Stella McCartney Boutique (London, UK)

As I'm writing this, I'm sitting here wrapped in a bunch of blankets, nursing a cold and trying not to feel sorry for myself (because let's face it, that's something men would do... and incidentally it was my man who passed it on to me). So in an attempt to distract myself from this misery, I've been thinking of beautiful things... preferably related to clothing or shoes. One such wonderful place was the Stella McCartney flagship I visited in London last month and which I hadn't had the chance to post about yet.

Like her other British female counterparts Luella or Vivienne Westwood, Stella actually put some thought into the boutique, which is why it's so much more pleasant to browse than the usual glitzy designer flagships that tend to resemble a hotel lobby. As everyone knows by now, aside from having a pretty famous dad, Stella has taken a cruelty-free stance with her collections, refusing to use furs and leathers (although some vegans I know like to argue the silk she uses still results in the death of a few zillion silk worms a year). And the same ethical thought has been applied to her flagship as well, which lacks any leather furnishings or furry rugs. I've always wondered if she was bothered by the fact that her Parisian flagship is located next to that of Rick Owens, which is filled with nothing but furs, leathers and even animal bones. In any case, stepping into the London store is like stepping into another world and the experience was made even more special thanks to her current FW09 'Bambi' campaign.

FW09 campaign

Like most people, I thought the campaign was quite adorable and seeing it again in the store window instantly made me smile. But if you thought that was it, well... Bambi & Co. seemed to have taken over the entire store. Cut-outs and stickers of these Disney characters could be found throughout the shop and as if looking at McCartney's beautiful collections wasn't already a treat, it was made even more magical by the fact that you had Thumper hanging out near the accessories or Bambi eyeing up the thigh-high boots worn by a mannequin. It could have turned out pretty cheesy, but as the Stella store has quite beautiful interiors - almost reminiscent of a private home rather than a store - the boutique took the role of an enchanted forest... filled with shoes, bags and clothes (i.e. the best forest ever).

Entrance/hallway featuring lots of Thumpers and one Flower. The windows (right) displayed jewelry and accessories.

Upon entering the store (and being greeted by three Thumpers and one Flower), you'll find stairs that head towards the first floor and an area to the left containing some of the current season clothes. The room's back wall, which is where some of the accessories and bags were located, was decorated with illustrations of trees and branches where more of Bambi's friends were hanging out and looking pretty happy surrounded by the totes and clutches. I was most drawn to the bright pink counter which held some pretty cool jewelry and elbow-length gloves.

Ground floor accessories area (left). Jewelry and gloves on display (right).

Walking on I found a bright and airy indoor courtyard with a rack containing more clothes. This lead towards every girl's favorite section: the shoe department, stocked with heels and plenty of boots, many of them thigh-high. The walls were adorned with vintage jewelry pieces (I'm guessing they weren't for sale), which were pinned to the floral wallpaper. Combined with the spacious seating area, the antique crystal chandelier and large number of windows, the area had a very nice cosy feel.

The indoor courtyard, featuring clothes in red, blue and white... and Bambi's pal Flower looking very coy.

The shoe area featuring many drool-worthy items (left) and jewelry pinned to the floral wallpaper (right).

I decided to head up towards the first floor, which is where most of the clothing could be found. The room I entered resembled a large living room - mainly because the center pieces consisted of two couches, a coffee table and a big fireplace at the far end. In fact, clothes only occupied one wall, so this area is probably also used as a greeting or reception lounge.

The spacious living room area.

The next room on the other hand was stocked full of the casual chic items Stella is known for, including chunky knits, thick wool coats and yet another center table which displayed hats, gloves and other accessories.

The adjacent room with more clothes ranging from knits to lighter silk pieces... and yet another Thumper hanging out by the fireplace.

Even the changing rooms had an individual touch - in fact, they each had a different design. And these were also one of the few areas that were free of Bambi & Co. (I'm guessing they didn't want to intrude).

Loved the butterfly changing rooms...

The final area in the boutique is probably the most unique one. This section, located right above the shoe area, resembled an old-fashioned boudoir and featured large cabinets full of glass bottles and Stella's organic skincare range CARE. Her lingerie line was on display as well and could be found in the far corners of the room, but I was too busy testing out all the products in the cabinets to fully appreciate the sexy underwear. Even though this room had no windows, the warm light (from yet another chandelier) and the dark purple walls made this a very welcoming room.

The boudoir area with yet another fireplace and a TV showing the latest runway show (left) and one of two large cabinets displaying skincare items (right).

Some of the chic glass flasks in the cabinet (left) and the 7-day knicker set (right).

Bambi seems to be digging the perforated thigh-high boots... as am I (left). Other items in the hallway included the neon-lit "Love Me" sign and a colorful painting (right).

This is one of those boutiques you don't just want to visit, but would preferably like to move in to. At least I did and I almost didn't want to leave. I think most brands could probably learn a thing or two from Ms. Stella, because this was one of the least intimidating designer boutiques I've come across. The staff members were very friendly, but didn't follow you around. In fact, I was free to browse at my own leisure and was never watched. The setting is of course what makes the entire experience less corporate and more personal. And any store who's designer has the humor to plaster it with images of Disney characters, is a winner in my book. A very refreshing change to brands that take themselves too seriously.

FW09 RTW collection (images: style.com)

Address: 30 Bruton Street, London W1J 6QR
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-18:00, Thu: until 19:00
Stella McCartney Homepage & Online Store (US only)