The 100 best shops in London â high street
Find out which high-street staples made it into our best shops list
From tremendous for teens Topshop Oxford Circus to classy Covent Garden, via an offbeat launch east, here are London’s most innovative high street shops.
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The best high street shops in London
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Topshop
Topshop
214 Oxford Street, London, W1W 8LGNumber 10 in the full list
While regional Topshop stores are being increasingly challenged by the likes of outrageously good high street upstarts Zara and Uniqlo, there are no such worries for the mighty Oxford Street flagship shop. While it’s been tweaked over the years, the familiar old formula (accessories on ground, clothes next one down, men’s at the top, all delivered to the slightly naff sounds of Topshop FM) remains happily unchanged. But the Topshop team keeps this buzzy fashion shopping house current with pop-up stints from the likes of WAH Nails and dip dye supremos Bleach, Fro-yo stalls, styling services and blow-dry bars. Read more about Topshop
Recommended by: Maggie Davis, Bethan Holt and Natalie Wall. -
Uniqlo
311 Oxford Street, London, W1C 2HPNumber 38 in the full list
It’s hard to work out where people were buying their cashmere jumpers before high-street chain Uniqlo came along. Like a Japanese Gap, but with lower price points and a more utilitarian feel, Uniqlo instantly won Londoners over with its cheap skinny jeans, parka jackets and quality knitwear. The Regent Street branch is the first and, since its closure and reopening over three renovated floors, also the newest (again) and best. Read more about Uniqlo
Recommended by: Piers Atkinson and Christopher Shannon. -
Whistles
12 St Christopher's Place, London, W1U 1NHNumber 46 in the full list
Since Topshop dynamo Jane Shepherdson de-camped to Whistles, the upper-end, high-street chain has become the number-one choice for fashion-crazed women (and there’s plenty of them in London). While you’ll pay more than you would at a more youth biased chain for Whistles's selection of quality coats and printed dress, you’ll get plenty of style bang for your buck and the boutiques – with comfortable changing rooms and well-tended rails – set the standard for a great shopping experience. Read more about Whistles -
COS
222 Regent Street, London, W1B 5BDNumber 51 in the full list
The cooler, cleaner and infinitely classier sister brand to H&M has quietly clothed half of the fashion press since its launch. If you’ve got Acne tastes and Etam pockets then Cos is your man on the high street proffering modern, simple and refined tailoring and knitwear for perfectly reasonable prices. Strangely, some branches are much better than others – although not the biggest, the Westfield Shepherd’s Bush seems to be the best, stocking womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. Read more about COS -
Marks & Spencer
Oxford Street, London, W1C 1APNumber 62 in the full list
M&S – the spiritual home of Y-Fronts and navy cords – is the brown bread of the British high street: wholesome, sensible and a ‘safe’ choice for those who care about quality classics over fickle trends. The Marble Arch flagship store sells everything from falafel to school clothes, and has great old-fashioned customer service including bilingual staff, carry-to-car services and bra fitting. Though not necessarily at the same time. Read more about Marks & Spencer
Recommended by: Christopher Shannon. -
Topman General Store
98 Commercial Street, London, E1 6LZNumber 65 in the full list
It’s all about the edit as they say, and Topman General Store is a prime example. Shaking off its female twin (Topshop Oxford Circus) and trimming down its lines quite drastically has bought it much needed credibility and it doesn’t look or feel at all out of place with its bare brick walls and vintage furniture in fashion-conscious Shoreditch, especially with a nice selection of books, good coffee and brands such as Pendleton and Norsea Industries added into the mix. Read more about Topman General Store -
Kurt Geiger
1 James Street, London, WC2E 8BGNumber 69 in the full list
Stepping into Kurt Geiger’s Covent Garden flagship store is akin to being trapped inside a giant shoe-filled disco ball with shoe chandeliers and pumping beats through shoe speakers. Yes, it’s a shoe shop – one of London’s best (rivalled only by Selfridges’ Shoe Galleries and Harrods’ Shoe Salon) and Kurt Geiger’s high-octane footwear experience makes trying on heels about as exciting as it can be. Read more about Kurt Geiger
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