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From Dover Street Market to Harrods: Explore the UK capital’s iconic shopping destinations for Fashion, Beauty, and more.
Sectors & Markets
19 May, 2025
Table of contents
London has been a global fashion destination for a long time, where the tradition connects with timeless and innovative style. At the heart of the shopping experience lies the legendary luxury department stores, which are seen as the cultural landmarks that go far beyond just retail. These spaces act as the empires of taste and preferences with an immersive experience in gastronomy, design, fashion, and beauty. Whether you are a trend lover, a seasonal shopper, or a luxury connoisseur, London’s department stores have something for everyone.
In this guide, we will explore the most iconic luxury department store in London that is continuing to shape the fashion culture, defining retail excellence, and elevating the shopping experience.
Location: 18-22 Haymarket, St. James's, London SW1Y 4DG
Nearest Station: Piccadilly Circus (Piccadilly and Bakerloo Lines)
Dover Street was founded by Rei Kawakubo and Adrian Joffe of Comme des Garçons, initially in Mayfair, in 2004. The market redefines the retail space with its fusion of conceptual art and high fashion. The store then relocated to Haymarket in 2016 in a historic Grade II-listed former Burberry headquarters. The building perfectly matched the raw and industry-meets-experiment standards. It operates as the curated museum of fashion and culture with a constantly evolving environment displaying exclusive collections and hard-to-find pieces.
DSM houses an interesting mix of streetwear, luxury, and cult-favourite designers. Flagships presences include brands like Thom Browne, Simone Rocha, Balenciaga, Comme des Garçons (with multiple lines such as Homem Plus, Noir, PLAY), Rick Owens, Loewe, Wales Bonner, Gucci Vault, Bode, Vetements, Junya Watanabe, and Jacquemus.
The must-see highlights are the Tachiagari seasonal refreshments that resets the entire visual inventory every few months, Rose Bakery Café at the top floor with Parisian cuisine, changing art installations and retail sculptures, and the exclusive beauty and fragrance corners from niche brands like Aesop, Byredo and Comme des Garçons Parfum.
Location: 63 New Bond Street, Mayfair
Nearest Street: Bond Street (Central & Jubilee Line)
Fenwick was launched by John James Fenwick in 1882 in Newcastle. The department store arrived in London in 1891, strengthening its base on Bond Street as the longstanding staple of understated and refined luxury. The whole space features boutique-style layouts and calming shopping experiences tailored especially for those who appreciate elegance without any flashes.
The place offers a tight-yet-elevated curation of designers such as Rixo, Max Mara, Zimmermann, Vince, Ganni, and Stine Goya. The beauty hall spotlights Chanel Beauty, NARS, Estée Lauder and Sisley Paris. The show and accessories section showcases L.K. Bennett, Veja and Russell & Bromley.
It has several highlights, including concierge-level customer service, spacious changing rooms, and a calming ambiance. Its focus is also on quality craftsmanship, timeless fashion, and capsule wardrobe curation.
Location: 87–135 Brompton Rd, Knightsbridge
Nearest Station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line)
Founded by Charles Henry Harrod as a small East End grocery store in 1849, Harrods moved to the Knightsbridge location in the 1850s. After surviving a lot of crises like wars, fires, and retail revolutions, it stands as the largest department store in Europe. With more than 1 million square feet of retail space and 330 departments, Harrods maintains the image of retail space in London. The area features various products from designer fashion and fine jewellery to bespoke services and gourmet food halls. This historic department store has been serving various global shoppers, celebrities, and royalty.
Its list of flagships include major global brands - Dior with RTW and beauty; Chanel with men’s and women’s fashion and accessories; Louis Vuitton with multiple spaces for trunks, shoes and fashion; Bvlgari, Chopard and Cartier with fine jewellery, Bottega Veneta, Prada, Fendi and Gucci with a complete boutique services, Hermes with leather goods, fashion and scarves; Audemars Piguet, Patek Philippe and Rolex for watches.
The must-see experiences include the Shoe Heaven floor featuring one of the largest shoe collections in the world, Harrods Food Halls for globally famous cuisines, The Harrods Beauty Hall, Fine Watch Room, bespoke perfumery, in-house spa, and custom tailoring spaces.
