13 Best Second Hand Shops in London for Vintage & Thrift
London is one of the best cities in the UK for second-hand shopping. From enormous vintage warehouses packed with denim and leather jackets to carefully curated charity shops where designer pieces can turn up unexpectedly, there is a huge amount to explore.
The best part about shopping second-hand in London is that every neighbourhood has a slightly different character. Brick Lane and Shoreditch are ideal for vintage fashion and rummaging, while Chelsea, Islington and West London are better hunting grounds for designer and premium labels.
Recent London shopping guides continue to highlight places such as Beyond Retro, Rokit, Rellik, TRAID and FARA, while Vogue’s 2025 charity-shop guide specifically recommends several London shops for pre-loved designer fashion.
So, if you’re looking for somewhere to find a great jacket, vintage dress, designer bargain or simply something nobody else is wearing, these are 13 of the best second-hand shops in London to put on your list.
| Shop | Best For | Area |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond Retro | Huge vintage selection | Dalston |
| Rokit | Classic vintage | Central/East London |
| ATIKA | Vintage superstore | Shoreditch |
| TRAID Dalston | Affordable bargains | Dalston |
| FARA Islington | Designer finds | Islington |
| Rellik | Designer vintage | Notting Hill |
| Oxfam | Charity-shop finds | Various |
| British Red Cross | Designer bargains | Chelsea |
| Shop from Crisis | Affordable fashion | Brick Lane |
| Brick Lane Vintage Market | Rummaging | Brick Lane |
| Blackout II | Vintage dresses | Covent Garden |
| Thrift Factory | Bargain hunting | East London |
| Retromania FARA | Retro fashion | Pimlico |
1. Beyond Retro – Best for a Huge Vintage Selection
📍 Various London locations, including Dalston
If you want to walk into one shop and spend a serious amount of time rummaging through vintage clothing, Beyond Retro is one of the obvious places to start.
The appeal is the sheer scale. Rather than feeling like a tiny boutique where every item has been carefully selected to match the same aesthetic, Beyond Retro gives you plenty of choice across different decades and styles.
You can expect rails of denim, leather, dresses, shirts, knitwear, sportswear and accessories, with the selection changing regularly.
The Dalston location is particularly useful if you’re planning a wider second-hand shopping trip around East London. Current London vintage guides continue to rank Beyond Retro among the city’s standout vintage stores.
Best for: Huge choice, vintage denim and serious rummaging.
2. Rokit – Best for Classic London Vintage
📍 42 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9HZ
📍 Also associated with the Brick Lane vintage-shopping scene
Rokit is one of those names that has become part of London’s vintage-shopping culture.
The shop is particularly good when you’re looking for pieces with a genuinely retro feel rather than modern clothes that have simply been labelled “vintage”. Think old-school denim, leather, military-inspired clothing, sportswear and statement jackets.
Its East London presence makes it a natural stop when exploring Brick Lane, while the Covent Garden shop gives central London shoppers an easier alternative.
Rokit has been operating for decades and was recently highlighted by The Times as a major London vintage institution.
Best for: Authentic vintage, jackets, denim and classic London style.
3. ATIKA London – Best for a Vintage Superstore
📍 55–59 Hanbury Street, London E1 5JP
ATIKA is one of the better choices if you want the excitement of a huge vintage shop but still want the stock to feel reasonably curated.
The store occupies a substantial space around the Shoreditch/Spitalfields area, with clothing covering different eras and aesthetics.
It’s the sort of place where you can go in looking for one particular item and come out with something completely different.
Recent London vintage guides have singled out ATIKA as one of the capital’s leading vintage superstores.
Best for: Variety, vintage fashion and Shoreditch shopping trips.
4. TRAID Dalston – Best for Affordable Second-Hand Fashion
📍 106–108 Kingsland High Street, London E8 2NS
If your priority is finding bargains rather than browsing expensive vintage boutiques, TRAID is one of the shops I’d put high on the list.
The Dalston branch has a particularly interesting mix, including clothing, fabrics and accessories. Time Out has highlighted the store for its unusually affordable stock and wide-ranging selection.
TRAID is also a charity, with its wider work focused on textile reuse and international development, so your shopping supports a broader purpose.
Best for: Affordable fashion, fabrics, accessories and bargain hunting.
5. FARA Islington – Best for Designer Bargains
📍 Islington, North London
FARA feels noticeably different from the average charity shop.
The appeal is its more boutique-like presentation, making it easier to browse when you’re looking for designer labels, premium high-street pieces and distinctive accessories without wanting to spend hours digging through completely unorganised rails.
British Vogue specifically recommends FARA Islington, noting designer finds including JW Anderson and Isabel Marant.
It’s a good destination when you want second-hand shopping to feel a little more like browsing a fashion boutique.
Best for: Designer bargains and curated charity-shop shopping.
6. Rellik – Best for Designer Vintage
📍 Golborne Road / Notting Hill, London
Rellik is for shoppers who are interested in fashion history as much as finding a bargain.
The Notting Hill institution is known for archival and designer fashion, with pieces from influential labels and designers appearing in its collection.
This is not the place I’d send someone whose only goal is to find a £5 T-shirt. Instead, it’s somewhere to explore if you’re interested in unusual, collectible and historically significant clothing.
Recent guides describe Rellik as a major designer-vintage destination, with an archive spanning designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Maison Margiela.
Best for: Designer vintage, collectors and fashion enthusiasts.
7. Oxfam – Best for Charity-Shop Treasure Hunting
📍 23 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5RH
📍 Multiple branches across London
Oxfam deserves a place on this list because the experience can change completely depending on the neighbourhood.
