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If you’re of a certain age, you’ll likely remember the iconic Kate Moss in equally-iconic ads for the beauty brand Rimmel, staring into the camera with her kohl-lined eyes prompting viewers to ‘Get The London Look.’ As for us, if we’re over that side of the pond, you can be sure we’re hotfooting it to Bicester Village, just an hour outside of the fashion capital, to get our own ‘London Look’—and for less. Read on, and we’ll let you in on our fashion editor-approved secret to shopping smarter while in the UK.
For those in the know—and now, you too!—Bicester Village, in the heart of the lush Oxfordshire countryside, has long been the premiere destination to find recent designer pieces for a fraction of their usual retail price. While there are over 150 household name labels with their own boutiques within the confines of Bicester—deep breath: Dior, Celine, Fendi, Prada, Miu Miu, Alexander McQueen, Chloé, Aquazzura, Balenciaga, Balmain, Bottega Veneta, Saint Laurent, Brunello Cucinelli, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Christian Louboutin,, Jil Sander, Isabel Marant, Jimmy Choo, Givenchy, Loewe, Monster,
Maison Margiela, Roger Vivier, Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, and Versace, as well as contemporary brands including UGG, Theory, The Kooples, Sandro, All Saints, Calvin Klein, DKNY, GANNI, and even beauty outposts for the likes of Jo Malone, Charlotte Tilbury, and Clarins—as much as that’s an initial draw to plan your trip, it’s the elevated feel of the charming English village-style set-up when you get there that’ll have you going back time and time again. Not to mention the unrivaled hospitality and level of client services.
Think: a multilingual concierge, personal shoppers who’ll have you ready for a best dressed list in no time, reserved parking, and membership options so you can build up loyalty points to secure even more eye-popping deals. Then there’s their popular hands-free shopping option, which means that as you make your way throughout the open-air village shopping up a storm, your precious purchases will be organized and stored safely for you, and either transported to the trunk of your car or to pick up before you take the train back to the city.
A Personal Shopping Area at Bicester Village
Hungry? Say no more. Rest up between retail therapy at any of Bicester’s crowd-pleasing food and beverage options, including (New York fave) Cecconi’s, Farmhouse Restaurant & Café (from the same team behind Soho House), La Tua Pasta (for when refueling on carbs is a must), and Ottolenghi (I mean, is a visit to the UK complete without?!). There’s numerous coffee and grab-and-go options too, and seasonal food trucks and pop-ups for good measure.
Ottolenghi
Want a pro tip from us? Next time a designer is leaving a label—hint, hint: Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen—be sure to mainline it to Bicester ASAP to snap up remaining pieces from their swan song collections. From what we hear, the lines were out the door when fashion fanatics realized Bicester still stocked Phoebe Philo’s final pieces for Old Celine back in the day! You’ve been warned…
Beyond Bicester, if you’ve got a trip overseas planned anytime soon, be sure to check out the entire Bicester Collection, as there are 11 additional must-visit properties across countries in Europe (and we all know a trip to the continent is a great excuse to stock up on some local designer goods anyway, let alone with prices this good) as well as China.
As for what’s planned near New York in the coming year……..all we’ll say is, watch this space!
Ps. In London? Read Wolk and Morais’ incredibly spot-on guide to the city’s hautest spots!
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