London is among the foremost destinations in Europe for fashionistas. A number of extremely prestigious designers make their home here, and the city’s vibrant retail centers include some truly remarkable flagship stores.
If you’re a visitor to the city, then there are a few fashion-related activities and attractions you might consider. They’re all easy to visit if you’re travelling up from the south coast via train.
Design Museum
This museum sits on Kensington High Street. Within its walls, you’ll find an incredible range of exhibits spanning several key design-related industries. If you’re in the company of a large group of fellow travellers, and you’re the only one with any interest in fashion, then this particular stop might represent an acceptable compromise. Naturally, this being a gallery, there’s a shop attached – as well as an excellent café. The gallery space itself closes around fifteen minutes before the building does.
Fashion and Textile Museum
Here, we have a museum that’s more explicitly targeted toward the worlds of fashion and textiles. Sitting on Bermondsey Street, it offers a chance to learn about the history of the industry in the UK, and the methods and innovations that helped to drive it onwards. The building itself is very difficult to miss, being angular and bright yellow. Currently, it’s hosting an exhibition in celebration of Andy Warhol.
Old Spitalfields Market
Naturally, truly committed fashionistas will want not only to learn about fashion but actually buy some of it. This is where a visit to Old Spitalfields Market comes in. It runs every day, and features everything from art to cookware. It’s the fashion stalls that really make the trip worthwhile, however, with tailors, upcyclers, and vintage sportswear sellers all plying their various trades. There are various different special events put on throughout the trading week, so it’s always worth returning to see what new surprises are to be found.
V&A Museum
Rounding off our list is the Victoria and Albert Museum, which offers the largest collection of decorative art and design items on the planet. The exhibits here are constantly changing, and so it’s always worth coming back to. A short walk from the Design Museum, this is to be found in Kensington – on Cromwell
