North London Food & Culture

Fashion: Katy Lubin on vintage shopping in Camden


Episode, Chalk Farm Road. Photo: Stephen Emms
Episode, Chalk Farm Road. Photo: Stephen Emms

[quote] “The key is to appreciate the shabby aesthetic value of all the overpriced mock vintage tat on offer, but buy none of it.” [/quote]

Camden Town is not Paris. You won’t spend a romantic afternoon browsing niche stalls along the canal and stumble upon a rare Hermes bag or a Toulouse Lautrec. You’ll be squashed through the market’s narrow corridors amidst a throng of tourists dripping their £3 chicken chow mein onto your coat. Sure, there are some gems to be found, but there’s a whole lot of awful mockney fake BoyLondon merchandise to filter through.

I spent a lot of time hanging around Camden Town as a youth. Growing up in Kentish Town, it summoned me as loudly as a delicious bad-boy next door. And of course it was the perfect location for tweenage meandering through stalls and generally standing around trying to look ‘it’, not that we knew what ‘it’ was yet. Central to the quest for cool was an emphasis on differentiating yourself from the tourists. No ‘I heart Camden’ T-shirt or fluorescent green hash lollipop for me thanks: I’m a local.

Veteran Camdenites and die-hard market folk (stall-warts?) might disagree, but I don’t think Camden’s actually changed very much. The glossy Stables redevelopment and a lick of Gilgamesh-induced Essexification might have pushed rents higher, but there’s still a decent wedge of old school, grotty urban souk charm to be found in the market and its surrounding streets.


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Katy EpisodeCamden nurtures counterculture, embracing tribes of hipsters, goths, punks, mods and skaters into its sweaty bosom. Like a fashion nursery full of dysfunctional, weird-looking kids, it’s a fertile breeding ground for trends to develop and feed on each other. The fashion press love the ‘Camden Look’ as a concept, whether dirty Winehouse neo-grunge or Kate Moss doing Primrose Hillbilly boho. What happens in Camden gets swept up, commercialised and spit out all over regional high streets a year or two later.

If you’re going to shop in the Stables, go early before it gets too busy, look at the labels and haggle hard. Find the stalls you like, ask them when they get new deliveries and check up on them regularly. I’m all for ‘getting the Camden look’, but if it looks like something you could pick up for a couple of quid in Help the Aged, then it’s something you could pick up for a couple of quid in Help the Aged.

With this in mind, I present to you three very brief local’s tips. The key is to appreciate the shabby aesthetic value of all the overpriced mock vintage tat on offer, but buy none of it. Instead, look out for these specialist outlets where you’ll find a curated selection of unique products, plus knowledgeable staff and reasonable prices.

Oh, and finally, RIP Berty & Gerty. The classic Camden Lock Market outlet – with its smiley shop attendants and heartwarming mix of kitschy accessories and jazzy printed tea dresses – has recently closed (yes, it’s still available online, but it’s not the same, is it?).

Anyway, here’s my personal Top 3:

Episode

Most of the product in here is sourced from Dutch charity shops and markets, so you end up with a selection of pieces you won’t find elsewhere. There’s everything from 80’s Americana college sweats to Laura Ashley style floral maxi’s, via shearling bombers and chunky tweed coats. Look out for the leather – in the past I’ve found amazing old battered leather holdalls and soft tan saddle bags for around £20. 26 Chalk Farm Road

Squadron HQ

Squadron HQ is owned by the team that used to run the Lawrence Corner, a legendary second hand shop near Warren Street. They’ve decamped to lower Kentish Town, where you can find proper army surplus gear at unbelievably decent prices. If you’re looking for an authentic camo jacket or a winter parka, this is the place to go. There are stripy nautical vests that are actually from the navy, rather than from Topshop, and an enormous and slightly random selection of men’s hats. 121 Kentish Town Road

General Eyewear

General Eyewear sells vintage opticals and sunglasses. This beautiful store stocks frames dating from 1750 to 1995, with crazy visor-style headpieces sat alongside beautiful delicate filigree round spectacles. It’s as much an exhibition as a shop; prices are high but if you’re lucky you might get your hands on a one-off collaboration frame that’s well worth the investment. Arch 67, Stables Market

Words: Katy Lubin.


2 thoughts on “Fashion: Katy Lubin on vintage shopping in Camden”

  1. or if you’re on an ridiculously tight student budget like myself, stroll down towards mornington crescent.. found many gems in those charity shops for £1/2?! brilliantttt

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2 thoughts on “Fashion: Katy Lubin on vintage shopping in Camden”

  1. or if you’re on an ridiculously tight student budget like myself, stroll down towards mornington crescent.. found many gems in those charity shops for £1/2?! brilliantttt

Leave a Comment

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