Where to shop in London, from indie boutiques to fashion emporiums

London’s shopping scene is as vibrant and diverse as its culture. Cutting-edge concept stores deliver bespoke experiences and events, independent boutiques champion homegrown talent, and world-leading department stores offer a cornucopia of high fashion and experiential retail.

Navigating London’s retail scene

Steer away from the chain stores and crowds of Oxford and Regent Street, and instead spend a day exploring the shops and restaurants at Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross, a Victorian railway facility reimagined by Heatherwick Studio to house some of the city’s best shops, bars and restaurants. In East London, begin on Redchurch Street before heading to Broadway Market and Wilton Way in Hackney for some of the capital’s most delightful indie shops. Meanwhile, Notting Hill’s world-famous market, which runs on Fridays and Saturdays, is accompanied by a covetable selection of clothing, jewellery and homeware boutiques.

These are the best independent shops, concept stores and fashion emporiums in London, which have been selected for their sustainable ethos, thoughtful product curations and high-punching fashion credentials.

Looking for London vintage shops? Check out our dedicated guide here.

The best shops in central London

Daunt Books, Marylebone

Best for: An institution for bibliophiles 
Location: 83-84 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 4QW

Daunt Books has various sites across London, including Notting Hill and Hampstead, but the original flagship on Marylebone High Street remains a renowned favourite, in no small part due to its setting in an Edwardian building with a conservatory ceiling, stained glass windows and oak galleries. Here, among classics from Shakespeare and Oscar Wilde, and a strong food writing section, you’ll also find a treasure trove of travel guides organised by country and language – an unusual and wonderfully rewarding system. The collection covers walking guides, road trips, cycling tours and useful titles on history and politics, alongside maps and related fiction. Daunt Books regularly hosts author talks and events, and has a great subscription service that can be tailored to your literary taste.

Choosing Keeping, Covent Garden

Best for: Supremely pleasing stationary
Location: 21 Tower Street, London WC2H 9NS

Tucked down the quiet Tower Street in Covent Garden, Choosing Keeping is one of London’s finest stationary shops, founded by gallerist-turned-art supply doyenne Julia Jeuvell. Peruse an exquisite collection of fine papers, notebooks, watercolours and cards. Tables feature mochaware ceramic pots are filled with pens and pencils of all kinds, while glass cabinets reveal rarer treasures, including Caran d’Ache sharpening machines and Zenith staplers. Covent Garden’s roll call of shops also includes Ganni, Reformation, Muji and Away luggage.

Liberty London, Soho

Best for: An all-encompassing shopping experience
Location: Regent Street, Carnaby, London W1B 5AH

Housed in a stunning Grade II-listed Tudor building – constructed from the timbers of two battleships – Liberty London is the capital’s most legendary department store and a global retail icon. Today the store still embodies its founder Arthur Liberty’s original concept of being an emporium that displays the latest in fashion and design, all showcased through an eclectic mix of clothing, antiques, homeware and premium beauty products. Don’t miss the carpet department for hand-woven rugs sourced by legendary buyer Bruce Lepere from different bazaars and far-flung destinations across the world, or the fabric room, where textiles from top artists and designers await.

Dover Street Market, Haymarket

Best for: A retail icon with an excellent bakery
Location: 18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG

Dover Street Market needs little introduction, as the brainchild of Commes des Garçons founder Rei Kawakubo. The legendary high-fashion store takes its name from its original location on Dover Street – it relocated to Haymarket in 2016 – and spans four floors of global brands. Expect fresh-from-the-runway collections from London’s brightest fashion talents, including Molly Gollard, Simone Rocha and Charles Jeffrey, alongside avant-garde art installations and streetwear labels such as Stüssy and Palace. The ground floor jewellery curation champions exciting names including Sophie Bille Brahe, Lucy Delius and Seb Brown, as well as rare watches from Richard Mille. The top floor houses Rose Bakery, where you’re likely to catch London’s leading fashion names enjoying a slice of lemon and pistachio loaf.

The best shops in West London

Jessie Western, Notting Hill

Best for: Authentic Native American clothing, jewellery and footwear
Address: 82a Portobello Road, London W11 2QD

Positioned amongst the antique and vintage shops of Portobello Road, Jessie Western is crammed full of handcrafted Native American and Indian jewellery, clothing and accessories, and is one of London’s most unique shops. Rift through rails of fringed suede jackets, embroidered shirts and patterned silk dresses, met by glass cabinets filled with gleaming turquoise stone jewellery, heshe beads and talismans in precious stone. Cowboy boots are handcrafted in New Mexico, while Navajo moccasins are intricately hand-beaded. The shop is owned by sisters Jessica and Victoria Blake and the duo supports more than 4,000 Native American artists, as well as producing its own clothing line and bespoke jewellery collection.

Les Senteurs, Belgravia

Best for: Niche fragrance on one of London’s prettiest streets
Address: 71 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9PJ

Les Senteurs is London’s oldest independent perfumery. The bijou boutique is on Elizabeth Street, which is lined with lovely shops including Pepa London childrenswear, Steven Jones millinery and With Nothing Underneath, noted for its stellar shirting. Niche and luxury fragrances on display include Frederic Malle and Creed, as well as London’s own Ormonde Jayne and Kingdom Scotland. Look out for Les Senteurs’ in-house collection of candles, inspired by night trains, forest cabins and far flung travel.

