Stores We Can’t Wait to Visit When Lockdown Restrictions Are Lifted

Our ability to shop inside a fashion store was halted (yet again) in December 2020 and at AF it’s fair to say we’ve really missed real life shopping. Whilst online shopping has filled the void in some of our hearts, visiting stores and the in person shopping experience is also how and why so many of us fell in love with fashion in the first place. Where many brands have overhauled the user experience of their websites, nothing compares to touching the fabrics and taking inspiration from meticulously planned and curated displays. With restrictions set to be lifted on April 12th 2021, we’ve chosen a few of our favourite London stores that we can’t wait to visit…


Nanushka – “Good retail is about hospitality, not selling more” (Sandra Sandor, Creative Director)

One can only admire the attention to detail that has gone into creating Nanushka’s flagship London store. With artworks from British artist Sam Cook and design elements that pay tribute to the brands Hungarian heritage, such as ‘kopjafa’, to totem poles that are a traditional cultural symbol of Hungary – we are in awe. Furniture such as the blue crescent sofa is made from regenerated leather making the store an ethical environment, which reflects the brand values. In their mission to create a ‘home like’ environment, the store also features a cafe where shoppers can grab a coffee.

Dover Street Market – “An ongoing atmosphere of perfect chaos” (Rei Kawakubo, Founder of DSM and CDG)

Dover Street Market is a must visit store for any fashion enthusiast in London. Over the five floor store in Haymarket you can expect to find around 60 brands, many of whom have curated their own spaces within Dover Street Market. In a world of failing retail stores, their individual approach seems to have created the perfect formula. 

Browns East – “We are augmenting the retail experience – it has been static for some time” (Holli Rogers, Browns CEO

In an aim to shake up the retail experience, Browns have made sure their store in Shoreditch can be easily adapted to any situation. The free standing fixtures are movable, ensuring its an environment consumers won’t get easily bored of. Browns East is the first of the company’s Nomad projects, which seek to create semi-permanent, roaming retail concepts tailored to their city and neighbourhood. 

50m – “A second home to our community of designers, artists and customers” (50m)

Based in one of London’s most desired postcodes, 50m aims to give back to the creative community through a more supportive business model. By providing a space ‘to designers, for designers; who wouldn’t normally be able to hold a standalone store, 50m brings fresh new designers to the city. The flexible space also doubles up as an event space for their creative clientele. 

Louis Vuitton – New Bond Street 

After undergoing a fourteen month revamp, Louis Vuitton New Bond St. was unveiled in 2019 with a facade replicating a colourful explosion. Now the artwork by Peter Marino has been removed the store front is a little less eye catching, however the experience inside remains a must see attraction of the fashion scene in Central London. The store is home to an array of colourful sculptures, and the double height gallery is the perfect stage for showcasing artworks. This store is also the only Louis Vuitton store other than Maison Vendôme to stock the brand’s high jewellery. 

By Evan Burrowes

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