London Shopping: From unique local shops to discounted branded items

Sun, 05/03/2009 1:05 PM  |  Travel

In this increasingly globalized world, shopping for something unique has become harder: the jacket you spotted in a Budapest Zara shop will invariably pop up for sale in Senayan when you return from holidays to Jakarta, both labeled "Hecho en China", or made in China.

The famous Oxford Street in London is no exception, bustling with shoppers carrying Marks & Spencer, FCUK, or Top Shop bags. Many of the shops in London can also be found in Jakarta and almost all the brands exist somewhere else in the world.

Yet, there are still some corners of London where the odd pieces of clothing can be purchased, with independent shops thriving with items crafted by young British designers. Brick Lane is one of those areas.

Spitalfields Market, walking distance from the Liverpool Street tube station, has two parts: A new market and an older one. (JP/Evi Mariani)

During my visit, sponsored by Air Asia X and Visit Britain, a group of Southeast Asian journalists including myself were taken to Brick Lane, also known as London's curry capital or Banglatown for its Bangladeshi shops selling curry. The area has become the epicenter of the Bangladeshi community in London, with Bengali street signs planted next to English ones.

An old large building - that used to be the Truman Brewery - stands out from the rest of the street as it is packed with independent shops. "The Truman Brewery has been an important creative and cultural hub," said Kevin Caruth, a guide from Urban Gentry, a company specializing in tailor-made visits of London.

One shop at the old brewery sells clothing made out recycled material. You can make a one-of-a-kind item from one of your old garments; just bring it to the shop and the designer will make it into a new item for you. Other shops sell vintage clothing.

According to Kevin, many shops in the area encourage young designers to display their collections there by offering affordable rental rates, also allowing talent scouts from major chains to find budding designers. Success stories include designers from independent shops ending up having their own lines of clothing in major chains like Top Shop, said Kevin.

Besides Brick Lane and the Truman Brewery, East London has several neighborhoods boasting dozens of independent shops. Socially aware shoppers can buy a wedge card from www.wedgecard.co.uk for 10 pounds (Rp 160,000), of which 5 goes to a local charity. The card allows you to support local shops while obtaining special offers and discounts from over 150 businesses in the East End.

Apart from shopping, East London is also increasingly known as an art space, with many galleries, museums and shops selling art books. Dozens of the area's galleries host cultural events and contemporary art exhibitions. For more information, visitors can go to commentart.com, a website managed by a group aiming to create "greater appreciation of, and enthusiasm for, contemporary art and culture".

However, East London shops mostly attract young people in their teens to those in their early 30s with particular fashion tastes. Those who prefer mainstream fashion are more likely to find shops they like on Oxford and Bond Street.

Another option for shopping is Bicester Village, a shopping area for discounted, branded items, located an hour's drive from London or a 15-minute drive from Oxford.

Bicester Village has 120 shopping outlets of prominent fashion brands from Alexander McQueen, Hugo Boss, Wolford, to Anya Hindmarch, Furla and Tumi, offering all year round goods often discounted up to 60 percent.

Naturally, many Asian tourists flock to the village.

"Tourists from China are on our top 10 list of customers, as well as from Malaysia and Indonesia," said Anna Keddie, marketing director at Value Retail, the company promoting Bicester Village.

The village is one of nine "Chic Outlet Shopping" centers in Europe and the only one in the UK. Because all the villages derive part of their income from tourists, they give the latter easy access to VIP Club memberships which give shoppers additional discounts or other perks at most of the shops.

- Evi Mariani

For a Do-It-Yourself Tour of East London, go to findeast.co.uk, download an East London map and a Quirky Shopping Guide for free.
Other helpful websites to explore East London include:
Visitlondon.com
Eastlondonguides.com
Urbangentry.com

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