Clothes Shops
Last updated: 26 October 2013
A guide to London's best clothes shops. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the following information is correct, shops do unfortunately sometimes close down or change address, particularly small vintage boutiques. If in any doubt, please contact the shop before setting out.
Key: (m) = Menswear (f) = Womenswear (mf) = Menswear and womenswear
NEW
Recommended shops and websites for off-the-peg clothing
Adam Of London (m)
Unit 11, Portobello Green Arcade, 281 Portobello Road, W10 5TZ. (020) 8960 6944
Adam Shener sells sharp, own-brand, slim-fitting, mod influenced suits and shirts for men at reasonable prices. As well as the more traditional colours, he also sometimes stocks limited edition suits in more unusual and interesting fabrics including mohair blends.
American Apparel (mf)
3 Carnaby Street, W1F 9PB. (020) 7734 4477
and various locations (see website)
Decently priced casual wear for men and women. If you ignore the neon 1980s styles, you'll usually find some nice classic T-shirts, tennis shirts, shirt dresses and swimwear. Unlike many high street stores that sell cheap clothes, American Apparel is a sweatshop free manufacturer that produces all of its clothes in a single Los Angeles factory.
Bally (mf)
116 New Bond Street, W1S 1EN. (020) 7491 7062
Swiss shoe company that often stocks interesting, quality shoes for men and women.
Barker Shoes (m)
215 Regent Street, W1 7DD. (020) 7494 3069
English shoemaker stocking some nice dress shoes, such as the "Chesham" Derby. Well worth the prices.
Berluti (m)
43 Conduit Street, W1S 2YJ. (020) 7437 1740
4 Harriet Street, SW1X 9JR. (020) 7823 2300
Possibly the greatest shoemakers in the world, and hence very expensive. Their hand-made shoes are like works of art. They specialise in bespoke, but also carry some lovely ready-to-wear shoes at about a third of the price of a pair of bespoke shoes.
Brooks Brothers (mf)
150 Regent Street, W1B 5SJ. (020) 3238 0030
Flagship UK store for this classic American Ivy League outfitters, famous for pioneering the button-down collar and for dressing the likes of Cary Grant, John F. Kennedy, Clark Gable, Katharine Hepburn and countless modern jazzers. A nice range of their famous button-down shirts are offered (as well as the occasional tab collar) and there is also a made-to-measure service offering a multitude of other options. If buying men's shirts off-the-peg, make sure you go for the "slim-fit" range, which despite the name I would actually describe as semi-fitted rather than slim fitting.
Clarks (mf)
260 Oxford Street, W1C 1DN. (020) 7499 0305
203 Regent Street, W1B 4NB. (020) 7734 1339
and various locations (see website)
This classic shoe shop is best for their iconic desert boots, which come in a wide range of colours. They also have other shoes in their Clarks Originals range worthy of consideration. There are many branches all over London, but most of them are smaller than these West End shops and do not stock the company's full range. There is a store finder on their website and you can now also purchase online.
DNA Groove (mf)
DNA Groove's London shop has now sadly closed down. However, their range of stylish Italian clothes are still available to buy online or at Mendoza in Brick Lane (see below). I highly recommend the men's shirts, which are of a beautiful cut and are for sale at an equally beautiful price. They also sell nice hipster trousers, men's suits, women's shirts, and other items.
French Sole (f)
6 Ellis Street, Chelsea, SW1X 9AL. (020) 7730 3771
26 Brook Street, Mayfair, W1K 5DQ. (020) 7493 2678
61 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2PA. (020) 7486 0021
323 Kings Road, SW3 5EP. (020) 7351 1634
French Sole stock a huge range of beautiful ballet pumps for women. Perfect for those wanting to sport an Audrey Hepburn look. Though ballet pumps can now be found much cheaper on the high street, French Sole's variety and quality are second to none. Particular favourites are the plain, black, patent leather pumps and the chic, Parisian style pumps with contrasting toe cap. French Sole also sell nice driving shoes and loafers. As well as the shop in Ellis Street, there are now three other branches around central London.
