Frerk Muller's Mugs, £12 each, from Shelf.
Shelf
40 Cheshire Street
London E2 6EH
Tel. 020 7739 9444
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Friday afternoon by appointment only
Saturday 1pm-6pm
Sunday 11am-6pm
Shopping in East London
March 07, 2010
Birdy pick of the week
January 29, 2010
Wee find: Rob Ryan's Valentine
Take a look at Rob Ryan's brand new Valentine for this year. Could the man get any more old-school romantic? I think not. This lovely laser cut is hand-screenprinted and available in a limited edition of 250. You can purchase them directly from Ryantown on Columbia Road.
December 22, 2009
Shopping in London: Caravan
When I first moved to London three years ago there wasn’t a lot happening on Redchurch Street … but my, how things have changed. With the opening of Terence Conran’s traditional British caff Albion at Boundary Project, as well as a slew of pop-up shops, boutiques and galleries, not to mention its proximity to Shoreditch House and Tea, Redchurch Street has evolved into East London’s latest destination for hipsters and cool kids.
But don’t let that put you off. Especially when there are so many delights to be discovered at Caravan, which moved from its Spitalfields Market location 18 months ago. The brainchild of interiors stylist Emily Chalmers, this cosy and welcoming boutique is filled with the kind of lovely stuff you never knew you really wanted (or so desperately needed), like angel wings for candles, toadstool lamps and white ceramic owl money boxes.
It’s superbly edited and excellent for last-minute gifts, especially for those who love their stuff feminine and quirky with a vintage edge. And you can pick up some exceptionally well-priced things and get change from a tenner, like ceramic animal jugs (£8.50 each), small furry deers (£9.95) and hare snowdomes (£8.50).
Caravan is also the main retail outlet for Deborah Bowness’ distinctive hand-printed wallpaper, as well as the main UK stockist for iconic Jielde lamps. There’s also a variety of glass display domes from £29 – perfect for showcasing your favourite pieces Victorian-style (see what I mean about things you never knew you wanted?).
The online shop is equally lovely, with a good selection of some of the shop’s best-sellers, as well as a newsy and inspirational blog.
Keep an eye out for super-friendly shop-cat Bagpuss, who may just come and rub his head on your shins as you consider your purchases.
Caravan3 Redchurch Street
London E2 7DJ
Tel. 020 7033 3532
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
Click here for a Wee Birdy map
Opening hours:
11am - 6.30pm every day until Christmas Eve.
Special late night opening until 8pm every Thursday
Click here for nearby shops I’ve reviewed in East London.
December 07, 2009
Wee find: Migh T by Kumiko Watari
Migh T by Kumiko Watari may not be to everyone's taste, but I quite love this Japanese fashion designer's sense of fun and kookiness. The Central Saint Martins graduate's latest collection is stocked at No-one in Shoreditch, and includes an exclusive koala screenprint (£60, above - love the psychedelic flower eyes), as well as the fabulous 'melting snow' berets, which are topped with ginormous white pom-poms and ice-cream toned tees. The hot-air balloon tees also pack a vibrant, graphic punch.
No-one
1 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AA
E2 8AA UK
Tel: 207 613 5314
Nearest tube: Liverpool Street
Click here for a Wee Birdy map.
Opening hours:
Tuesday to Saturday 11am-7pm
Sunday 11am -6pm
For more shops in East London, click here.
November 26, 2009
Christmas shopping nights in London – part 2
As promised, here's part two of my Christmas shopping round-up, which actually includes quite a few fairs and fetes, so it's not strictly nights. Part three coming tomorrow...
1 December: Supermarket Sarah
Get stuck into the spoils of Portobello market courtesy of Supermarket Sarah, when she’ll be setting up shop in the Poke foyer of the Biscuit building on Redchurch Street. You’ll be able to shop online as well. Email [email protected] to get on the guest list. Click here for more details.
With the promise of mulled wine, mistletoe and mince pies, Columbia Road’s Christmas Wednesdays is one of the more romantic ways to shop for Christmas. Check out my write-up on last year’s event. Don’t miss some of my favourite independent boutiques, like Cerise, Ryantown and Lapin & Me. From 5-9pm.
Head over to London’s gorgeous organic beauty boutique for free makeovers, drinks and a hefty 20 per cent discount. RSVP to [email protected] as space is limited. Click here for more details.
Boasting an impressive line-up of UK and International designer-makers, the ELDS is one of the biggest independent shopping events in London. I went along last year and picked up quite a few good Christmas presents – and took full advantage of many of the special deals and discounts on offer. Adm £4. Click here for more information.
As many of you will know, I have quite a soft spot for Cheshire Street and its lovely line-up of independent boutiques, including The Shop, Shelf and Labour and Wait. Head over to the East End and enjoy drink or two whilst you shop, and don’t miss Mimi and Dragana Perisic for special discounts on all purchases. From 6-10pm.
Stock up on arty Christmas gifts and enjoy 15 per cent off all purchases at the V&A shop this weekend. If you can’t make it over to the South Kensington museum in person, you can redeem the discount online by entering in ‘VAXMAS091’ into the offer code section when you come to the payment details screen.
5 December: We Make London Christmas Fair
Lots of local crafty goodness on offer here, from the likes of Fabric Nation, Beeb Design and London Clay Birds (love!). Pop along to Chelsea Town Hall for all the fun. Click here for more details.
Well worth the trip to Forest Hill in South-East London for this lovely little fete, offering an excellent variety of wares by the likes of Selvedge Magazine, Hannah Waldron and Polly George. There are also free craft workshops and fun stuff for kids. Click here for more details.
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