The best shops in East London

Goodhood, Shoreditch

Best for: London’s coolest concept store
Location: 15 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

Launched in 2007 by Jo Sindle and Kyle Stewart, Goodhood is a stalwart of Shoreditch’s retail scene, and considered one of the coolest independent retailers in London. In 2024, Goodhood relocated to a new location on Hanbury Street, just a short stroll from Brick Lane and Spitalfields. This space maintains the same tight edit of fashion, lifestyle and homeware from big-hitting brands like Ganni, Carne Bollente, Aries and Snow Peak, alongside an in-house collection, Goods by Goodhood, which includes tote bags, beanies and T-shirts. Look out for unique pieces from Broadway Market’s Artwords bookstore, as well as an exclusive collection of Japanese goods handpicked in and around Tokyo, while Hackney-based record shop Stranger Than Paradise curates the shop’s feel-good playlist. Check out the Spitalfields’ top restaurants once you’ve finish browsing.

Rough Trade East, Shoreditch

Best for: Rare vinyl, live performances 
Location: Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL

Rough Trade has fostered a strong sense of community among music fans ever since the opening of its first record shop in Ladbroke Grove in 1976. Its flagship is located in the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane and has a stellar selection of vinyl covering punk, garage, indie, dub and soul (to name a few), as well as a bar and photo booth. While its namesake label is famously known for signing The Smiths in the 1980s, today the in-store team continues to champion emerging and established artists with daily performances from a mix of emerging and cult artists, with previous live events including appearances from Little Simz, Sampha and The Hives. The Brick Lane Vintage market is right next door, with some 100 stalls selling clothing, vinyl and homeware.

Aida Shoreditch, Shoreditch

Best for: Scandinavian-inspired fashion, independent concept store
Location: 133 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6JE

Located in the heart of Shoreditch, Aida Shoreditch draws devotees for its Scandinavian-inspired fashion and lifestyle products. This concept shop feels more like a community hub, with a cosy coffee shop and events space for  candle painting, yin yoga, and sound healing sessions. The womenswear selection features statement pieces such as trainers from Barcelona-based Alhoas, delicate jewellery from Daisy London and beautiful knitwear from Denmark’s Selected Femme. Aida’s homeware collection also impresses, with tableware and kitchen textiles from Sacred + Wilde and HKLiving.

Labour and Wait, Shoreditch

Best for: Functional and timeless everyday goods
Location: 85 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ

Set in a former pub with a glazed green tiled façade, Labour and Wait was one of the first stores to move into Redchurch Street, now a lively stretch of independent retailers. It has amassed a cult following for its tactile edit of functional homeware and accessories, including enamel kitchenware, brushes and garden shears. You’ll also find utilitarian clothing, stationary and books The store’s minimalist, fuss-free layout reflects co-founders Rachel Wythe-Moran and Simon Watkins’ philosophy of prioritising timeless design over fast-changing trends. Labour and Wait has an additional shop in Marylebone and in Tokyo. For those in a hurry, a counter service at their Bethnal Green headquarters offers a convenient collection for online orders.

Straw, Columbia Road

Best for: Vintage handcrafted baskets and interiors; only open on Sundays
Location: 85 Redchurch Street, London E2 7DJ

Straw London sits amongst Columbia Road’s charming indie shops, the majority of which only open on Sundays when the flower market takes place. Vintage handwoven baskets are its calling card, but you’ll also find maternity-friendly cotton dresses, babywear and home interiors. Its Wavy Edge terracotta lampshade is a consistent bestseller.

The best shops in North London

Earl of East, Coal Drops Yard

Best for: Cult fragrance and homeware
Location: 87 Coal Drops Yard, London N1C 4DQ

What began as a market stall run by founders Niko Dafkos and Paul Firmin, and is now one of London’s most successful lifestyle brands, with three shops across London. The Kings Cross outpost sits amongst the shops and restaurants of Coal Drops Yard, a Victorian railway facility turned retail and restaurant hub, close to The Standard London hotel. Earl of East’s products draw on Japanese and Danish influences, spanning scented candles, incense and bathing products. The shop also showcases likeminded brands including Hay, Ferm Living and fellow London favourite AKT. Earl of East also has an outpost in Shoreditch and on Regent Street.

MagCulture, Clerkenwell

Best for: Niche print magazines, publishing masterclasses
Location: 270 St John Street, London EC1V 4PE

This Clerkenwell shop has become an institution for London print enthusiasts thanks to its selection of rare and niche titles. Its supreme collection covers everything from architecture, cannabis, disability and graphic design, with a daily changing selection of more than 700 magazine titles meticulously updated by founder Jeremy Leslie. The beauty of MagCulture is that every form of print is celebrated, whether it’s a pocket-sized paperback or a lavish, large-format hardback. On the shelves, you might find bestsellers like The Gentlewoman, and Apartamento alongside quirky titles such as Amsterdam-born MacGuffin, which explores a new object each issue, such as trousers, tables and rugs. MagCulture offers engaging events including an online flatplan masterclass, annual talks in London and New York with industry experts, and get-togethers here in its Clerkenwell shop celebrating new magazine issues.

The best shops in South London

Lamp LDN, Peckham

Best for: Independent homeware, vintage furnishings 
Location: 20b Maxted Road, London SE15 4LF 

If in doubt of where to find Lamp, look for the vibrant pink facade on Maxted Road in Peckham. Here, bold and colourful homeware champions independent artists and designers, with cushions, candles, lights, and ceramics sourced from small-batch producers across the UK and Europe. There’s an ever-changing vintage edit comprising tableware, ceramics and upholstered furnishings, and the team also offers a custom lampshade service, in collaboration with British designers Rosi de Ruig, Fermoie and Loving String. You might find rattan chairs, bar trolleys, diffusers, and wallpapers in the store during your visit.