Finally Great Outlet Shopping in London

Hidden in the middle of Hackney central lies ‘Fashion’s Future Destination’ according to the signs leading down the quiet outlet shopping strip. It’s concealed behind the big Tesco along Morning Lane and you would never expect to find Hackney Walk in such an inconspicuous place. It really is a hidden gem with discounts up to 70% off designer brands. The outlet shopping stores down this strip are: Anya Hindmarch, Aquascutum, Columbo, Folli Follie, Gieves & Hawkes, Matchesfashion.com, Nicole Farhi, Nike, Present, Pringle of Scotland, Ugg, and Zadig & Voltaire.

While Bicester Village is Britain’s destination for discounted outlet shopping, 1. it’s far away and 2. it’s absolutely manic. But what do we do as Londoners if we want that taste of luxury at a fraction of the original price? Outlet shopping is popular for a reason and Hackney is the place to find some good bargains.

Here are our the favourite shops we stumbled upon..

Aquascutum

The outside of Aquascutum looks a lot cooler than most of its regular stores and fits in with East London very nicely. When you walk in you don’t realise how far back the stores goes and how many products are actually inside. There are a ton of items from women’s wear to menswear to children’s wear. I was surprised by the large selection of children’s clothes available. Currently there are lots of final clearance and discounted products and even sample items. The sample clothes can be purchased from £10 which I think is a bargain in any store, let alone a luxury brand.

Outerwear starts at £30 and still looks of high quality. For the more traditional trench coats and warm winter coats, you can find some great stylish ones discounted from £1,500 to £750, or even better £825 to £230. Dresses can be found for £30 down from £200, and tops from £150 to £50. These are better than some Topshop and Zara prices so it is easy to find a steal in here without compromising on quality.

Nike

Although not necessarily a luxury brand, Nike isn’t the cheapest place to get your exercise gear. Like its other stores, this outlet is three stories tall and has everything from junior athletes, to menswear and women’s wear. The floors are clearly laid out and are separated between training and lifestyle to make it easier to find what you’re looking for.

The shoes are the main attraction here with discounts going to as low as £24. I bought a pair of Fly knit trainers for £32, down from £110 and there is nothing to fault. Sports bras can be found for £15 from £33 and shirts are going for £10 up. The leggings and shorts are half price starting at £25. Nike also stocks a lot of accessories such as sports bags for £14 and training gloves from £11.

Matchesfashion.com

I was surprised to see an online store have a physical outlet store and thought it was too good to be true but the discounts are actually very high (although still expensive) and you can find top designer brands. Currently there is up to 50% off the outlet prices (which are already up to 70% off retail price) so now is the time to go. There is no menswear and the focus is mainly on occasion-wear but buying an occasion outfit is always the most expensive so I think this is a great place to find a designer frock.

I saw Alexander McQueen dresses for £350 down from £1,125, and one for £760 (still VERY expensive) but down from £3000, and a leather skirt for £500 down from £2,000 which is a steal when you look at the discount. You can find a beautiful leather bag from The Row (my favourite) down from £2,500 to £750.

Tops are more reasonable and I saw a Nina Ricci shirt for £200 which when you think about it, is the price of some All Saints tops. My favourite item was a Gucci leather skirt that was on the runway that retailed at £2,620 but is now £650.

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