Liberty of London is my favourite shop in London. It was begun by Arther Lasenby Liberty in 1874 with the lease of half a shop at 218a Regent St. The original shop had 3 staff members. It has grown a bit. In 1924 the Tudor revival building was constructed in Great Marlborough Street from the timbers of 2 ships, HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan.
Liberty has always been a trendsetter. It is famous for its beautiful fabrics, but it is much more than that. There is an excellent selection of cutting edge fashion, luxury homewares, accessories and jewellery. It is a delight to wander from room to room discovering beautiful things at every turn.
Take the stairs between the floor for some fun treats.
There was a Bridgerton tribute when I was there.
Arthur’s Cafe is a great place for lunch or a snack.
I never miss a visit to Liberty when I am in London. It shows the best of the best in a gorgeous setting.
Another favourite shop is Dover Street Market, 18-22 Haymarket. It was created by Rei Kawakubo of Japanese fashion label Comme des Garcons and her husband Adrian Joffe. The store sell Comme does Garçons as well as complementary high fashion and street wear brands. The concept was based on the Kensington Market, a fashion hub for Britain for over 40 years.
Come for a walk through Dover Street Market.
I really wanted this lamp, but there was no room in my suitcase.
There is a cafe on the top floor.
These two stores could not be more different, but they are both excellent in their own way.