This year’s summer celebrations start this month when guests can mingle with the designers behind womenswear vacation brands, Horror Vacui, Álvaro, Gioia and Wiggy Kit and shop the looks. As much drop-in fashion clinic as shop, customers can enjoy a calendar of events throughout the year. It may have an online behemoth behind it (having been sold for a reported £400m), but the MatchesFashion Marylebone boutique is still both a local and destination store for the stylish shopper.
Look out for spangly disco swimwear from French label Oséree and Leslie Amon and micro sunglasses from Roberi & Fraud. Current faves are the labels Ruslan Baginskiy and Wandler. Cutting edge and bang on trend are its milieu. Now owned by online giant Farfetch, the original South Molton Street store has powerful backing and a big digital engine, as well as a second store, Browns East. Founder Joan Burstein employed Manolo Blahnik and Osman Yousefzada, and discovered Alexander McQueen and John Galliano.
Established in 1970 as one of the first multi-brand boutiques in the UK, Brown’s has a reputation as a fashion talent scout that is second to none.
