PT 1:1

TOPSHOP

An eclectic mix of muted colours in tailored basics, paired with grungey leather look staples and ovoid silhouettes make for a luxury outlook on minimalism. Topshop speaks mostly to an audience of teenage girls and younger women who look to have their outfits affordable and ready-made-to-wear however, embraces trends which are sub-culture specific. Chunky knits and laddered accessories are proof that the grunge/luxe style embraced by the likes of Gossip Girl's Jenny Humphrey are quintessential for a winter wardrobe.

URBAN OUTFITTERS

For myself, UO has always felt a little like a thrift store, it essentially stocks items of clothing that you would probably find in a vintage store/flea market albeit, with a high street price tag. In terms of what is on offer, inspiration comes from designer tartan pieces, namely pinafores and skirts a la Moschino, tailored more towards accessibility as opposed to asthetics.

SELFRIDGES

Selfridges stands among few others at the forefront of fast-pace, luxury fashion; appealing to all markets and yet only selling to one. Those with money. While the diversity of the brands makes for an exciting shopping experience, there is something intimidating and unnerving about the eyes of spokespeople and salespersons alike who know as well as you do that the price tag is a world away.

MATCHES

Whilst Matches, like Selfridges, offers designer labels it differentiates in that it is in a smaller space and that it's staff are more welcoming. As the stock is less dense, and the floor space is much wider, it almost feels as though you are in a gallery and have the opportunity to admire the tailoring and detail which has gone into each individual item.

ACNE

Stockholm established brand Acne's Dover St studio boasts minimalistic, capsule pieces in an intimate setting of four storeys. A lot of open floor space, the studio is exactly that, a place to admire the detail of each individual garment with Menswear hung on the ground floor and womenswear upstairs amongst sculpture-esque furniture and a scene through a picturesque window.

DOVER STREET MARKET 

A 6 floor love affair, seemingly an ode to the catwalk and a Comme Des Garcons catwalk more specifically, Dover Street Market features the more outlandish and youthful pieces from current collections and established designers and boasts quirky cash desks that may or may not have been plucked from a fairy tale. The staff each possess a unique outlook on uniform and each has their own unique visual identity albeit predominantly expressed through monochromatic hues and checks.

LIBERTY

Perhaps the most welcoming of the department stores, Liberty delivers designer items without pretension. The stock, like the customers remain the right to a space in the store and there is something to each and everybody's style and taste. A quintessential British store, the tudor-esque exterior makes for an aesthetically pleasing shopping experience.
BROWNS/BROWNS FOCUS

Brown's Focus store is Brown's younger, quirkier sibling in that a lot of what is sold is full of angst. From Ashish' sequin emblazoned garments to Christopher Kane prints, Focus embodies the personality of a fashion oriented teenager and serves as a platform for upcoming talent.


BURBERRY

There is always something intimidating about entering a designer store, laid out immaculately, full of well groomed women and men alike; suited up with a discerning look. Burberry serves as a quintessential British luxury, and while other branches in London offer more intimate spaces the New Bond St store offers variety and key investment pieces finer tuned towards a professional or polished look.