Old Spitalfields Market
London is full of incredible shopping destinations, and ones that cater for those that live and work in the city, those that travel and tour and those that want high fashion and the high street. Traditionally, certain areas of London have developed a reputation for a certain fashion vibe. Want vintage? Go to Camden. Want couture? Try Chelsea. Need a great suit? Savile Row is the place to be.
Old Spitalfields Market offers something different. We were treated to a press tour of the impressive premises last week and were able to learn first hand of just some of the highlights of the market. Since purchasing the 127,000 square foot retail location in 2013, Tribeca Holdings has added seven new luxury retailers to the space. The considered approach seems to be working. That approach is to create an area that East Londoners want to shop, retaining the charm of the area, its art and culinary scene, still keeping a serious finger on the pulse of the ever impressive market, but also creating a premium shopping destination that attracts tourists and residents in equal spades.
This new style of shopping destination seems to be working like a charm. The location is superb – placed between the City and Shoreditch it is the perfect destination for an after work shop or a Saturday afternoon lunch. The approach taken by the retailers is also rather intelligent – locally sourced produce in restaurants, a Chanel fragrance that makes luxury brands so much more accessible and a MAC make up store that has more darker skin tones on offer than any other. For the gents, there is a whole host of ways for you to spend your time. Here are just a few highlights of what makes Old Spitalfields Market so special for us …
For the sartorial gent – Hackett & Murdock London
The superbly curated Hackett store evokes memories of a lovely gents club. The ground floor features a pool table and of course an array of Hackett’s best casual wear while the basement houses a small but lovely art gallery and some of the best mid-priced suits around. The store also hosts a Murdock London space for men’s hair and grooming where the customer service is impeccable and the quince and oakmoss shampoo comes highly recommended.
For the shoe aficionado – Joseph Cheaney
Spitalfiels also features a shoe lover’s paradise – a Joseph Cheaney store. Any self-respecting shoe man knows that Cheaney make some of the UK’s best brogues. We were treated to a demo of the finger polishing service, which involves lovingly removing the layers of dirt on your shoes, which the staff instore will do in shore for your Cheaney shoes.
For the trend-focused – McQ
Not quite as high fashion (or daunting) as an Alexander McQueen store, the McQ offering at Spitalfields is still a wonderfully beautiful, minimalist store. Superb clothes and very helpful store staff made the shopping experience super easy.
For those that want to lunch – Blixen
What’s better than a great shopping experience? A great dining experience. We were in love with the unpretentious vibe of Blixen, which features a stunning indoor garden with views looking out into the market. It’s the perfect place for Saturday afternoon brunch. The scrambled eggs with chorizo and coriander, with a great blend of sweet and salt, comes highly recommended.
For the casual gent – Jigsaw
Forgive us for not knowing this earlier, but Jigsaw has a menswear only store in Spitalfields. Rails upon rails of clothes for men that are not the corner of the basement in a five-storey space. For several seasons now, Jigsaw has gained a reputation for some of the best menswear on the high street with a focus on casual, wearable and well made pieces. We were treated to a detailed walk through of the space and enjoyed a close-up look at some incredible Tom Ford vibing outerwear that will not cost the earth.
Explore further at Old Spitalfields Market.