London has several distinct retail districts and shopping streets, many of which have their own themes or specialities. From luxury goods in Mayfair to quirky finds in Covent Garden, to large shopping centres like Westfield, anyone can easily while away an hour, an afternoon or a whole day to spend for shopping in London.
Oxford Street is the heart of London shopping, with more than 300 shops, designer outlets and landmark stores. Home to the legendary
Selfridges, it also boasts a range of famous department stores such as
John Lewis and
Debenhams scattered among every well-known high street chain imaginable. Hate the crowds? Slip into a side street and it is pretty easy to leave the hoards behind. Check out
St Christopher's Place and
Berwick Street for some real treats.
An impressively elegant shopping street, Regent Street ofers a good range of mid-priced fashion stores alongside some of the city's oldest and most famous shops, including Hamleys, Liberty and The Apple Store. Nearby, historic Jermyn Street is renowned for men's clothing shops and is so typically British it is enough to bring out the old-fashioned gent in anymore! Jermyn Streeet is particularly well known for its bespoke shirt makers such as Benson & Clegg and shoe shops including John Lobb.
Whether you have got money to burn and want to splash out on the very best in designer clothes, or just love luxury window shopping.
New Bond Street, Old Bond Street and Mayfair are the ideal places to go for some extravagant retail therapy. Popular with celebrities on a spree, this is probably London's most exclusive shopping area, home to big names including
Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. Neighbouring
South Molton Street boasts iconic fashion store,
Browns.
More than just a shopping centre, Westfield London is an innovative place to shop, to eat and to meet. Inside the largest urban shopping centre in Europe you will find high street favourites including Debenhams, Next, Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser. There are also more than 275 luxury, premium and high-street retailers showcasing over 700 brands including Louis Vuitton, Jimmy Choo, All Saints and Ted Bakers as well as a cinema, gym, several bars and restaurants, all under one roof! If you are a fan of shopping centres, do not miss Westfield's sister site, Westfield Stratford City in the east of London.
The birthplace of the fashion and cultural revolution during the Swinging 60s,
Carnaby Street is still home to some of the world's most exciting designers. More than just the world-famous street itself, the Carnaby area consists of 12 streets of fantastic shopping. In Carnaby you will find stores selling urban and street clothing, stunning shoes and designer boutiques, as well as cafes and restaurants. And do not miss
Kingly Court, a three-storey courtyard selling one-off creations and unique products.
Whether you want hip fashion, unique gifts, rare sweets or one-off handmade jewellery, Covent Garden is a great place to explore. You can stock up on the latest urban street wear, funky cosmetics and shoes on Neal Street, check out imaginative arts and crafts at Covent Garden Market or just window shop around the stores. Do not miss Floral Street, Monmouth Street, St Martin's Courtyard, Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials adn Neal's Yard for a true taste of London's most distinctive shopping area.
Shopping is the
King's Road's main obsession - here you will find an eclectic mix of trendy boutiques, unique labels, designer shops and high-street staples, alongside a vast array of cafes and eateries. It is also a great place for inspirational interior design, with
Peter Jones, Heal's Cath Kidston and Habitat all vying for attention. Be sure to check out the store where punk was born in the 70s,
Vivienne Westwood's shop and the treasure trove of antiques at the
Chelsea Antiques Market.
Visitors from around the world flock to
Knightsbridge and
Brompton Road to visit the illustrious shops and department stores. This is the place to go if you are looking for prestigious brands and up-to-the-minute trends from the world's fashion elite. Best known for
Harrods and Harvey Nichols, you will also find a whole host of big-name fashion designers on
Sloane Street. Showing Knightsbridge caters to all tastes, there is a branch of
Topshop opposite Harrods.
Known worldwide as the home of bespoke British tailoring Savile Row is the place to come if you want a handmade suit crafted the old-fashioned way (with a price tag to match). Credited with inventing the tuxedo Henry Poole & Co - also the first Savile Row tailor - is still cutting cloth at No.15. Other big names include Gieves & Hawkes, H Huntsman & Sons and Ozwald Boateng. On the corner of this "golden mile" of tailoring you will also find the flagship Abercrombie & Fitch store.
Famous worldwide thanks to the film of the same name, Notting Hill
offers a vast array of small, unique shops selling unusual and vintage
clothing, rare antiques, quirky gifts, books and organic food. There's
also the unmissable Portobello Road Market – a mile-long (1.6km) street with a vibrant array of different stalls set out daily. Nearby Westbourne Grove
offers more high-end shopping, with stylish designer shops dotted
between a mix of quirky boho boutiques, hip cafes and art galleries.
Canada Square, in London's Docklands, is home to many of the UK's leading businesses, but it also has a great shopping
centre, open seven days a week. Sleek and modern, Canada Square boasts
more than 200 shops, with all the major high-street chains as well as a
good selection of designer stores. Look out for big names like Oasis and
Zara plus lingerie brand Myla and luxurious fragrance store Jo Malone. If you can avoid the lunch-hour rush, it's one of London's most chilled-out shopping experiences.
After this conducted tour in London's Shopping Centres , you want to go right now for shopping, right?
