lifestyle store

Whenever the main streets in the Barri Gotic get a little bit hectic, I love just slipping off into the cool, dark Passatge del Crédit, a beautiful old arcade full of art shops, cafes and a posh pintxo bar that looks well worth a visit.

But the most interesting shop is Suspect, a concept store that showcases young Catalan designers and artists. The lovely owner showed me around the store and gave me some background info about Suspect.

The front of the store has everything you need to make your life lovely and creative, such as niche art and design books and mags, quirky homeware by El Ajuar de Maria, illustrated tees with woodland creatures, Chrystoph Marten hair product and small surreal and illustrative watercolours by local artist Gastón Liberto.

The second room has more of a boudoir feel with delicate lingerie, luxe swimwear, designer womenswear and cool handmade jewellery featuring plenty of leather and studs. I adored this Lady Gaga-esque red lace shirt and the white shirt jacket with embroidered collar and buttons on the sleeve.

Suspect’s summer collection includes designers such as Manuel Bolaño, Krizia Robustella, Juan Antonio Avalos, voluminous and draped pieces by Zazo & Brull, summer wool silkscreen scarves by Gauche Protocol and textured experimental knitwear by Matalafria. Other featured designers include Complete, Dismissed, Steven Shein, Txell Miras, L’primera, Factoria Rent Me and Juan Antonio Avalos.

With most of Barcelona’s concept stores and boutiques dotted around El Born and Gràcia, Suspect is like a hidden gem among the Barri Gotic’s tourist traps. Step off the side street and experience this odd arcade for yourself and discover some of Barcelona’s hottest design talent.

Suspect, Passatge del Crédit 8 08002 Barcelona.

So, I finally got to see the new Anthropologie store on Regent Street and in just a short visit, I managed to compile a pretty extensive Christmas wish list.

I first came across Anthropologie on a trip to New York about six years ago and I remember being in awe of their Snow Queen-style silk dresses and embellished homeware.

blankets

This is Anthropologie’s first European store out of America, which will be followed by another store on the King’s Road, housed in a former gentlemen’s club. All of the Anthropologie stores are unique and the three-floor Regent Street branch is pretty spectacular, with a wall tapestry of over 200 sq. metres of living plants, sustained by the rain-water collected on the roof.

green stairs

Inside, it is a wonderland of bobo, Amélie-style patterned dresses, rustic Americana bed linen and velvet embroidered cushions and good, old-fashioned crockery with a modern twist.

Some of the clothes can be a bit on the twee side, but the collections have clearly been picked because of their excellent quality and fine details, like felt patchwork hearts sewn on the inside.

clothes

It’s great to finally have access to Anthropologie’s designer labels like Leifsdottir and Moulinette Soeurs, as well as New York-based Mise en Scene by Ruffian and Eva Franco and high-end pieces from Sara Berman. I am currently lusting after a Mise en Scene by Ruffian black velvet cocktail dress with a white silk collar – think Eva Green wearing YSL and smoking a cigarette in The Dreamers, that’s how fabulous it is!

spot dress

Anthropologie’s buyers have scoured the world to source some of the most beautiful things for your home. I recognised some of the stationary that is stocked in Selfridges, but they also have an enormous collection of jewelled, wooden and ceramic drawer handles, hand-painted china cups and saucers and exquisite bold striped and patchwork quilts.

cushions

I had serious envy on their amazingly-styled in-store bedroom and had the store assistant not being restocking the drawers, I would have been tempted to curl up among the cushions. While I already have a gorgeous handmade patchwork quilt in my room at home, I can’t help feeling that this bedroom would make me into the organised, serene and breezy person I’ve always wanted to be (must make storage notes).

bedroom

The greatest addition to Anthropologie’s Regent Street store would be a cafe (see Avoca, Belfast’s adorable lifestyle store) where you could have afternoon tea. If you’re reading, Anthropologie, grab some of those tea pots and cake stands and get a pop-up shop going, we’ll be in there all day!

Anthropologie, 158 Regent Street, London, W1B 5SW

Barcelona Shopping: Suspect

Anthropologie arrives in London