Location: 109–125 Knightsbridge
Nearest Station: Knightsbridge (Piccadilly Line)
Harvey Nichols was established in 1831 as a linen shop by Benjamin Harvey. The space eventually grew into a full-fledged department store in the mid-1800s. By the 1990s, it became the go-to destination for modern-yet-luxury fashionistas and a favourite among the stylists and celebrities. Currently, Harvey Nichols is known for its cutting-edge and trend-driven curation of designer luxury and fashion lifestyle.
It showcases boutiques and curated collections from The Attico, Saint Laurent, Mugler, Rick Owens, Balmain, Agent Provocateur, and Marine Serre. Skincare and beauty shoppers will find brands like La Mer, 111Skin, Dr. Barbara Sturm, and Augustinus Bader.
The Fifth Floor Foodmarket and Bar serves gourmet treats and cocktails with extraordinary city views. The department store has a dedicated “Style Concierge” and luxury stylists for shoppers. It also hosts niche brand collabs and capsule collections.
Location: 300 Oxford Street
Nearest Street: Oxford Circus or Bond Street
Introduced in 1864 by John Spedan Lewis as a part of his experimental business, John Lewis stands as the beloved British institution that blends practical design with a premium lifestyle. Even though it is not as glitzy as Selfridges and Harrods, John Lewis offers a reliable and aspirational retail experience on Oxford Street.
Its brand portfolio includes Ted Baker, Whistles, Phase Eight, Hobbs and Reiss, as well as beauty counterparts like Dermalogica, Jo Malone London, Estée Lauder and Liz Earle. It also acts as the home to various home and tech brands like Dyson, Le Creuset, and Samsung.
The spotlights in this building are the rooftop Garden Café and events space, personalised shopping, and a relaxed layout for the locals and tourists who seek style in silence. Combining it with the tech and home products makes it even more relevant and reliable.
Location: Regent Street, Soho
Nearest Station: Oxford Circus (Victoria, Bakerloo & Central Line)
Liberty London was opened in 1875 by Arthur Lasenby Liberty for Eastern imports, textiles, arts, and crafts. The current Tudor-style building was first constructed in 1924 with the timber collected from two ancient warships. The store also became the space for the Art Nouveau movement and still remains the flagbearer of individuality, design innovation, and craftsmanship.
This top historic department store is well-known for its artistic and curated selection of brands such as Marni, Dries Van Noten, Issey Miyake, Raey, Le Monde Beryl and Manolo Blahnik. The beauty hall in the store displays indie names such as Le Labo, Raey, A.P.C., Aesop and Diptyque, whereas their accessories and home sections highlight artisan brands and Liberty’s own signature prints.
The spotlight of the building is the Fabrics Floor, which features iconic designers and creatives from across the globe, as well as unique curations of international brands. It often gives a chance for product showcasing for new designers before they go mainstream.
Location: 400 Oxford Street, Marylebone
Nearest Station: Bond Street (Central & Jubilee Line)
Launched by the American retailer Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909, Selfridges has been a supporter in transforming the way people looked at the shopping experience in London. With its bold and historic architecture, experiential shopping strategy, and theatrical displays, the space is considered one of the best department stores in the world. It remains the trend-following, fashion-first destination on the busy Oxford Street for locals and tourists.
Inside Selfridges, there are many flagship boutiques and exclusive offerings from Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, Loewe, Jacquemus, Valentino, Chanel, Dior, and more. It is also the home to cult streetwear labels such as A-Cold-Wall, JW Anderson and Off-White, as well as the refined brands like Totême Studio, Acne Studios and The Row. The Beauty Hall showcases standout stalls from Byredo, Charlotte Tilbury, Tom Ford, and Pat McGrath Labs.
Signature experiences to not-miss are the Corner Shop pop-ups with exclusive collab products, immersive tech spaces, concept window displays, designer sneaker galleries, and a personal shopping suite for VIP services and styling.
Cover Image: Dover Street Market, Harrods and Liberty London, courtesy AHKAH, Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture and GVA Lighting respectively.