London's Toniest Shopping Centres

	The Market

The market, for hundreds of years, was the main form of shopping throughout Britain. But as humans evolved from hunters and gatherers to farmers, they also evolved from market dwellers to shoppers. Many shops popped up all over the country, particularly in London, offering grocery goods and linens. In the last hundred years, many of these smaller shops grew into major department stores that have become London's shopping cornerstones.

Today, over a dozen department stores flourish in London. Among the most remarkable are London's luxury department stores: Fortnum & Mason, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Liberty, and Selfridges. Each is complete with an interesting history, philosophy, culture, and, in essence, their own identity reflected in the atmosphere of each store combined with the products they sell.

FORTNUM & MASON

Walking into Fortnum & Mason is like entering a palace: opulent red carpets, dazzling chandeliers, grand fountains and elaborate murals adorn the walls and ceilings. Its regal charm is easily accounted for due to its historical ties to the Royals.

Co-founder William Fortnum was a footman at Buckingham Palace in the early 1700s. It was his occupation to replace every candle in the palace with a new one. His initiative led him to sell the used candles to the public for a tidy profit. He eventually convinced his landlord Hugh Mason to go into business with him, which led to a small grocery store. Fortnum and Masons' royal affiliation allowed the store to prosper for decades. By 1788, Charles Mason, grandson to Hugh Mason, had worked his way up the ranks to become Groom of the Pantry for Queen Charlotte while the grocery store flourished on the side.

Creating perhaps the first fast food by supplying ready-to-eat delicacies (such as game and poultry on aspic jelly crowned with prawns and lobster), Fortnum & Mason became very popular with the affluent residents of Piccadilly. By 1851, these meals were all the rage, winning the store many contracts to supply meals for Victorian court functions.

For many decades, Fortnum & Mason showed their patriotism by supplying food hampers for the British Army, but it was their reputation of gourmet foods that propelled them into present day success and reputation.

While the store expanded and today carries a variety of first-class merchandise from crystal to clothes, the food hall is most popular. Elegant displays present traditional luxury gourmet goods and contemporary decadent delights. They are also legendary for their food hampers. The grandeur found here is also a reflection on the employees who, considered professionals in their trade, take the business very seriously. This earnest professionalism is found throughout the department store's four floors of classic fashions tended by attentive staff.

It is no wonder that Fortnum & Masons is officially appointed as suppliers of certain goods for the Royal Family, retaining its regal connection and thus popularity. And while the interior is marvellous, the outside reflects the store's history with a magnificent clock, weighing 4.3 tonnes, above the main doors. Every hour, two solid bronze figures of William Fortnum and Hugh Mason bow to each other and turn as a tune plays.

HARRODS

Perhaps the world's most famous department store, Harrods began as a simple grocery in 1849 owned by Henry Charles Harrod. His store philosophy-Everything for Everybody, Everywhere-became core to the shop's success and remains Harrods' motto today. The variety of merchandise could be the world's largest with 28 departments, 22 restaurants, and 52 services making up 1.2 million goods.

The White Terrier Often Associated with Harrods

Every top label in fashion is represented here, from Chanel to DKNY-for humans and animals. There are Burberry coats for dogs in the pet shop or Swarovski crystal collars for cats. Toy Kingdom is fun for children of all ages with tons of toys in a large range of prices including Harrods' exclusive Humvee-a driveable children's version of a Hummer-that costs £17,995.

The Food Hall is spectacular with 350 varieties of cheese, 150 types of bread, and 110 kinds of fish. The counter displays are phenomenal and are changed throughout the day for freshness. Beluga caviar, of course, is available but so are famous Harrods teas, biscuits, and Christmas puddings that are very popular with tourists hankering for a souvenir. There is also a souvenir department on the lower ground floor with all sorts of paraphernalia sporting the Harrods logo. With such an array of merchandise, the store really does have everything for everybody everywhere. In fact, in 1967, Prince Leka, son of King Zog, the exiled King of Albania, bought a baby Indian elephant named Gertie through Harrods for Ronald Regan.

Today, now owned by Mohammad Al Fayed, Harrods is more than a department store. Al Fayed's 'palace in Knightsbridge', Harrods is like a mini-empire complete with its own bank, airline, casino, and estate agency. Once the department store of choice for the Royal Family, the shop still retains its regency, charm, glamour, and lavishness that make Harrods a tourist attraction. In recent years, Al Fayed has made his significant mark on the design of Harrods. The Egyptian Hall-rich in golden hues, Egyptian artefacts, and authentic hieroglyphics-reflects the owner's heritage. Father to Dodi Al Fayed, who died tragically with Princess Diana, Al Fayed pays homage to the couple with great golden-framed pictures of the couple. While some may consider it ostentatious, hundreds visit daily to pay their respects.

Al Fayed is a benevolent ruler of his kingdom and is often seen walking through his store with an entourage of guards as he takes the time to inspect departments and visit with staff. One word of warning, though: visitors must mind their appearance before entering, as there is a strict dress code. Generally, anyone who is untidy-wearing such items as ripped clothing, beach shorts, swimwear, and bare midriff-will not be admitted. And while Harrods may be "Everything to Everyone, Everywhere" it will generally cost more here than anywhere else. Forget about spending a penny. At Harrods, it will cost a pound. But it is worth it. An array of soaps, perfumes, and lotions almost makes it worth standing in queue for the toilets. If you plan on shopping at Harrods, make your purchase first as a receipt in hand gets you in free.

HARVEY NICHOLS

Harvey Nichols was born out of a marriage between Benjamin Harvey's daughter and Colonel Nichols in 1820. The combined businesses sold Harvey's linens, and Nichols luxury goods, silks, and Oriental carpets. Harvey Nichols has come a long way since with several stores across the country.

