Shopping

Kensington and Chelsea is one of the world's great shopping destinations, offering an extraordinary range from global luxury brands to independent boutiques, antique markets, and specialist dealers. Here is a guide to the borough's main shopping areas.

Portobello Road Market

The world's largest antiques market, Portobello Road is at its best on a Saturday, when dealers set up from Notting Hill Gate northward, moving through antiques, vintage clothing, fresh produce, and street food. The southern end (between Notting Hill Gate and Chepstow Villas) is the antiques district proper, with silver, ceramics, jewellery, furniture, and art spanning several centuries. Prices are negotiable; arrive early for the best finds.

The arcades off Portobello Road — several unnamed passages and the Portobello Green Arcade under the Westway — contain specialist dealers covering areas including vintage photography, militaria, Art Deco glass, and mid-century furniture.

King's Road, Chelsea

The King's Road was the epicentre of 1960s fashion — this is where Mary Quant invented the miniskirt and Vivienne Westwood launched punk. Today it remains one of London's most important shopping streets, with a mix of flagship stores, independent boutiques, homewares shops, and restaurants. The Duke of York Square at the Sloane Square end hosts a Saturday food market and the Saatchi Gallery.

The stretch between Sloane Square and Old Church Street is the most interesting for independent shops. Further west towards World's End it becomes more residential, but Vivienne Westwood's World's End shop (at 430 King's Road) is still there, its famous clock running backwards.

Kensington High Street

Kensington High Street is the borough's main high street, with a good mix of mainstream retailers alongside independent shops. The Barkers Arcade, the Design Museum shop, and various independent bookshops and gift shops make this a rewarding destination. The street is also a gateway to Holland Park and Kensington Gardens.

Sloane Street & Brompton Road, Knightsbridge

Sloane Street running south from Knightsbridge tube station is one of the world's great luxury shopping streets, with flagship stores from Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Prada, Hermès, Gucci, and dozens more arranged on both sides. The street connects Knightsbridge to Sloane Square and the King's Road, making it possible to walk the full length.

Harrods on Brompton Road is the borough's most famous retail institution — a department store so large that its food halls alone attract thousands of visitors daily. Even if you're not buying, the food halls (particularly the meat, fish, cheese, and pastry counters) are worth visiting as a spectacle.

Ledbury Road & Westbourne Grove, Notting Hill

For independent boutiques and the neighbourhood's more creative retail, head to Ledbury Road and Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill. These two streets contain some of London's best independent fashion boutiques, home accessories shops, jewellers, and art galleries, alongside the flagship Ottolenghi restaurant and deli.

Golborne Road, North Kensington

Less well-known than Portobello but equally rewarding, Golborne Road has a distinctive mix of vintage furniture dealers, second-hand clothing shops, and specialist antique stalls. The road transitions from the Moroccan cafes of Bosworth Road through to the Portuguese community around Lisboa Patisserie. The Saturday market here is far less crowded than Portobello and often has better prices.