Forget Carnaby Street and Portobello Road; Kings Road (below), largely in Chelsea, has so much class it has been dubbed 'the hippest street in the world'. The London street, which follows an east-west axis, was originally as exclusive as it sounds; it was used as a private road by 17th-century king Charles II.
During the hippie and punk eras, it was the playground for bands from the Rolling Stones to the Sex Pistols and for fashion designers such as Mary Quant and Ossie Clark - Vivienne Westwood still sells her show-stopping fashions here, at World's End (No430, tel: 44 207 352 6551). It also saw the launch of theatrical blockbusters, including Look Back in Anger and The Rocky Horror Show. Today, you might see the likes of Orlando Bloom, Kylie Minogue, Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Elton John wandering among the masses.
Once your head's stopped spinning from the glamour, head for John Smedley (No19, tel: 44 20 7823 4444). The shop sells knitwear but not of the wild and woolly variety; the mood is exotic. Men's and women's merino jumpers cost about GBP100 (HK$1,550). For luxury cashmere prices more than double.
Kate Kuba (22 Duke of York Square, tel: 44 20 7259 0011) is a fancy footwear find. Singers Mary J. Blige and Beyonce are said to favour the glitzy styles. Betty Black suede booties are GBP100 and the gold Caviar shoes are GBP160. Jigsaw (No124, tel: 44 20 7589 5083), meanwhile, is an obsession among British women on a par with their preoccupation with actor Colin Firth and chocolate. Prices are reasonable for such fey gear as a silk rayon bow-top (GBP49), a summer-weave short-seam skirt (GBP95) and a silk-knit boat-neck cardigan (#49). Perfect if you've got a weakness for the English rose look.
The suave male is catered for by Oliver Sweeney (No 29, tel: 44 20 7730 3666). David Beckham, Will Smith and Brad Pitt are fans of his shoes, apparently seduced by their 'classic-with-a-twist' design and arch support. Exclusive Owzat antique brown shoes cost #364 while a pair of casual Steel Ecopell are GBP165.
Talking of steel, if you hunger for mean and clean modern furniture 'from the best brands at affordable prices', step into Espacio (No 276, tel: 44 20 7376 5088). It stocks design classics such as the Diamond chair (GBP345) by virtuoso Harry Bertoia and the Barcelona chair (GBP1,040) from avant-garde grand master Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.