Calling all shopaholics: 7 of Shoreditch’s best hidden gems

London is famous around the world for its vast array of shops. Have you ever got chatting to a serious shopaholic from the capital city? You’ll notice that there is one place, above all, that the locals love flocking to in order to rinse their credit cards: Shoreditch.

There was, of course, a time when Shoreditch was merely known as the East End creative hub; filled to the brim with artists, musicians and writers desperately struggling to find cheap lodgings and develop their crafts. This influence is still alive and well in the types of fashion that the local stores stock – it’s unsurprising that Shoreditch has managed to maintain a reputation for being a genuinely unique shopping destination. You want to go shopping in Shoreditch, right? Course you do – who wouldn’t? Here’s where you need to go when you’re next in town.

Mawi

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Mawi” (CC BY 2.0) by bixentro

Where: 11 Calvert Avenue, Shoreditch, London, E2 7JP

Let’s start off with jewellery, shall we? Established over a decade ago, the Mawi in Shoreditch was the first store that the popular brand ever opened. As a brand that deals in unique, luxury statement pieces, Mawi’s collections aren’t restricted to seasonal or fashionable whims and instead maintains a consistent air of quality. To this day you can find jewellery from almost every Mawi collection ever created in this store – whether they’re exclusive one-offs garnished in gemstones or punk-inspired pieces.

House of Liza

Where: 9 Pearson Street, London, E2 8JD

With white concrete walls, hardwood floors and floating rails hung from the ceiling, House of Liza is well worth visiting. Filled with vintage items, this independent boutique is a flawless place to find classic Chanel LBDs, Jean Paul Gaultier jackets, Moschino belts, Gianni Versace shoes and more. Everything in the store is handpicked and high-quality – you’ll only find the very best couture and ready-to-wear fashion.

Boxpark

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london boxpark” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by fsse8info

Where: 2-4 Bethnal Green Rd, London, E1 6GY

Of all the alluring parts of Shoreditch, Boxpark is the best known. What makes this East London shopping centre so unique? It is made almost entirely out of recycled shipping containers. Recycled shipping containers filled with the most lit brands around; AOC Edit, Hymn and Wandering Minds to name a few.
What’s that you say? All that browsing will make you more than a wee bit peckish. Don’t worry: If you get hungry while you’re wandering around the old containers, there is a total of sixteen food and drink establishments you can choose from. There’s even a bar on the top floor of this pop-up fashion world, where events like live music and art exhibitions are hosted almost every single night. Warning: you will have no money left if you spend more than an hour here.

Goodhood

Where: 515 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3QE

Grunge fans will love this two-storey Goodhood shop; there is nothing else quite like it. It became a particular favourite among locals for stocking labels such as Universal Works and Dr Martens along with tees by Soulland and Wood Wood. You can’t find this range anywhere else in London. The store itself has a woodland art gallery feel so you can find a few chunky knits in the winter too. Plus, they sell home and lifestyle items as well as offering web design services. It’s a bit of blogger’s dream in there to be fair; I might just pitch a tent on the shop floor and make it my permanent residency.

AIDA

Where: 133 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6JE

For chic, independent clothing labels – including TBA and Something Else – head straight to AIDA on the high street. They have a made-to-measure service just in case those classic pieces don’t quite fit. While you’re there you can also get your hair and makeup done, then relax in the in-store café with coffee and homemade cakes. Suit you sir.

Beyond Retro

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East York Dinner Jackets” (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Danielle Scott

Where: 110-112 Cheshire St, London, E2 6EJ

Shoreditch clearly (like most places these days it seems) has an infatuation with retro clothing. As Beyond Retro is so popular, it now has two stores in East London. The first one, which launched in 2002, is situated off Brick Lane down Cheshire Street, while the other is in Dalston. The former used to be a dairy factory but has since been transformed into two open plan rooms filled with top-quality vintage plaid shirts, bomber jackets, tea dresses and more. They have an entire section dedicated solely to denim, and if you look closely enough you may even find some designer brands. This approach can be fairly labour intensive but it’s well worth the effort.

Celestine Eleven

Where: 4 Holywell Lane, London, EC2A 3ET

This store is filled with everything you could possibly need to look like me: on-trend, classy and just all-round fashionable. Yes, this is where I go to grab my designer outfits and luxury accessories. It’s a bit like an ASOS but IRL. The shop also doubles as a holistic centre, offering yoga classes and spa treatments in their basement level. The founder, Tena Strok, has said that Celestine Eleven is more of a West London store masquerading as an East End establishment.

It’s no secret anymore: Shoreditch is the bustling mecca of fashion, art and creative endeavour. I think I’m addicted.