The Best Concept Stores in London to Check Out in 2023
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2 years ago
Forget your average retail store
We’ve all heard it – ‘retail is dead’. And it’s not surprising either. Londoners’ lives are busier than ever, whilst precious weekend time is spent brunching, visiting exhibitions and travelling. Brick and mortar stores may well be declining, but concept stores are thriving. A visit to a concept store is an experience; experiential assets and attractive amenities attract shoppers who want more than just an in-and-out shopping trip. Visit one of the best concept stores in London and discover a new way to shop…
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London’s Best Concept Stores
Anya’ZZZ
Anya’ZZZ, a new pop-up concept store from British designer Anya Hindmarch, takes visitors deep into the world of sleep this January. The space, which comes complete with fabrics shelves and cushy beds, is ‘a love letter to all things slumber’, with a curated edit of (tried and tested) sleep products – think bedding, wearable tech, books, lighting, supplements and alarm clocks. Anya Hindmarch’s new sleep capsule collection, in dreamy shades of duck egg blue, will also be available to peruse. The space will become host to a number of workshops taking place throughout the month, focusing on conversations around sleep health and mindfulness. Check here for upcoming events.
VISIT: Open from 7 January to 12 February 2023, Anya’ZZZ, The Sleep Store, The Village Hall, 11 Pont Street, London, SW1X 9EJ. anyahindmarch.com
Diptyque
Be sure to pay a visit to Diptyque’s Spitalfields boutique, which was recently reimagined by the Maison and re-opened in July 2022. The store, described as ‘a marriage between its Parisian roots and the East London location’, blends British industrial architecture with French design in an exciting display of craftsmanship and culture – an ideal location for exploring new scents.
VISIT: Diptyque, 113 Commercial Street, London, E1 6BG. diptyqueparis.com
John Bell & Croyden
Not your average pharmacy. John Bell & Croyden – renowned as ‘the Queen’s pharmacy’ – has been dubbed ‘the pharmacy of the future’. Pop in for your pharmaceutical products (of which they have over 12,000) and stay for a facial and expert advice from the on-hand nutritionist.
VISIT: John Bell & Croyden, 50-54 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 2AU. johnbellcroyden.co.uk
Aida
This concept store is all about reflecting the creativity of the part of London it resides in, Shoreditch. You can shop ready-to-wear and homeware from a carefully curated selection of brands, enjoy coffee from the café and take part in a range of in-store events which have past included talks from founders of the stocked brands, artistic installations, rum-tasting, and live music nights.
VISIT: Aida, 133 Shoreditch High Street, Shoreditch, London, E1 6JE. aidashoreditch.co.uk
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Dover Street Market
Dover Street Market is the coolest department store in town. Enter on the ground floor and explore jewellery, then either walk up the wooden spiral staircases to other levels or take the old-school elevator and explore a range of luxury brands, from Comme des Garçons and Gucci, to Bottega Veneta, which are all visually merchandised to look more like displays in art galleries than those of a shop. New spaces are regularly added to the London store, whilst the layout and creative design allows each brand to come to life rather than hang lifeless on a rail. Plus, the Rose Bakery on the top floor offers great coffee and patisserie treats and has an array of independent magazines ready for you to sit back and read and enjoy. The perfectly unique accompaniment to a perfectly unique store.
VISIT: Dover Street Market, 18-22 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4DG. london.doverstreetmarket.com
Couverture & The Garbstore
You’ll find this creative conceptual store situated within a three storey townhouse in the heart of Notting Hill. It’s a place to shop independent homeware, accessories and ready-to-wear brands, alongside other quirky finds, all designed within an open layout which makes the discovery element of this shopping experience so much more interesting.
VISIT: Couverture & The Garbstore, 188 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, London, W11 2ES. couvertureandthegarbstore.com
Feature image: Diptyque
