You might think it’s a little early to start thinking about Christmas yet, but not for London. The lights are currently being put up and shops are displaying their Christmas selection boxes and hampers.
The festive season is always a time for eating, spending time with loved ones, and shopping. In the run-up to Christmas London is always bustling with shoppers and festivities, with shops full to the brim with every colour of bauble and decoration you can imagine. If you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas or struggling for inspiration, London is most definitely the place to go.
A brief history of Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge isn’t only famous for its shopping, the area actually has a pretty extensive history, but it hasn’t always beenperceived as luxury. Knightsbridge was originally just a piece of empty no man’s land near Kensington and Chelsea. As London continued to develop, so did this area of land, and now it’s known as Knightsbridge. There is a lot of speculation around the creation of Knightsbridge as it essentially appeared out of nowhere.
Although Knightsbridge is seen as central London today, to begin with, the area was considered as small and cut off from the rest of London. However, this did begin to change in the late 18th century and early 19th century when development was commissioned in the area thanks to the revamp of the pavements. The opening of two department stores, Harrods and Harvey Nichols helped to cement Knightbridge as the epitome of luxury and a location that was desired by retailers.
Harrods
It goes without saying that Harrods is one of the main attractions Knightsbridge has to offer. At Christmas time Harrods is completely transformed both inside and out. The outside of Harrods is adorned with over 12,000 lights, and the inside is just as bold as decorators turn it into a magical world of Christmas. In Harrods itself, you can visit Santa in his grotto, as well as do your Christmas shopping. From wreaths, trees, stockings and baubles, Harrods has it all when it comes to getting luxury festive interiors. Every year Harrods also has the tradition of creating a Christmas bear that encompasses the spirit of the festive season, so you can buy that from their store too. Even if you’re not looking to buy something in Harrods, we’ll warn you, you will definitely be tempted and come out of the shop with something new.
Love Luxury
Although Love Luxury is just a little bit smaller than Harrods, that doesn’t mean that it is not the perfect place to purchase a luxury gift from. Buying pre-loved luxury items can be a great idea if you’re looking for a unique bag that isn’t widely available anymore or is extremely exclusive and hard to get hold of, like an Hermès Birkin for example. Luxury handbags or watches may be on the expensive side, but it’s worth taking the time and money to invest it in a piece you’ll be able to wear for years and pass down to your family.
When you hear the phrase pre-owned, many assume that you may be purchasing a bag that is old, heavily used or out of fashion. However, this often isn’t the case as a lot of the bags we sell look brand new or are brand new and are sold with the correct paperwork that was issued at the original time of purchase. Also, by buying pre-loved accessories you’re doing your part in helping to reduce your carbon footprint by minimising the number of goods we consume.
We also offer a service where you can sell your luxury bags, meaning that if you want to free up a little more cash to spend on your family and friends this Christmas, you can. Even better – trade your bag in for a new bag of your choice. Simply bring your bag into our store on Hans Road and we will value it for you. The most difficult part of the entire process is deciding on your new accessory.
So, if you do find yourself in the Knightsbridge area and you’re wanting to treat one of your loved ones to an extra special Christmas gift, then pop in and take a look at our collection of bags, watches and jewellery. You never know, you might end up finding the perfect Christmas gift.
Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols is another department store that sits in the heart of Knightsbridge. The store is set over eight floors and across these floors are a mixture of brands and items. You can pretty much get anything you want here, from food to handbags. The Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge even has a salon and spa if you’ve done too much shopping and you just need a break.
High-end restaurants
If all your Christmas shopping has you tired out, then there are plenty of high-end restaurants and cafes for you to sit back and enjoy. As well as the restaurants and food stalls inside both Harvey Nichols and Harrods, there are so many other luxury dining options in and around the area. Arguably the most famous is Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, in which the menu boasts an experience of dinner throughout the ages. Other fine dining restaurants include Sette, Sumosan Twiga and extremely popular vegan dining Holy Carrot.
Choose Knightsbridge as the ultimate shopping destination this Christmas
Christmas shopping can be tedious and boring, especially when you’re walking around for hours and hours without any inspiration or more importantly, presents. However, this is a problem you won’t have here in the capital.
London is an excellent destination to find yourself in, especially at Christmas time. There is so much to see and so much choice on offer throughout the city, but for your luxury needs, Knightsbridge is most definitely the place to visit. With the two department stores and Love Luxury within walking distance of each other, it makes it extremely easy for you to get all your Christmas shopping completed in one day.
