Retail
Studio Nicholson, Soho
Established in 2010 by founder and creative director Nick Wakeman, Studio Nicholson (pictured above) makes male and female apparel with distinctively structured silhouettes. She works closely with Japanese suppliers and mills in Italy to create boxy linen shirts, Lyocell rib jersey dresses or voluminous pleated trousers that are comfy, understated and always a touch playful.
London Graphic Centre, Covent Garden
London Graphic Centre has supported artists and creatives since 1973 and remains a great purveyor of stationery. Its selection includes notebooks galore, colouring pencils from Caran D’Ache and ink pens by Lamy. This creative cornucopia is curated by arty types who put each product to the test so that you don’t have to.
Alex Eagle Studio, Soho
Hidden behind a rather ordinary looking front door in Soho is a world of tasteful prêt-à-porter womenswear in addition to furniture and art. Established in 2014, the space champions simplistic designs which prioritise fine fabrics and UK craftsmanship. There’s also a bespoke tailoring service should you want to sharpen up your act.
SCP, Shoreditch
After making pieces from the archive of British brand PEL, Sheridan Coakley worked with UK designers Jasper Morrison and Matthew Hilton to launch his own collection at the Salone del Mobile furniture fair in 1986. SCP has since become respected for its work with a top roster of international designers.
Pentreath & Hall, Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury resident and architect Ben Pentreath set up his homeware and interiors shop in autumn 2008 with decorative artist and friend Bridie Hall. The charming space in Bloomsbury is piled high with hand-stitched cushions, paper goods and regency chairs. A whimsical destination to discover decorative designs: the glossy Jacobean facade of the compact address proves difficult to resist.
Modernity, Pimlico
Scandinavian antique furniture and homeware brand Modernity is any collector’s go to. It first expanded operations from its original Stockholm gallery to this Newson’s Yard outpost in 2023. Visit for 20th-century treasures from ceramics to lighting and jewellery. Spot designs from Nordic mainstays including Finland’s Alvar Aalto and Denmark’s Hans Wegner and lesser-known masters.
Trunk Clothiers, Marylebone
Just a few steps away from Monocle’s Chiltern Street café and shop is Trunk Clothiers – probably the city’s best multi-brand menswear shop. Established in 2010, the London shop offers a roster of pieces from global brands, discovered and nurtured by founder Mats Klingberg. Browse Gitman Vintage shirts, Barena jackets, Bigi ties and apparel from Orslow and Kaptain Sunshine.
Magculture, Clerkenwell
Founded by design veteran Jeremy Leslie in 2015, Magculture is a gallery-like space, designed in collaboration with furniture brand Vitsoe, that hosts a vast array of hard-to-find magazines and well-loved favourites. Anyone who needs convincing about the optimism and creativity of the magazine scene should count the up-and-coming supplements and niche journals on the racks. Keep an eye out for Magculture Live events, too.
Dover Street Market, St James’s
This is where it all started for Adrian Joffe and Rei Kawakubo’s now international and beloved fashion retailer. Featuring Comme des Garçons pieces alongside a selection of high-fashion labels, pop-ups and concessions, Dover Street Market has rightly become synonymous with contemporary urban style. Is it any wonder that they have stores in New York, Singapore, Paris, Los Angeles and more?
Artwords Bookshop, Broadway Market
One for devotees of print, photography and quirkiness. Artwords Bookshop in London’s Broadway Market is piled high with books and magazines on architecture, visual art, graphic design and fashion from the UK, Europe and further afield. Looking for more? They also have a sister space in Hackney Central.
Daunt Books, Marylebone
Daunt’s London-wide bookshops are some of the world’s most perfectly put-together and this, the original shop on Marylebone High Street, is the Koh-i-Noor in Daunt’s Crown Jewels. The leaded skylights, Edwardian shelving and minstrels’ gallery bedecked with maps and travel books, ensure a photo-friendly visit. And the staff? They’ve read it all but don’t profess to know it all.
