Stores
The Great Frog
Address: Central London (Soho) - 10 Ganton Street, W1F 7QR
East London (Shoreditch) - 1-4 Holywell Lane, EC2A 3ET
Nearest station: Soho: Oxford Street / Shoreditch: Old Street
www.thegreatfroglondon.com / @thegreatfrogldn
A true rock ‘n’ roll jewellery store, producing original designs for over 50 years, The Great Frog is an institution and a must visit if you are in the neighbourhood. Originating in Carnaby Street in 1972, it immediately appealed to the rising subcultures of ‘heavy metal, rockers, punks and bikers’.
Challenging the norms of mainstream jewellery trends, The Great Frog single-handedly established a new genre and “rock ‘n’ roll jewellery” was spawned!
Browse their extensive range in stylish surroundings and make sure to treat yourself to one of their unique handmade pieces. Their iconic jewellery, attracts loyal customers and famous faces including the likes of: The Rolling Stones, Mötley Crüe and Debbie Harry. They have also collaborated with some exceptional artists and brands such as Motörhead, Harley Davidson and Iron Maiden to forge exclusive must-have pieces.
Every item is hand-crafted by local jewellers in the basements of the London stores before being distributed to the NYC and LA shops, on both coasts of the states. They ensure absolute quality and individually hand carve each design. You’ll have spotted in my photographs that I’m a big fan of The Great Frog and pretty much won’t leave the house without my rings on!
Rooted firmly in British heritage, they are a second generation, family-owned company, with owner and designer Reino Lehtonen-Riley carrying on the TGF flame from his father, Paterson Riley, who established the business back in the punk-rock era.
Keeping their designs just as relevant now as they have been since the shop’s incarnation, they have built a huge cult following, personifying rebellion, expression and individualism through each piece they create.
Brick Lane Vintage Market
Address: East London (Shoreditch) - 85 Brick Lane, E1 6QL
Nearest station: Liverpool Street
www.vintage-market.co.uk / @bricklanevintagemarket
A gigantic vintage market housed under the roof of the Truman Brewery, with a multitude of specialist sellers from across the UK and Europe. When I first visited this basement market, I literally stepped back in amazement! The amount of goods which are on offer is unbelievable, including vintage pieces from as far back as the 1920’s, punk-rock leather jackets, cult band tees, 60’s memorabilia and up-cycled attire.
If you are little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the place, I’d recommend that you head to two of my favourite sellers - Silvertail Vintage for its Route 66 inspired styles and Smoking Gun Vintage for its bold colourful prints.
From the street outside, its inconspicuous doorway doesn’t reveal many secrets, but once you make your way downstairs, you will find one of London’s largest and most exclusive vintage markets.
An extraordinary place for vintage enthusiasts like myself who enjoy hunting through endless rails of second-hand treasures, there are always some great finds to be had in this colossal cave of clothing.
Picknweight
Address: Central London (Covent Garden) - 14-18 Neal Street, WC2H 9LY
Nearest station: Covent Garden
www.picknweight.de / @picknweight
My outfit staple is usually a one-of-a-kind vintage leather waistcoat, which I usually find really hard to come by in the U.K, but this place is piled high with them!
Originating in Berlin and with locations in Hamburg, Munich, Ibiza and Cologne, Covent Garden now has its very own Picknweight. The store is built on the idea of selling high-quality vintage by the kilo, including one-off gems from past decades and ‘rare pieces from all over the world’.
A paradise for vintage enthusiasts, the store is a complete treasure trove, packed with rails and rails of vintage classics. As the shop name suggests, grab as many things as you like, weigh them on the scales and then pay by the kilo.
In true thrift shop style, they have also executed the composition of the store wonderfully, including a retro pinball machine, old school jukebox, traffic light displays and art pieces made of up-cycled second hand items.
For me, the character of this store sets it apart from anything you will find on the high street and as well as shopping sustainably, if you look hard enough you will be guaranteed to find something incredibly individual.