The original store, built in the 1880s, still stands prominently and proud in Knightsbridge. The interior, however, is a stark contrast to the exterior. It has all the class of the historical building, but has all the style of today. Minimalist and sleek, all the exalted names in fashion from Dolce&Gabbana and Gucci to Mui Mui and Yohji Yamamoto are elegantly displayed, as are the products in the first class beauty department. The home section carries big brand furniture and housewares from Mulberry, Kenneth Turner, and Ralph Lauren. The food market is also impressive and glamorous, providing traditional gourmet goods with help from experienced experts.

	Window Shoppers

'Harvey Nicks' (as regulars affectionately call it) was the favourite shopping spot for characters Eddy and Patsy on the British sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous'; but, the department store is perfect for serious shoppers too as it is largely devoid of tourist crowds unlike its busy neighbour Harrods.

LIBERTY

Liberty, found on Regent Street, occupies two buildings that are drastically different from each other creating an eccentric and contradictory appearance. This is appropriate as the contents and history of this world-famous department store are equally as unconventional.

The shop was founded in 1875, but the buildings weren't built until 1924 when the occupants on Regent Street were forced to rebuild in a Renaissance Style in accordance to demands by the Crown. While this grand building was being built, Liberty first commissioned the building of a second, smaller building across the street to house merchandise so that trade could continue during the construction of the latter. Architects used the timbers from two great ships to create a building in the Tudor style. The contrast between the two buildings stands as a concrete reminder of Liberty's paradoxical culture of classical innovation.

In 1875, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, dissatisfied with his occupation as a warehouse manager at department store Farmers and Rogers, opened his own shop, which specialised in opulent fabrics and rugs from the Orient. After only a few years, his shop met with great success and he expanded his operation to include other international fashions and fabrics unlike any other department stores at the time. In the 1890s, instead of sourcing these fabrics from the east, the shop began printing its own designs in hand-block print quality--competing directly with William Morris.

Liberty's became an integral part of the Aesthetic Movement and, as such, attracted prestigious artistic innovators from the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Edward Burne-Jones, and Lord Frederic Leighton.

Ever a promoter of the arts, Liberty contributed greatly to the Arts and Crafts and Art Nouveau Movement of the 1880s and 1890s by playing a patron role to artists. He commissioned works especially for his shop that used traditional craft techniques. One well-known artist from this time was Archibald Knox who created silver and pewter metalwork.

The affection for the decorative arts is evident throughout the store's tiny rooms of the Tudor building. Arthur Liberty wanted this building to feel like a home complete with fireplaces and bountiful decorations displayed for warmth and comfort. This atmosphere is still prevalent today with exotic rugs strategically draped, and smaller items displayed on antique tables. A large creaking wooden staircase leads customers to more rooms and floors that are open to looking over the banister to other floors. The scarf department is particularly enchanting, and the haberdashery carries delightfully ornate and opulent fabrics.

While this traditional and classical appeal is carefully cultivated, the merchandise remains on the cutting-edge and still commissions new designers to remain innovative and unique from other department stores. Liberty boasts to have its own style, and in essence their own culture, always one-step ahead of popular trends without losing its classical sensibilities.

SELFRIDGES

A glass escalator shoots up in the middle of the shop floor funnelling shoppers through over 3000 brands of merchandise and 17 restaurants and bars, as the air is filled with perfume and music. Despite its classic exterior architecture, Selfridges is beyond contemporary. Its floors-filled with fashion forward clothes, accessories, electronics and more-are innovative and swanky. Shopping at Selfridges isn't just shopping. It's an experience.

Being on the cutting-edge is anything but new for the department store. Built in 1906, Selfridges was constructed with innovation, and money, in mind. George Selfridge, a wealthy American businessman, left his Chicago home and his position as junior partner at department store Marshall Field and set up the first department store in London that was designed to be a department store. Before this time, department stores grew out of grocery stores or fabric purveyors until eventually more and more merchandise was added creating a larger shop. Gordon Selfridge studied the emerging culture, shopping habits, and women's attitudes to create a shop that would support and encourage an experience.

Woman Shopping

During this time, women were only beginning to enjoy walking alone, without the necessary gentleman escorts, and were enjoying their freedom. Selfridges encouraged this freedom by stressing shopping as a fun activity, not work. Customers didn't come to buy what they needed, they came to spend the day. There was a library and a silence room for reflection, comfortable seating, sophisticated restaurants with reasonable prices and appointed reception rooms for French, American, and German customers. By providing a large selection of merchandise, many of it not available at other shops, and all under one roof, the focus was on providing the greatest convenience for the customer. And the customer was indeed the main concern. After all, it was Gordon Selfridge who said, 'the customer is always right'.

The qualities in which the shop was found are still prevalent today. Executive Director, Vittorio Radice, has approved millions of pounds of renovations to match the vibrant and cutting-edge attitude the store has always exuded. The building, larger than Harrods, has the exterior of a Greek temple with large columns made of pale stone and the entrance is adorned with elaborate statues. The shop windows were purposely designed for the use of lavish displays that would entice shoppers, turning window dressing into an art. Today, Selfridges is still renowned for their perfected artistic displays.

Its founder, who once touted 'Selfridges is for Everyone', would be proud that it still lives up to its name. In 2002, Selfridges was awarded the London Tourism Award for visitors' favourite London store. And Selfridges is for everyone. With high-end shoppers mixing with bargain hunters, customers are likely to spot celebrities, from Tom Jones to Noel Gallagher. Selfridges sells everything from high-end fashion to street-cred clothing, refrigerators to furniture. It boasts the largest perfumery and cosmetic department in Europe and often hosts premier perfume launches. There are many restaurants and bars inside from which to choose as well as their own luxurious hotel. For shoppers needing a break, there is also a luxury day spa and beauty boutique.