The Portobello end of Westbourne Grove in London's Notting Hill is a fashionista's heaven of unique boutiques. Kick off with a trawl around Space NK, a make-up emporium selling hip brands including Laura Mercier, Chantecaille, MAC, Eve Lom and Ruby & Millie (127 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7727 8063, www.spacenk.co.uk ). For holiday wear visit Heidi Klein, a one-stop vacation shop patronised by the likes of Elle Macpherson and Laura Bailey and selling everything from swimsuits to sarongs. Its beauty salon offers pre-beach buffing, pedi-cures and a 60-second spray-on tan. The bikini brands are quirky rather than mainstream and include Melissa Odabash and Aussie surf label Jets. The shop's own bikini line offers pick-and-mix separates for women whose upper and lower bodies don't match (174 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7243 5665, www.heidiklein.co.uk ). Classic shoes with a boho twist can be found at Emma Hope, whose bejewelled mules and suede slingbacks with shell detailing are just the ticket for Notting Hill's cool young mothers (207 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7313 7490, www.emmahope.co.uk ). If you're hipper than thou proceed to Question Air, just up the road, where jeans by Sass & Bide, Yanuk, Paper Denim & Cloth and For All Mankind sit alongside Juicy Couture tracksuits, T-shirts by Von Dutch and utility wear by Da-Nang (229 West-bourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7221 8163). A favourite with Kate Moss, EC One is a semi-affordable jewellers selling funky charm bracelets, chunky jade numbers and simple diamond pendants designed by Stephen Webster, among others (184 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7243 8811, www.econe.co.uk ). Next door, 202 sells Nicole Farhi clothes and antique French mirrors, coloured glassware and art deco photo frames. It also has a cafe where the beau monde tuck into buttermilk pancakes (202 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7792 6885, www.nicolefarhi.com ). More upmarket edibles such as organic chocolate, champagne and cheese are available from Tom's, a chi-chi delicatessen run by Tom Conran (son of Terence, brother of Jasper). Its mezzanine cafe is where London luvvies Ralph Fiennes and Alan Rickman hang out (226 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7221 8818). Agent Provocateur is the new kid on the block: a saucy lingerie shop owned by Vivienne Westwood's son, Joe Corre. It is staffed by pretty girls in prim pink uniforms (305 Westbourne Grove, tel: 44 20 7243 1292, www.agentprovocateur.com ). Opposite is Westbourne House, Paul Smith's fashion emporium. Located in a grand Edwardian building, it sells swirly shirts for boys and short skirts in this season's pixie-green for girls. At the top of the house there is a children's room stuffed with toys, books and designer romper suits (122 Kensington Park Road, tel: 44 20 7727 3553, www. paulsmith.co.uk). Ledbury Road crosses Westbourne Grove and offers similar opportunities for retail blowout. Classiest by far is J&M Davidson, with its elegant own-label clothes. Access-ories include jewellery and cowgirl belts. The shop also has an interiors section specialising in fine cotton bed linen, silk pyjamas and zebra-skin rugs (42 Ledbury Road, tel: 44 20 7313 9532, www.jandm davidson.co.uk). Next door is Earl Jean, denim purveyor to celebrities such as Minnie Driver. Wispy floral shirts, minis and leather jackets are also available (40 Ledbury Road, tel: 44 20 7792 5211; www.earljean.com ). Additional shops on Ledbury Road include Brora, which sells a wide variety of cashmere knits in sorbet shades (66 Ledbury Road, tel: 44 20 7229 1515, www.brora.co.uk ); Anya Hindmarch, for those bags printed with photographs of your loved ones (63A Ledbury Road, tel: 44 20 7792 4427, www.anya hindmarch.com); and Matches, an utterly chic boutique selling designer threads by the likes of Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney, Matthew Williamson and Chloe (85 Ledbury Road, tel: 44 20 7221 2334, www.matches . co.uk).