It’s 9:50 am and my Jubilee line train has just pulled into Bond Street station, the retail mecca of London. Making a record two-minute dash from the platform to the ticket barriers, I carefully manoeuvred past wide-eyed tourists looking at tiny Tube maps on the palm of their hands. My bag swung instinctively to the front as I hurried up the escalator on the left (you stand stationary on the right). It does not matter which exit you use, they all lead you to the glory of Oxford Street.
The shops here do not open till 10 am, but the streets were already packed – tourists wandering around looking longingly at the window displays, foreign students making a quick buck by handing out free newspapers to commuters (take them), and general bystanders hanging outside the station as a convenient meeting point (it’s not convenient at all, don’t do that). Oxford Street is great for high street shopping. Here, you have great big flagships dedicated to GAP, H&M, Zara, Topshop and the likes, sitting alongside the grand dame that is Selfridges. I love Oxford Street; I can get just about anything I need here, but the gentrification and homogenisation of the street also made it lose its lustre. It is becoming a victim of its own success. Tourists coming here to shop and experience its ‘Britishness’ might find there is not a lot of the latter left.
Head South of the street and you will hit swanky Mayfair, the most expensive place you can land on the Monopoly game, and rightly so. Here you will find the poshest boutiques housed in grand architecture, where the sidewalks often become the runway for the well-heeled. For a sense of Englishness (and I do not mean drinking tea with your pinkie pointing up), I suggest you head North of Oxford street towards the Marylebone area (with a silent ‘y’). Nestled between Oxford Street and Baker Street (where Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is) lies the charming and picturesque Chiltern Street.
Chiltern Street remains largely under the ownership of the prestigious Portman family. The Estate still retains much of its late 18th century residential character. Substantial parts of the street and Georgian terraces lining them have been carefully conserved and redeveloped. The Estate has invested to date some £700,000 to transform the street into a specialist-shopping destination. Several long-established businesses remain, and new tenants are handpicked to ensure the unique characteristics of the street are not lost over time.
You will find that the pace is a lot slower here. To awake your senses, I suggest heading to CireTrudon. It is the oldest wax manufacturer in the world established since the 1600s, and counts Marie Antoinette as one of its illustrious loyal client. A specialist will guide you through their range of scented candles, which comes beautifully in hand blown glasses and adorned with its distinctive metallic emblem on the front, made by the same people who does the labels for Moët &Chandon champagne. For a touch of European grandeur, try Solis Rex, a fragrance inspired by the vast wooden floors of the Grand Versailles palace in France. If you would like your house to smell palatial, you might have to fight Madonna for it. She famously bought up all the stocks when it was released (I am still waiting for mine). In keeping with the Wanderlust theme, May 2014 also sees the release of Positano, a fragrance created in partnership with Couturier GiambattistaValli, inspired by the small village off the sunny Amalfi coast.
For great menswear, head to Trunk Clothiers, a small double storey boutique stocking labels like Incotex, Mackintosh, Nigel Cabourn, Junya Watanabe, etc. Think small scale, sharply tailored blazers, crisps shirts and soft knits. A few doors down is Trunk LABS, which features an excellent selection of accessories. My favourite finds there include Common Projects sneakers, identified with the golden numerals etched on the side, and skincare products from Aesop in their chic brown clinical bottles. Across the road is Sunspel, a great British menswear label famous for their luxury cotton clothing. Their signature hoodies and t-shirts are still traditionally made at their factory based in Nottinghamshire (Robin Hood!). Another interesting shop is Archer Adams with its stunning silver animal head umbrellas. You might remember that Burberry Prorsum did that for its Fall/Winter 2012 collection, but Archer Adams has been doing it for years.
For coffee and people watching, head to Monocle Cafe. Launched by Tyler Brûlé, who founded the global affairs magazine, the cafe follows a similar concept: Chic layout, snacks that their writers have sampled on their global travels, and staff that are very easy on the eyes. If the weather is good, ask for an outside table. The cafe diagonally faces The Chiltern Firehouse, Hotelier André Balazs’s first project outside of U.S. (where he opened Chateau Marmont in Hollywood and Mercer in New York). The Firehouse was built in 1889, and is regarded as one of the finest surviving examples of the gothic architectural style used during the pre-war period. André Balazs and his team carefully restored the building, and reinstated many of its original lost details such as the façade’s carved stone arches and original brickwork. The Hotel will officially open in June 2014 and will house 26 rooms. The restaurant within the hotel is now open and led by Michelin-starred Nuno Mendes. Harry Styles, Stella McCartney and the cream of the London crop have already popped in for celebrations earlier in April.
When asked about their decisions to set up shops in Chiltern Street, there is a general consensus among the retailers. The main draw of this offbeat location is the independent vibe emanating from this pocket of Marylebone. While the hype surrounding Chiltern Firehouse has certainly brought an increase in foot traffic to this location, Archer Adams also pointed out that rental prices have doubled since he set up shop four years ago. The Estate’s challenge is to maintain the charm of this street brought about by the great curation of retailers, against the threat of the gentrification of the high street.
Chiltern Street is well worth a visit if you are looking to escape the hustle and bustle and indulge in some off the beaten track retail therapy. Nearest Tube stops are Bond Street and Baker Street, then a three to five-minute walk.
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