Dedicated followers of fashion • April 2015
Shop here now: London’s Seven Dials
With its mix of international and homegrown brands, the streets in Seven Dials, near London’s Covent Garden, have made this one of the coolest places to shop. London fashion blogger Ashley Mauritzen presents her pick of the area’s new and unique fashion and lifestyle concept stores
Happy Socks
The flagship Happy Socks store delights customers with a seemingly endless array of colour combinations and patterns. It also features underwear and limited-edition collaborations and artworks, such as the recent Happy Socks X Snoop Dogg.
Larsson & Jennings
Anglo-Swedish watch brand Larsson & Jennings combines Swedish minimalistic design with a classic British aesthetic. Visitors can choose from hardware options and Swedish and British leathers to create a personalised product. An in-house fika bar, serving Swedish coffee, will occupy you while your timepiece is built.
Pop Boutique
Pop Boutique is a retro lifestyle store overflowing with 1950s bathing suits, 1960s prom dresses, 1970s kaftans and lurid cocktail shakers. While serious vintage collectors will leave disappointed, it’s a must for lovers of affordable kitsch.
A Child Of The Jago
All gilded windows and antique cabinets, A Child Of The Jago feels more like a stage set than a shop. The progeny of Joe Corre (son of Vivienne Westwood and founder of Agent Provocateur), it enthrals with its gothic touches and eccentric Victoriana. Although it sells clothing of all sorts, the shop is best known for men’s tailoring and hats.
Tatty Devine
If you’ve ever wanted to hang a Swarovski-embossed lobster or a dinosaur skeleton around your neck, Tatty Devine is the store for you. The east London jewellery brand is famous for its playful designs. Its ‘Name Necklace Now’ service lets customers commission and collect personalised necklaces on the spot.
Finisterre
Cold-water surfing is not for the fainthearted, but Cornish surf brand Finisterre promises a heartwarming retail experience. It stocks knitwear, jackets and base layers for those who prefer to keep their surfing stylistic, as well as surfboards and wetsuit prototypes for serious customers. The in-house Small Batch Coffee café, photographic exhibitions and film screenings create a sense of a relaxed surfer community.
Frenchologie
You don’t need to cross the Channel to enjoy a piece of Paris – simply step into Frenchologie, which features exclusively French brands across fashion, art, beauty and homeware. If luxury labels such as Sonia by Sonia Rykiel, Carven and JC de Castelbajac don’t get you excited, the striking reconfigurable steel interior will.
This article has been tagged Fashion + Style, Destination