The 100 best shops in London – designer

The best designer shops in London

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  Louis Vuitton Maison

  17-20 New Bond Street, London, W1S 2RB

  Number 17 in the full list
  Whatever your multi-million pound flagship store can do, we can do it bigger, better and brasher, is the message of Louis Vuitton Maison. This ‘boutique fantastique’ is packed to the rafters with antique luggage, books, contemporary art, watches and, of course, must-have dresses, bags and shoes. Light pings off endless shiny surfaces only to be interrupted by glimpses of leggy Russian blondes and the odd Murakami sculpture. The general effect is that of being in a live action hip-hop video, but instead of rappers, there’s awe-struck Chinese tourists. Read more about Louis Vuitton Maison
  Recommended by: Katie Eary.
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  Acne Studio

  13 Dover Street, London, W1S 4LN

  Number 23 in the full list
  Founded in 1997, this Swedish art-edged denim and fashion label is, unofficially, the world’s hippest brand. Acne opened its London flagship store on Dover Street, Mayfair, in 2010. The one-time gallery space is just as clean and clipped as you’d imagine – it’s light-filled and houses Acne’s men’s and women’s ranges, and wonderfully wonky furniture. Every detail is fastidiously executed – it may just be a fashion shop, but it’s perfectly hewn. Read more about Acne Studio
  Recommended by: Yasmin Sewell.
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  APC

  Redchurch Street, London, E2 7DJ

  Number 36 in the full list
  One of the crop of stylish French fashion brands to cross the Channel in recent years, APC is perhaps the best. Its secret lies in its simplicity, with beautifully clean-cut macs, knits and jeans relying on a perfect silhouette and top-notch fabrics over trends and gimmickry. The Redchurch Street clothes shop is small, but perfectly formed, with a select edit of APC’s wider range. Read more about APC
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  Marc by Marc Jacobs

  56 South Audley Street, London, W1K 2RR

  Number 37 in the full list
  On the edge of Mayfair’s Mount Street sits Marc Jacobs's beautiful sprawling, luxury-look store – the London outpost of the brand’s diffusion line Marc by Marc Jacobs. Its neighbours – Loewe, Balenciaga, Lanvin – are some of the most expensive brands in the world, so Marc by Marc Jacobs’ USP is jaw-dropping: dirt cheap and on trend with all the brand excitement of its posh parent label. Fashion shopping, books and accessories are all on offer, as are Jacobs’ trinkets and collectibles, undies, little pendants, towels, wellies – all at high-street prices. Read more about Marc by Marc Jacobs
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  Nicholas Kirkwood

  5 Mount Street, London, W1K 3NE

  Number 42 in the full list
  Heir apparent to Christian Louboutin as the world’s most craved women’s cobbler (previous holders of the crown: Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik), Nicholas Kirkwood has opened his first shop in the Georgian splendour of Mount Street. Inside it’s an unerringly modernist affair with light flooding in from huge arched windows onto white cube-like installations and fittings, which provide the perfect footing for the curvaceous, gravity-defying lines of his shoes. Read more about Marc by Nicholas Kirkwood
  Recommended by: Maggie Davis.
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  Mulberry

  50 New Bond Street, London, W1S 1BJ

  Number 50 in the full list
  Appointed in 2007, Creative Director Emma Hill has steered Mulberry from safe, middle-class staple into a sizzling, celebrity-endorsed international mega brand to be seen hanging from the fine wrists of Alexa Chung et al. The slick Bond Street flagship store was revamped in 2010 though, appropriately enough, prospective shoppers might need bags of money as the average Mulberry it-bag can set you back about £1,000. Read more about Marc by Mulberry
  Recommended by: Billie and Sam Faiers.
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  Albam

  Old Spitalfields Market, 111A Commercial Street, London, E1 6BG

  Number 76 in the full list
  Perennial Time Out favourite Albam continues to stick to its tried-and-tested formula of ‘modern, crafted clothing’. Which basically means clothes for men who don’t need to try too hard – think Steve McQueen at his laidback best. While the look doesn’t evolve much, the quality of the materials and construction found on an Albam garment represent great value for money, particularly trousers, denim and outwear. These are clothes that look great when you buy them, and even better with a bit of wear and tear. Read more about Albam
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  Atsuko Kudo

  64 Holloway Road, London, N7 8JL

  Number 83 in the full list
  Brushing shoulders with sex shops and fried chicken takeaways, Atsuko Kudo’s Holloway Road atelier and clothes shop is the base for the Japanese designer to create bespoke outfits for the impossibly famous. Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry have all commissioned the couturier skills of Atsuko – who works only in latex. The European Fetish and UK Lingerie Awards winner’s designs are inspired, in part, by a ‘Hitchcock Heroine’ – with lace print pencil skirts and tiny pillbox hats. A little overlooked by the British fashion establishment, but an important part of London shopping all the same. Read more about Atsuko Kudo