Almost every city and town I’ve visited in London has had a bountiful of vintage shops and vendors. As someone who was very excited to get new clothes while studying abroad, London became my favorite place ever to consume fashion. Prior to living in London, I had a huge interest in vintage clothing and with that being said I sought to find places that would excite me, and that interest grew even larger.
Home to some of Britain’s most successful high-end fashion designers, including Alexander McQueen and Stella McCartney, London is a major player in the fashion industry and has established itself as one of the world’s most iconic fashion capitals. Knowing this I was curious to check out luxury brands and maybe even buy a luxury piece. Soon after I thought that I soon realized that the real showcasing of culture and fashion expression wasn’t found in London’s luxury market, it was within their vintage and antique market!
Portobello Road
Portobello Road is located in Nottinghill which was only about 15 by bus from my residence. There are main stores on this road but every Saturday vendors will set up tables and tents along the entire road. It went on for miles! I had never seen anything like it, and the further along you walked the better it got. Over the course of my stay I went to that market 3 times and each time it felt like a new experience, I highly recommend it!
Brighton
When taking my trip to Brighton, I was only expecting to have a beach day, not a shopping spree! Brighton is a beautiful place and apparently a vintage hot spot in England. There’s a whole street of vintage shops that lead right up to the beach it was awesome. A couple of friends and I came across a shop named Snooper’s Attic that had a bunch of late 1800s pieces. I couldn’t leave this place without having something to remind me of how wonderful it was, so I bought this amazing embroidered jean vest!
Brick Lane
I know I’ve talked about Birck Lane before and how much I love their display of street art and culture, but the other reason why I absolutely love Brick Lane so much is because of their vintage shops. The Brick Lane Vintage Market is indoors in pretty much a basement warehouse that feels like a maze you don’t want to escape. This market has vendors who sell almost everything you could think of from antique jewelry to vintage army camouflage! I’ve bought a bunch of pieces from here, especially denim and statement rings, there is something at this market for anyone.
A Message from the Office of Global Engagement:
The safety and security of Drexel students is a priority for the University. As part of the efforts to support Drexel students that are studying abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Office of Global Engagement has conducted a rigorous review of programming and provided additional support to participating students with customized pre-departure orientations and regular check-ins during the required self-isolation period and the term.
You must be logged in to post a comment.