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London is a world capital of vintage, with whole markets and streets devoted to second-hand and retro fashion, from carefully curated designer pieces to by-the-kilo warehouses. Here is where to find the best vintage shops in London and how to shop them.
The vintage heartlands
East London leads, with Brick Lane and its surrounds packed with vintage stores and warehouses, while Camden is the other great hub, its market stalls and shops heaving with retro finds. Both reward a full afternoon of browsing.
Curated boutiques and kilo sales
Beyond the markets, the city has expertly curated vintage boutiques, designer resale shops and regular kilo sales, where you pay by weight. Curated shops cost more but save time; warehouses and kilo sales are for dedicated diggers.
Tips for vintage shopping
Go with time and patience, try things on as vintage sizing varies, and check garments for condition and repairs. Markets are best at weekends but busiest then; weekday shop visits are calmer.
Good to know
Combine a vintage haul with our charity shops guide and the markets in our markets section.
