The best department stores in London

Its charming mock-Tudor storefront is a London landmark, and Liberty’s constant ability to impress shows no sign of abating. It’s a genuinely atmospheric place to shop, thanks to its beautiful interior – balconies, dark wood panelling and some seriously glamorous lifts. You’ll be happy just wandering around and soaking it all in, but in terms of goodies, there’s something here for every budget. The brilliant ground-floor beauty and perfume halls (not to mention the mouthwatering chocolate emporium, strategically placed at the Carnaby Street entrance) are always a treat.

Address: Regent Street, W1B 5AH

Opening times: 10am-9pm Mon-Sat; 11.30am-6pm Sun

DSM is London’s coolest concept store, hands down. The brainchild of Comme des Garcons founder Rei Kawakubo, the shop gives featured brands their own dedicated spaces, specially designed to reflect their offering – making it as much art gallery as shop. DSM moved to Haymarket in 2016, to a bigger, more majestic location in the former Burberry building. If you’re tired from ogling its groundbreaking interiors (that have a reshuffle twice a year) and labels like Molly Goddard, Maison Margiela and all 14 Comme brands, sit down with tea and cake at the brilliant Rose Bakery on the top floor.

Address: 18-22 Haymarket, SW1Y 4DG

Opening times: Mon-Sat 11am-7pm; Sun 12pm-6pm

Without doubt London’s most innovative department store (if not the planet’s), Selfridges is often first to stock products from fashion’s bright new things. This vast space has its finger on the pulse in so many other ways too – whether it’s championing designers that use sustainable fabrics (check out its Material World initiative for 2017) or teaming up with clean eating gurus Hemsley & Hemsley for an exclusive in-store café. The latest significant addition to the shop is the fifth-floor, 37,000-square-foot Body Studio, a temple of top-notch activewear that aims to kit out people of all shapes and sizes.

Address: 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB

Opening times: Monday-Friday 10am-10pm; Saturday 10am-9pm; Sunday 11.30am-6pm.

Browns founder Joan Burstein (the ‘fairy godmother of fashion’) is credited with discovering John Galliano after stumbling across his graduate collection and later on, stocking the work of (at that time) a little known designer named Alexander McQueen.  Mrs B also introduced the likes of Comme des Garçons, Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein to the British fashion scene. More than 50 years later, Browns continues to champion young and emerging designers. After being acquired by fashion website FarFetch in 2015, Browns moved its flagship store on South Molton Street to a Grade II-listed eighteenth century building on Mayfair’s Brook Street in 2021. 

Address: 23-27 South Molton Street, W1K 5RD

Opening times: Tues-Sat 10.30am-6.30pm. Closed Sun-Mon (can open by appointment)

If you're looking to shop luxury, there really is no place better than Harrods. Opulent, outrageous and OTT in equal measure, Harrods makes no bones about the fact that it’s a playground for the flashy – and a five-acre playground at that. While some 60 percent of its customers are supposedly from within the uber wealthy ‘tiara triangle’ of Kensington and Knightsbridge that surrounds the store, it does still lure the crowds for its varied fashion offering, and its championing of British designers. There’s also Harrods has an art gallery, a stunning interiors department, the famous food hall and a kitchenware floor that hosts live cooking lessons from household names.

Address: 87-135 Brompton Rd, SW1X 7QN

Opening times: Mon-Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm

The term ‘foodie’ may be horrible clichéd now, but that’s exactly who Fortnum & Mason was made for. It even looks somewhat like a lavishly decorated cake from the outside. Within the building’s lovingly restored Georgian interiors, you’ll find every gastronomic treat you could wish for, from luxurious hampers to fine wines, preserves and its famous teas (which you can enjoy in afternoon form in-store). The first floor is for homewares: china- and glassware as well as finishing touches like silver scoops for stilton and F&M coloured linen. The second floor is home to beauty rooms, fashion accessories, jewellery and a perfumery, while the third floor has menswear, luggage and writing accessories, along with an excellent wrapping service.

Address: 181 Piccadilly, W1A 1ER

Opening times: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 12pm-6pm (browsing only 11.30am-12pm)

After 130 years, luxury department store Fenwick left its iconic outlet on Bond Street in February 2024 but its flagship store in Brent Cross Shopping Centre is still going strong. The three storey emporium offers up everything you expect from any good department store – apparel, homewear, beauty bits and accessories from classic and emerging high-end brands like Stella McCartney, Viviene Westwood, Ganni, Jo Malone and Our Place. There’s also a wee horticultral section downstairs, selling fresh plants and a bunch of tools and sprays to help your patch bloom. 

Address: The Mall, Brent Cross, NW4 3FN

Opening times: Mon-Fri 10am-8pm; Sat 9.30am-8pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm. 

It may not be young or hip, but that’s kind of exactly what we love about John Lewis. It’s brilliantly gimmick-free, and focuses on just doing what it does really well – combining a high quality, broad-reaching product range (that encompasses everything from electronics to bath towels to childrenswear) with fair pricing (they’re ‘never knowingly undersold’, dontcha know). Beyond that, there’s the commodious food hall stocked with culinary partner Waitrose’s goods (complete with walk-in cheese room), the swanky 1864 Rooftop Bar, the Jamie Oliver Cookery School on the third floor, a Waterstones and four cafes to choose from. We, and our nans, approve.

Address: 300 Oxford St, W1A 1EX

Opening times: Mon-Wed 10am-8pm; Thurs 10am-9pm; Fri-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm.

Part of an esteemed UK chain, Harvey Nicks is a one-stop shop for luxury fashion and lifestyle goodies. Though it may have been in its Knightsbridge pad since 1831, it stays true to its ethos of bringing new and innovative products to a wider audience. Makeup junkies should head to the graceful ground floor beauty space, where you can pick up established brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Shu Uemura, or try something new with Beauty Bites – a lovely series of mini cosmetics, featuring up-and-coming brands. The store also boasts a swish new jewellery and accessories hall.

Address: 190-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ

Opening times: Mon-Sat 10am-8pm; Sun 11.30am-6pm (browsing from 11.30am – 12pm).

Heal’s might be London’s grand old dame of interiors, but don’t let that fool you; this place is anything but stuck in the past. With a knack for spotting emerging designers and a lineup of established favourites across furniture, lighting, soft furnishings and home accessories, it somehow manages to feel both classic and fresh. Most of the action happens on the ground and lower-ground floors, where you’ll find everything from furniture and upholstery to lighting, cushions and smaller home accessories. Vintage Danish furniture lovers will be in heaven, the lighting department is top-notch, and if you’re hunting for a gift, Heal’s has got you covered.

Address: 196, Tottenham Court Road, W1T 7LQ

Opening times: Mon-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun 12pm-6pm