comfortable than the highly polished, not-a-thing-out-of-place kinds of stores.

Shops around London

So the following blog posts will involve brief evaluations of various different stores around London. My brief requires my opinion on the vibe of the stores (how do you feel as you enter and browse around the store?), what the target market of the stores are and my comments on the aesthetics inside and out.

Enjoy :)