William Hunt (mf)
41 Savile Row, W1S 3QQ. (020) 7439 1921
A relative newcomer to Savile Row, William Hunt is not your average English gentleman's outfitters. Though offering a bespoke service, William Hunt also sells colourful, 60s style, off-the-peg suits and shirts for both men and women. Worth visiting during a sale, as their clothes are normally quite expensive.
Jones Bootmaker (mf)
112 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LS. 0845 602 8151.
and various locations (see website)
Historic British shoemakers who have undergone a reinvention in recent years. They stock some beautiful, well-made shoes for both men and women and also sell online. Although there are various small stores around London, each one carries a different range, with the Jermyn Street branch probably carrying the best selection of elegant and formal footwear.
Levi's (mf)
174-176 Regent Street, W1R 5DF. (020) 7292 2500
51 Carnaby Street, W1F 9QB. (020) 7287 0629
The flagship store for the famous American jeans brand is located on Regent Street. They also have another large shop nearby on Carnaby Street. These shops occasionally stock a limited-edition range of chinos and sta-prest trousers alongside their classic denim.
Levi's Vintage Clothing (mf)
5 Newburgh Street, W1V 1LH. (020) 7287 4941
This boutique shop tucked away behind Carnaby Street was formerly known as Cinch. It sells Levi's range of reproduction vintage jeans, shirts and other clothes based on archive patterns. Its strictly limited-edition products do not come cheap however.
TM Lewin (mf)
103-108 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6EQ. (020) 7839 3372
and various locations (see website)
T.M.Lewin were one of the first Jermyn Street shirtmakers to sell slim-fit and Italian style, off-the-peg shirts for both men and women alongside their traditional English cut shirts. They also sell silk knitted ties. Check their website for (frequent) sales and special offers, where their quality shirts are sold at great prices.
Mendoza (m)
158 Brick Lane, E1 6RU. (020) 7377 5263
Mendoza stocks a range of smart, 60s influenced clothing including shirts and trousers from its own Mendoza and Modernist labels. They are particularly worth visiting as they are also currently London's only stockist of DNA Groove's wonderful lines (see above).
Omram Boutique (m)
5 Sicilian Avenue, WC1A 2QH. (020) 7405 4563
Friendly shop that's good for those on a budget. Stockist of Rael Brook shirts, Farah trousers and other brands at very cheap prices.
Fred Perry (mf)
Unit 5, 14 The Piazza, Covent Garden, WC2E 8HD. (020) 7836 3327
12 Newburgh Street (off Carnaby Street), W1F 7RP. (020) 7734 4494
This classic British sportswear label sells some nice polo shirts and casual wear for men and women, though they don't come cheap.
Reiss (mf)
Kent House, 14-17 Market Place, W1W 8AJ. (020) 7637 9112
and various locations
A chain with an ever growing number of branches around London. They usually stock a nice range of well-cut men's shirts and knitwear in quality fabrics, and sometimes nice ties and overcoats too. They also stock womenswear.
Ben Sherman (mf)
50 Carnaby Street, W1F 9QA. (020) 7437 2031
Ben Sherman's flagship store, which sometimes stocks limited edition, 60s style, slim-fit shirts.
John Simons (m)
46 Chiltern Street, W1U 7QR. (020) 3490 2729
Having opened the now legendary Ivy Shop in 1964, modernist John Simons is the original UK stockist of American "Ivy League" collegiate style clothes. His J. Simons shop in Covent Garden closed down in eary 2010 after being open for nearly 30 years. However, a new shop launched in Marylebone in December 2010. John Simons continues to stock classic items like Florsheim Yuma moccasins and Pendleton shirts, as well as Italian-made button-down shirts and other new designs from his own label: John Simons Apparel Company.
John Smedley (mf)
24 Brook Street, W1K 5DG. (020) 7495 2222
Small flagship store selling Smedley's beautifully made, classic knitwear from Derbyshire, England. See website for other stockists.
