Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street is one of the most popular shopping areas of London. It is host to some of the most exclusive designer boutiques the city has to offer, as well as showcasing an array of talented relative unknowns in the fashion world. Sitting near to Regent Street and Oxford Street, arguably the two most popular shopping streets in the entire capital, it provides a less high street driven shopping experience. Carnaby Street is more often than not home to the weird and wonderful of London, as well as stocking designer brands and luxurious jewelery products.

Carnaby Street itself can be found in the Carnaby area of the London district of Soho, just to the east of the very epicenter of London and high class shopping area Regent Street. Although the name Carnaby Street suggests one long street length, in actuality the area known as Carnaby Street consists of twelve different streets, which are interlinked by arches and passages. All of the street area is pedestrianized, though in some places taxis and buses are allowed, though Carnaby Street manages to maintain a family friendly feel.

The name Carnaby is nothing new to London geography – it is thought that the name derives from Karnaby House, a grand residential house first built in 1683. From Karnaby House, many other smaller developments were erected and the birth of the street was complete.

It was not until 1958 that Carnaby Street – no one is sure why the spelling has changed, though a natural evolution of English from a phonetic style is most likely to blame – became a hub for the fashion minded. The beginning of this shoppers paradise happened in 1958, when the first boutique on Carnaby Street opened. London tailor and proprietor John Steven lost his original shop in a fire, and thus opened a new residence for his business, His Clothes, on Carnaby Street. Steven had begun a trend, and within years numerous other boutiques and stores had opened around His Clothes. Some, such as shoe makers Ravel, are still there today.

It was, however, the beginning of the Mod period that brought Carnaby Street to the public conscious. The area became synonymous with the 1960s rebellious movement, and still-remembered Mod designers such as Mary Quant moved their boutiques to the area. Carnaby Street quickly became the epitome of the Swinging Sixties, as fashionable boutiques and avant garde fashion mixed with the nearby legendary Marquee Club, the spiritual home of the rock and roll stars of the day.

In modern London, Carnaby Street may no longer be the hub of the rebellious and streetwise movements of the 1960s, but its heart remains. The area is still famous for the independent boutiques along its streets, as well as maintaining an everlasting place in culture history. Numerous songs have been written referring to Carnaby Street’s part in the Mod revolution, and its enduring image as a place for the fashion forward to congregate. The fashion and fun culture still continues today, and Carnaby Street is a wonderful place to visit for anyone with even a passing interest in fashion or cultural history.