In wealthier parts of London, charity shops can receive surprisingly good donations, making them worth checking if you’re searching for designer labels and premium high-street clothing.
British Vogue has highlighted Oxfam locations in London as worthwhile destinations for second-hand fashion, while its broader charity-shop guide points out how London’s affluent neighbourhoods can be particularly productive hunting grounds.
The important thing with Oxfam is not to expect the same stock everywhere. The fun is in discovering what has arrived that week.
Best for: Designer surprises, charity shopping and bargain hunting.
8. British Red Cross Chelsea – Best for Designer Finds
📍 Chelsea, London
If you’re specifically hunting for designer pieces in a charity-shop environment, Chelsea is one of the areas I’d explore.
The British Red Cross shop in Chelsea has received particularly strong attention from British Vogue, which highlighted finds ranging from vintage Yves Saint Laurent to contemporary designer and premium footwear.
The trick with shops like this is timing. The best pieces can disappear quickly, so there is no guarantee you’ll find a designer treasure every time you visit.
That’s actually part of what makes second-hand shopping fun.
Best for: Designer clothing, premium labels and luxury bargains.
9. Shop from Crisis, Brick Lane – Best for Affordable Vintage
📍 78 Quaker Street, London E1 6SW
Shop from Crisis is a great addition to a Brick Lane shopping route.
The shop offers pre-loved fashion and other second-hand goods while raising money to support Crisis’s work with people experiencing homelessness.
Its location makes it particularly easy to combine with the many vintage shops around Brick Lane, meaning you can turn the whole area into a second-hand shopping afternoon.
Best for: Affordable fashion and charity shopping.
10. The Brick Lane Vintage Market – Best for Rummaging
📍 85 Brick Lane, London E1 6QL
If you like the thrill of not knowing what you’re going to find, the Brick Lane Vintage Market is worth making time for.
The atmosphere is more about rummaging, discovering unusual pieces and browsing different styles than walking into a perfectly polished boutique.
It also works brilliantly as part of a wider Brick Lane vintage crawl because there are so many other second-hand shops within walking distance.
Best for: Rummaging, unusual finds and vintage shopping with atmosphere.
11. Blackout II – Best for Vintage Costume & Statement Pieces
📍 51 Endell Street, London WC2H 9AJ
Blackout II is a particularly interesting stop if you’re after clothing with a strong historical or costume feel.
Rather than concentrating solely on everyday contemporary fashion, the shop is known for vintage dresses, period-inspired pieces and unusual accessories.
The Covent Garden location also makes it convenient if you’re spending a day around Soho, Seven Dials and the West End.
Best for: Vintage dresses, costumes and statement pieces.
12. Thrift Factory – Best for East London Bargains
📍 Hare Row, London E2 9BY
Thrift Factory is the kind of place to consider when the hunt itself is half the fun.
The shop has a broad second-hand clothing selection, giving you the opportunity to rummage through different styles rather than simply choosing from a small, highly edited collection.
It’s another good option to combine with a wider East London vintage-shopping day.
Best for: Bargain hunters and casual thrifters.
13. Retromania FARA – Best for Vintage in Pimlico
📍 6 Upper Tachbrook Street, Pimlico, London SW1V 1SH
Retromania FARA gives you another reason to explore beyond the usual Brick Lane and Shoreditch vintage circuit.
The Pimlico shop combines the appeal of vintage shopping with FARA’s charitable purpose, making it a useful stop if you’re looking for retro clothing and accessories around central-west London.
Its location is also convenient for combining second-hand shopping with a walk around Pimlico and nearby Westminster.
Best for: Vintage fashion, accessories and West London shopping.
Where Should You Go for the Best Second-Hand Shopping in London?
If you only have one afternoon, I’d head to Brick Lane and Shoreditch. You can walk between several shops, making it much easier to compare prices and styles rather than relying on a single store.
For designer bargains, Chelsea, Islington and Notting Hill are better bets. FARA, the British Red Cross and Rellik are particularly interesting if you’re looking beyond standard high-street clothing.
For cheap and genuinely rummage-friendly shopping, TRAID and the charity shops are more appealing than expensive vintage boutiques.
And if you’re looking for a huge selection, Beyond Retro and ATIKA are the places I’d start.
Tips for Second-Hand Shopping in London
The best second-hand shopping requires a little patience. Don’t expect to find the perfect item immediately.
Go early when possible. Popular pieces can disappear quickly, particularly in well-known vintage shops.
Check several shops. Prices for similar vintage pieces can vary dramatically from one store to another.
Look beyond your usual size. Vintage sizing can be very different from modern UK sizing, so checking measurements and trying things on is often more useful than relying on the label.
Don’t ignore accessories. Bags, belts, scarves, jewellery and hats can sometimes be the easiest way to find a distinctive vintage piece without spending too much.
Explore by neighbourhood. Brick Lane, Shoreditch, Notting Hill and Islington are much more rewarding when you visit several shops in one trip.
Final Thoughts:
The best thing about second-hand shopping in London is that there isn’t one single style of thrift shop.
You can spend the morning hunting through racks of £10 vintage denim, wander into a charity shop and discover a designer jacket, then finish the afternoon looking through carefully curated archival fashion.
For the biggest selection, start with Beyond Retro or ATIKA. For affordable charity shopping, try TRAID or Shop from Crisis. If designer vintage is your priority, make time for Rellik, FARA or the British Red Cross in Chelsea.
Most importantly, don’t treat second-hand shopping like ordinary retail. The best finds aren’t necessarily the things you went looking for — they’re the pieces you didn’t expect to discover.
