London is Primed for High-End Shopping

(Source: Internet)

Yes, Brexit has been great for boosting tourism to London with a better exchange rate and shopping has never been better in the city, says Conde Nast Traveler.

“Since summer’s unexpected Brexit vote, the British pound has cratered against most major currencies. Its exchange rate against the dollar, in particular, has imploded—at one point this month it reached a 168-year low,” writes Mark Ellwood.

A trip to Britain is now super affordable, but it gets better.

‘If need even more of an incentive to book a vacation, a recent report from Deloitte just dubbed the U.K. the most affordable market for luxury goods in the world, noting that 64 percent of products in the U.K. sold for less than in the U.S., China, and France,” reports Ellwood.

If that wasn’t reason enough to go now, Ellwood notes that these deals are not forever.

“Of course, those bargains won’t last; brands are widely expected to hike prices in early 2017 to make up for the pound’s weakness,” he says.

If you are sold on hopping the pond for some holiday bargain shopping, Ellwood recommends Bond Street.

“Synonymous with high-end shopping for more than a century, it’s been the longtime home for everything from high-end stationer Smythson, where ex-PM David Cameron’s wife was formerly creative director, to Sotheby's auction house,” he says.

Marylebone is another solid high-end option.

“In the last two decades, however, its Edwardian mansion blocks have become tony perches for the wealthy; this is the kind of neighborhood where there’s an entire store dedicated to buttons and ribbons and a vintage shop selling red carpet couture,” says Ellwood.

Another good option is Mount Street.

“Largely untouched since late Victorian times, the red brick buildings of Mount Street in Mayfair resemble a movie set—and you’re just as likely to see stars here, too. In the last decade, Mount Street (and nearby Carlos Place) has become the glitziest shopping strip in central London, especially if you’re looking to pick up pieces from Britain’s designer royalty,” he says.