Notting Hill Antiques

pHOTOGRAPHY BY ROZ ALCAZAR

It’s been a while since I’ve written here, but while looking through some old photos, I realised these never made the cut at the time, and what better reason to dust off this dusty blog?

Hello, my careless readers. This gal is back.

And like any good antique that finds its way back into fashion, I’m taking us to Notting Hill’s Weekend Antiques and Vintage Market, a London classic that never really goes out of style.

I must admit that as an East London girl, it is not often that I go to Notting Hill, but every time I do, I’m reminded why I love it. Notting Hill on a Saturday is not for the faint-hearted, it’s aggressively charming. The kind of chaos you have to surrender to.

For many, it’s a place best avoided on weekends (the locals will tell you to come midweek), but there’s something special about the Saturday energy, that messy orchestra of locals, tourists, and treasure hunters. Saturday is when the market is fully alive: antiques, vintage stalls, and all the characters that come with them.

Sundays, by contrast, are gentler — a smaller flea and fashion market, no street stalls, a slower rhythm. Lovely, yes. But for me, the full theatre happens on Saturday.

There are a few spots that are always there — reliable landmarks in the chaos.

Alice’s, the iconic red-fronted shop you’ve probably seen in every postcard and film still, is a Notting Hill institution. You’ll find everything from retro tin signs to oddball collectibles you didn’t know you needed until you held them.

And just by Notting Hill Gate Station, there are some of my favourite vintage stores: Retro Woman & Retro Clothing. These are the kind where you lose track of time between velvet jackets and old ferragamos, and I absolutely adore it.

But the real treasure lies up near Ladbroke Grove, where the market shifts gears. Here, it’s fashion galore, a paradise for the patient. You’ll dig through a blur of fakes, forgotten labels, and real luxury gems.

Think £30 Chanel shoes that need a cobbler’s touch but promise greatness, or a vintage Dior clutch hiding beneath a pile of forgotten scarves. It’s all about the hunt. Knowing when something is gold and when it’s just gold-ish.

Like any good find, it’s about slowing down. Pausing, appreciating, and walking away with something valuable (and memorable), even if it’s just a story.

A Bite Between Bargains?

When the crowd gets too much and your hands are full of someone else’s past life, walk over to The Pelican for lunch. Trust me it’s the perfect pause: elevated but comforting, like the market’s grown-up sibling who still knows how to have fun.

Happy weekend,
TCB xx