Tod's (mf)
35-36 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LP. (020) 7235 1321
2-5 Old Bond Street, W1S 4PD. (020) 7493 2237
Tod's are famous for their gorgeous driving shoes, which are handmade in Italy. These moccasins have a distinctive flat leather "Gommino" sole comprising of a number of rubber pebbles for grip. They also do a Ferrari range. Not cheap, but excellent quality.
Underground Shoes (mf)
8 Berwick Street, W1F 0PH
Underground recently opened a new shop in Soho, but it only stocks a limited number of styles. Winklepicker shoes are available in-store, but for their full range, including Cuban heeled Chelsea boots, you will have to shop online.
Vivien Of Holloway (f)
294 Holloway Road, N7 6NJ. (020) 7609 8754
This boutique sells 40s and 50s style clothing for women designed by Vivien. Styles include an elegant sarong dress and the classic halterneck rock 'n' roll dress (with matching petticoat). The shop was formerly located inside Victory Motorcycles in Kentish Town, but moved to its new, larger premises in September 2009.
What Katie Did (f)
26 Portobello Green Arcade, 281 Portobello Road, W10 5TZ. 0845 430 8943
Specialist in glamourous and sexy, faux vintage styled underwear. Women wanting to go for a 1940s or 1950s burlesque look are well catered for with corsets, bullet bras, satin gloves and frilly knickers. They also sell fully fashioned, seamed stockings which are made on original vintage machines. Their extensive collection of lingerie also includes girdles, thongs and French knickers, whilst their limited range of retro swimwear consists of classic swimsuits and bikinis. They have a small boutique in the Portobello Green Arcade in West London and also provide an online mail-order service through their well-designed website.
Zara (mf)
242-248 Oxford Street, W1C 1DH. (020) 7318 2700
333 Oxford Street, W1C 2HY. (020) 7518 1550
and various locations (see website)
An inexpensive Spanish chain store that sometimes stocks nice shirts, suits, dresses and shoes.
VINTAGE
Recommended shops and markets for vintage and second-hand clothing
Camden Stables Market (mf)
off Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AH
The Stables Market recently underwent a major redevelopment, but most units are now open again for business. Some open throughout the week, though Saturday and Sunday are generally the busiest days with the most dealers. Despite the market having gone downhill over recent years, there are still some decent vintage boutiques worth visiting including 60s/mod specialist A Dandy In Aspic (units 566 and D13) which relocated here from the Portobello Road. When buying second-hand men's jackets though, do make sure you always check under the arms for irremovable sweat odours.
Cenci (mf)
4 Nettlefold Place, SE27 0JW. (020) 8766 8564
Some nice (albeit not cheap) vintage and deadstock Italian and American clothes and accessories. Just make sure you check for moth holes!
Pelicans & Parrots (mf)
40 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 7XJ. (020) 3215 2083
A relatively recent addition to Dalston, this beautifully decorated boutique opened its doors in August 2010. It stocks a mixture of second-hand tailored and vintage items as well as furniture and curiosities. With its clean and elegant layout, shopping here is a real pleasure, despite the slightly disconcerting stuffed animal heads and antlers. You are even likely to hear some funky vinyl while you shop. Quality over quantity is clearly the raison d'être, as evidenced by the modest but high calibre selection of clothes. There are only a couple of rails of menswear, but gents may find a nice vintage Ivy League jacket or shirt, or a more recently tailor-made suit. The choice of ladies wear is larger, with dresses, jackets, shirts, shoes and accessories from the second half of the 20th century all on display.
Portobello Road Market (mf)
Portobello Road, W10 and vicinity
This world-famous market has a number of vintage clothing stalls and shops at its northern end (near the Westway), including one or two that sometimes stock 60s and mod clothing. The main market day is Saturday, though some stall holders are also present on Fridays.
Radio Days (mf)
87 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AB. (020) 7928 0800
Vintage and antique clothing and accessories (including hats) from the 20s to the 70s. A larger selection of womenswear than menswear.
What The Butler Wore (mf)
108 Lower Marsh, SE1 7AE. (020) 7261 1968
What The Butler Wore moved to new premises in 2013, but continues to stock a select mix of 1960s and 1970s vintage clothing.
