Feature: Which are the UK’s best department stores?
By: Alexa Williamson
Window shopping on Oxford Street during the summer sales got me thinking about, which, in my opinion, are the best of the UK’s big department stores
Check out how I’d rate them below…
My favourite:
Selfridges
Rating: ****1/2 (out of 5)
Reason: Although on the pricey side, overall, it has a huge selection of items on offer from homewares to food and wine. Plus, a huge collection of fashion designers such as Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Chanel, Roberto Cavalli, arranged on one floor, boutique-style – and many other designers with shoes including Jimmy Choos and accessories including Balenciega, Prada and Chloé for bags.
Others worth checking out:
House of Fraser
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Reason: A good store with lots of variety – for fashion, homewares, etc, although not as many ‘runway’ type names available as at Selfridges. This is what I consider to be an upper-midrange department store (having upper mid-price designers such as Linea where as the ‘uppercrust’ department stores, like Selfridges, carry Marc Jacobs). Yet, if I wasn’t going to shop at Selfridges (not that I do regularly, Ijust like it ; ) ), I’d rather shop here instead of John Lewis as I prefer the women’s clothing brands available a tad more than John Lewis and as far as I recall, they also offer more variety than Debenhams. I’m also much impressed with their large bedding selection.
John Lewis
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Reason: of course, one of the most comprehensive, most respected, longest established and well-stocked department stores on the high street. I particularly like their beauty products section and fabrics section.
Harrods
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Reason: Like it for the huge variety, like Selfridges, although don’t think the prices are justified. To me, it’s just a fancy, yet larger department store and prefer the selection of designers and stock, overall, at Selfridges more.
Debenhams
Rating: *** (out of 5)
Reason: A good overall department store. Like it mainly for picking up my beauty products.
Marks & Spencer
Rating: **** (out of 5)
Reason: Not as fancy, granted as the others named above. Yet, has good variety and good quality at reasonable prices. More basic than the other department stores. And in the lower mid-range price bracket. However, their food selection, which is excellent, is more on a par with Waitrose (ie an uppercrust supermarket) price-wise.
Liberty
Rating: *** (out of 5)
Reason: I particularly like it because of the the heavy Tudor-type wood interior – including panelled walls and staircase, plus they have a great fabric/haberdashery, beauty products and men’s section*, a good selection of designer names (for clothes) and in general pretty and good quality stock (some of the clothes and scarves, for example, are very unique). However, they lose stars as some of the ranges of things available are limited (particularly women’s clothing) – compared even to House of Fraser.
Haven’t checked out, but would like to:
Harvey Nichols
Further information:
UK Department Stores – a guide
