London retro shops recommendations?

[Sloan1874]

Heading down to London next week. Wondering if any dandy Metropolitans can recommend some good retro clothes shops that would be worth having a trawl through while I'm down there?

 

[Panacheman]

depending on the decade your looking for and the day you are looking i can recommend a few areas if not many stores some of the other loungers may be able to help with specific shops

Camden market- go any day, but week days avoid the crowds. it is full of tourist trap stuff but there are a couple of places that deal in vintage goods you may need to be prepared to do some digging but you will find some gems decade wise there's stuff from the 60s onward but also a lot of cheap repros but advantage to the consumer as most places are about shifting as much stock as possible and that concerned if they have a high quality jacket priced right.

portobello road- Friday and Saturday are the best days to hit the street market but there are also some shops which deal in vintage goods 8 days a week haggling is never a bad thing here in the stands/tents or the shops. Prices will tend to be higher in the shops as the store keepers might actually know the value of what is on their shelves/racks.

brick lane- on Saturdays (maybe other days Ive only been there on a saturday) there are pop up vintage markets with some good stuff for those who take the time to look also several vintage stores that deal in merchandise ranging from high quality vintage that is priced as such to decent stuff which may be overpriced.

covent garden area- several vintage shops here mostly dealing in stuff from 60s onwards and some good used leather and plenty of not so good leather check out Wow retro avoid rocket also a few vintage shops with high end finds that are priced as such

cheers pardner hope that helps

 

[Sloan1874]

Cheers, Panache. I was up at Camden at the start of the year, but it's one of those things where it just seemed overwhelming, the amount of stuff there made it difficult to know where to start - interestingly, Aero used to sell their trainee coats there during the 1980s, and it was when a Japanese buyer came looking to buy three dozen that the company made it's first big move into the Land of the Rising Sun - so I'll definitely go back there. I'd heard that Covent Garden was worth a look, so I'll take a wander down there. Any particular reason to avoid Rocket?

 

[JakeHolman]

I wouldn't necessarily avoid Rokit, it depends what you're after. It's really more if a second-hand shop than true vintage but it's big enough to dig around and occasionally find something good (they have a website, www.rokit.co.uk, so you can get a feel).

Others in Coventry Garden are Blackout II on Endell Street, good for vintage suits and the Vintage Showroom which has some great pieces but tends to be expensive however the guys in there know their onions and it's worth popping in for a chat and a browse.

Also, if you have a good map, you could navigate to Chiltern Street, Marylebone and visit the excellent John Simons. Usually has a few Aeros out the back.

 

[cordwangler]

I've got some good bits from Beyond Retro in the past couple of years. They're worth a look.

 

[Two Types]

Have a look at the 'London Head's Up' thread in 'Vintage Finds & Deals' here on the FL. In that thread, there are numerous descriptions of the stock in London shops.

What sort of things are you looking for?

My favourite destinations tend to be around Brick Lane on a Sunday. On 'London Heads Up' thread there is mention of a number of shops, including a couple that sell lots of odd old vintage items at £10 each. There are certainly some bargains out there.

 

[Sir Jacket]

Yep, Brick Lane among the best bets. Do you mean secondhand or vintage-style, as well? If the latter, try Son of a Stag, off Brick Lane. Possibly my favourite clothes shop in London (beating American Classic, for example) with lots of heavy selvidge denim, Red Wings and a great selection of retro-inspired clothing generally. Not cheap but these things last.

Sir J

 

[Panacheman]

its not that rocket is bad ive found some cool stuff there a few times its just for me most times when i go in i spend more time searching then ever finding. If you have time to spare go for it there are some goods to be found but if on a truncated timescale you may want to skip it

 

[Sloan1874]

These are all great suggestions - I'll be around Brick Lane on Sunday (I may putting my neck on the line here, but the salt beef bagels from the Beigel Bake there are unbeatable) so I'll have loads of time to investigate. It may even save my bank card from the clutches of A Child of the Jago down there. The Marylebone tip is a good one too, Jake, as I'm certain to be up there, though as you say, I may have to use the Google map app on my phone.
I should add that it's not that I'm a complete stranger to London, it's just that I've never really investigated the vintage/retro clothes shops down there, so it's good to get a steer on where to go/where not to go, because, well, it's a big place, y'know...

 

[Rockin' Dog]

Cheers, Panache. I was up at Camden at the start of the year, but it's one of those things where it just seemed overwhelming, the amount of stuff there made it difficult to know where to start - interestingly, Aero used to sell their trainee coats there during the 1980s, and it was when a Japanese buyer came looking to buy three dozen that the company made it's first big move into the Land of the Rising Sun - so I'll definitely go back there. I'd heard that Covent Garden was worth a look, so I'll take a wander down there. Any particular reason to avoid Rocket?

Hey Sloan! ....As a person who has trekked all over Camden Market for two decades plus...I can probably give you some advice there and say that whilst these days the majority of stalls/units/shops there are... rubbish! ...you can save yourself plenty of time by concentrating on just the Camden Stables Market (up past the canal) There are a few vintage shops still there still with some decent stuff to pick through.
There is a Rockit outlet along the road up to the Stables, so you can have a look at see what they're about. Generally their customers are young 18-25 yo's who like second-hand clothing...most of it is 80's & early 90's.

As previously recommended ...Portobello Road should still be worth going to visit on a Saturday. Some good leather can be sourced on the right day!
Check out ...
Hideout Classics > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJ0gCpV0C3I
Hi-Star Classics > http://www.hi-starclassics.co.uk/
Have Fun!
-R'D

 

[Sloan1874]

I will see Camden with fresh eyes. Looking forward to spending some quality browsing time there. *packs comfortable shoes*