East London Loves Vintage will help you locate all your favourite stores.
Today’s top designers seek inspiration from past eras in their quest to give us something new to wear. They freely borrow (or even plunder) designs and styles that seem long forgotten.
In addition, the hype now surrounding eco friendly textiles makes vintage shopping trendier than ever. Whether you are recycling, up-cycling or just environmentally conscious, the world of vintage has everything to offer.
The rise of burlesque and cabaret night clubs has meant that 1920s to 1980s frocks and jewellery have become much coveted. The mastery and effort that goes into dressing up for such events is fascinating in itself.
From the north east’s achingly trendy Dalston, to arty south-east London, there is an abundance of vintage shops along the line. The crowds are tempted by unique spaces hidden away in vibrant, creative London East. Even if you aren’t a fashionista per se, it is exciting to simply browse around these quaint places.
Some shops are well-known and their international, loyal clientele is willing to go a long way to get there. Others are annoyingly discreet and sometimes so remote and old fashioned, they don’t even keep strict opening times.
So, using our interactive map (below) get set and off you go, rummaging through rails covered by mighty knights bright suits of armour, witchy grand ladies’ glorious costumes, gypsy minstrels and Venetian jugglers, rockabilly leathers and old skool sport shoes, filthy pirates’ boots and prangsters’ flamboyant outfits. Antique clothes never lose their fascination.
After all, you know what they say: London is the city even the dead never want to leave.
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no self-respecting vintage lover (and ELL traveller) should miss out on a trip to Crystal Palace, which combines big urban greenery (crystal palace park), eclectic restaurants (try Mediterranea, A Torre or Domali, yum) and a whole Triangle of vintage & secondhand clothing & furniture emporia! yes it’s really true! as well as the stylists’ favourite secret collectables market in Haynes Lane, do check out Church Road in particular for shops including Belle Coco, Vien and Vintagehart (yes, THAT cute little ‘shop in a pub’ that you may have read about in Time Out! come & say hello!). plus there’s 40s and 50s menswear too in latest addition Crazy Man Crazy. try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed we promise …