London is famous for its shopping experience. Chelsea’s King’s Road, Knightsbridge’s Brompton Road and, of course, Regent Street all have some of the world’s biggest labels occupying prime positions. Top designers – think Dior, Chanel and Burberry – line the streets, while famous department stores such as Harrods and Selfridges have become as iconic as some of London’s landmarks themselves. But what about boutiques? Those smaller independent shops home to exciting up-and-coming designers and fashion-forward collections? Step right this way, into the gritty but wonderful maze that is Soho.
Situated between Regent Street and Piccadilly, and renowned for shopping destinations such as Carnaby Street, Soho is a retail-therapy haven. Alongside high street heavyweights, such as Office, Nobody’s Child and Levi’s, smaller, independent designers have long been attracted to the area’s vibrant cultural scene and proximity to Oxford Circus. So, if discovering lesser-known labels is your thing, read on for more of Soho’s best independent boutiques to shop now.
Alex Eagle Studio
Images: Hugo Cheung
Former fashion journalist turned designer Alex Eagle opened her boutique on Lexington Street to showcase a curated edit of fashion, furniture, accessories and homewares. Bespoke art (price on request, of course) sits among Augustinus Bader skincare and Moro Dabron candles. We also love Eagle’s Summer Edit, comprising yellow-toned caps and bright swimsuits made in collaboration with British swimwear label Hunza G alongside shorts and sunglasses, some taking their name from local Soho addresses such as Berwick and Lexington. Tailoring and private shopping appointments are also available on request.
6-10 Lexington Street, W1F 0LB, visit alexeagle.com
Annie’s Ibiza
Image: This Is Soho
The Balearic-born fashion label’s only UK outpost is found in Soho, offering Londoners a taste of the Mediterranean in the form of one-of-a-kind pieces picked by founder, Annie Doble, herself. The label – which features unique pieces from young designers across the world as well as collaborations with high-end labels like Loewe – was born in 2018 in Ibiza’s Old Town, and soon gained a reputation for designer and vintage collections from repurposed dresses made from 1950s table clothes to vintage Dior and Chanel jewellery from the 1970s. The Soho store is not much different from its Spanish sister, hosting an array of festival-style, summer fashion statements such as Coperni dresses, Hannah Warner jewellery and Ashish bikinis.
3 Newburgh Street, Carnaby, W1F 7RE, visit anniesibiza.com
Aries
Images: Louise Melchior
One of the newest shops on the block, Aries opened its Soho store in April this year providing shoppers with plenty of art, graphics, and illustrations to feast their eyes on. Founded by Sofia Prantera, of Silas and Holmes fame, the Aries brand offers a new take on streetwear with dyeing, printing and a more scientific approach to garment creation. The flagship store is much more than your average shop though, being the site of in-house resident Parisian coffee shop Paperboy’s first official outpost outside the French capital, as well as home to an exhibition/pop-up space that will play host to seasonal collaborations. Quite literally watch this space.
31 Great Pulteney Street, W1F 9NN, visit ariesarise.com
Bloobloom
Image: Bloobloom
Moving onto eyewear (because it’s a fact that everybody looks better in sunglasses), French designer Bloobloom first launched in 2018 and has two London outposts: Marylebone and Soho – and is soon to be expanding in the capital. The latter store, however, offers Bloobloom’s full collection of spectacles and sunglasses, as well as offering customers free, walk-in eye examinations with in-house opticians, on-site repair services and that all-important personalised style advice. The brand offers both male and female styles, with its most popular designs including circle-lens Daydreamer and tortoiseshell-rimmed Charmer. Plus, all glasses are made from handcrafted frames and sustainable materials.
24 Carnaby Street, W1F 7DB, visit bloobloom.co.uk
Milroy’s of Soho
Image: Eve Slusarek
Whisky enthusiasts will be pleased to discover London’s oldest whisky shop situated on Soho’s Greek Street, where it has been since 1964. Founder John Milroy built the store’s reputation alongside his brother Wallace by providing quality spirits and fine wines at competitive prices to local Londoners. When single malts started to gain popularity in the UK market during the 1960s and 70s, Milroy’s was already ahead of the trend, stocking the largest selection of single malts in the capital. Today, that sturdy reputation remains and the family-run shop provides customers with expert knowledge, whisky tastings and a wide range of tipples (think whisky, brandy, rum and agave). Rumour has it that even 10 Downing Street is a fan…
3 Greek Street, W1D 4NX, visit milroys.co.uk
Algerian Coffee Stores
Coffee connoisseurs will delight in the extensive range of limited-edition, origin and blended coffee, as well as a selection of teas, sweet treats and even savvy machines available at Algerian Coffee Stores. The store was first opened in 1887 by an Algerian man, hence the name, and although it has changed hands, the business remains family-run with two sisters at the helm. Inside, authentic, 19th-century wooden worktops and bespoke shelving line the walls, with many of the old signs and price lists remaining intact. The shop’s house blend coffee is freshly roasted, prepared and bagged every two weeks (and we do recommend you try some), or you can pick from a range of beans or ground coffee that has been ethically sourced from around the world.
52 Old Compton Street, W1D 4QE, visit algeriancoffeestores.com
Read more: The best boutiques in Notting Hill
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