A stylist’s guide to the best vintage stores and thrift shopping in London
IMAGE VIA @lovemadeline_/instagram
as told to daisy henry
Everything you need to know about shopping pre-loved in London.
While Australia has no shortage of great places to shop secondhand, London’s history and proximity to other European cities make it a sweet spot for finding those unicorn vintage pieces. And as a fashion stylist, it’s part of Madeline Assi’s job to know where to look.
Having moved from Melbourne, Madeline is now based in North London, where she’s happily adapted to a fast-paced life. “I love my job because of how diverse it is, some days I’m dressing models for a brand campaign or pulling looks for a music video, others I’m backstage producing runway shows,” she says.
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Part of London’s appeal is the incredible store owners and market stallholders. “So many vintage collectors have been curating their collections for decades, from all over the world, so you tend to find more special, archival pieces that may be harder to come by in Australia,” she tells me.
“I’ve found each area of London has its own style too, like an ecosystem of mini subcultures.” Though Madeline admits it’s impossible to sum up the diversity of London style, in her experience, London’s east typically has a grungier appeal, while the west leans into a bohemian aesthetic. In short, whatever your personal style (or budget), the city will have what you need.
From Y2k treasures in Notting Hill, to vintage Comme des Garçons and McQueen, Madeline shares her all-time favourite spots for secondhand shopping in London.
Crabi
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Gabi Crewe beautifully curates Crabi’s selection, spanning vintage clothing, homewares, and jewellery. Think lots of flimsy summer dresses, cVnty leather jackets, and glass teacups. A lot of the clothing is from the 2000s, but it still feels very fresh and in-season. I found my favourite Cop Copine dress here, which is just one of the many vintage independent European brands that Gabi has curated for Crabi.
The prices are reasonable and there are two levels of walls lined with racks, so you can really take your time and enjoy the beautiful space.
Brick Lane Vintage Market
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There are so many smaller secondhand stores on Brick Lane that are generally more affordable if you’re hunting for a bargain, but the underground market is where the real vintage gems are. There are hundreds of different sellers offering curated collections and have their own point of difference.
There are sections with classic British Burberry coats, iconic pieces from Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please and Yohji Yamamoto’s past collections, Cop Copine and Prada Sport pieces, knitwear from brands like Massimo Dutti and Missoni, and Y2K curators selling Manolo Blahnik pumps and Dolce and Gabbana bags hanging from the ceiling. The prices range from low to mid to high, depending on the seller. You could spend hours just in this one maze of a market; there’s something for everyone here!
Y2k Vintage
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Y2k Vintage on Brick Lane and Portobello Road have such an incredible selection of clothing, bags, belts and shoes. I love that they colour block the racks, I find it less overwhelming and saves you some time when sifting through everything if you’re on a mission for something specific.
Most pieces are from the early and late 2000s but in the best possible way. Think Juicy tracksuits, those really good worn-in leather jackets, slip skirts that are cut just right. Their pieces often have that unique point of difference that I’m looking for in Y2k garments – delicate embroidery, mixed fabrics or prints and an interestingly placed buckle. I also find they usually have a broad range of sizes, which can sometimes be difficult to find when shopping vintage.
@y2kxvintage @y2kvintagenottinghill
Vintage Threads
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Vintage Threads has two stores that both sell vintage clothes and accessories with a cool ’90s sporty streetwear style. Every time I go, there’s some new vintage Prada or Roberto Cavalli piece, but usually it’s my boyfriend who cleans up here.
They stock a brilliant men’s range – great jackets and really unique denim with that late ’90s hip hop style, from brands like FUBU and Phat Farm. I find the prices here are slightly high sometimes, but the pieces are in excellent condition and very wearable for an everyday wardrobe, so the cost per wear is considerable!
Mssy Vintage
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This store stands alone in the middle of the busy street, so you can’t miss it! Even though the space is small, it’s very well curated. Think walls covered in vintage shoes, belts and bags with racks of silk corsets, party dresses and fur jackets. The collection has an early ’90s and 2000s resonance to it, but every piece is very now, very on trend and in very good condition for vintage fabric.
Brother Ldn
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Head up the blue stairs and find the most aesthetically merchandised concept store by Natasha Demetriou. Her curation of archive designer, including clothing, books, audio and objects, is complemented perfectly by the art direction of the store itself. Archive pieces from the designer gods, including Margiela, Comme deS Garçons, McQueen, Miu Miu and Michiko Koshino line the racks on the perimeter of the space, while rare vintage Coperni bags and 2000s Sisley Catalogues fill the counter tops.
You have to be willing to splash some serious cash here, but if you’re a fashion collector or looking for that one special piece to add to your wardrobe, you’ll absolutely love it.
Notable mentions
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Traid is another good one! They have locations scattered throughout London, it’s more op shopping so you have to dig but you really can find some great (and dirt cheap) pieces here.
Lovers Lane in Notting Hill is great for a curated archive of designer shoes, handbags and collector-worthy pieces worn by pop-culture icons, and there’s Turner Vintage, run by Shanie, who has been curating her collection of delicate, one-of-a-kind pieces for over 20 years. She’s having a pop-up at Rixo in Chelsea until September, which gives you the chance to try on the luxurious gowns of creamy silks and vintage lace before you buy.
You can also find some great pieces if you hunt through (and I can’t stress this enough) the downhill side of Portobello Road Market in Notting Hill. Head there on the weekends, find the most amazing coats and gold jewellery and then get gyros from the food stalls afterwards. Heaven!
Keep up with Madeline here.
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