Alexandra Fullerton is a stylist, writer, fashion consultant and founder of shopping platform My3Words.co. Formerly Fashion Director-at large of Glamour UK and Fashion Director at Stylist magazine, she contributes to Sunday Times Style, Harper’s Bazaar Arabia and The Telegraph. Her best-selling book How to Dress has just been reprinted. Here, she provides her insider insight into getting one step closer to the icons on all of our wish lists. 

While you can buy almost anything with a swipe or a click, the luxury that comes with shopping in-store is still hard to resist – sinking your feet into plush carpets, sipping a glass of champagne (if you fancy) and enjoying the undivided attention of some of the retail world’s most seasoned associates. It’s an experience a world away from tapping ‘add to cart’ during a harried morning commute. Consider, when your destination is one of the most exclusive stretches of pavement in London, a day spent shopping on Sloane Street is always time well spent. So, what best befits a spree on the legendary street? Shopping for equally iconic pieces. Responsible purchases are those that will pass the test of time, so follow our guide to the most lauded fashion finds and ensure icon status is unlocked.

Gabrielle Chanel once quipped: “With four pairs of shoes, I can travel the world.” But surely, it could be argued, that the iconic ballet flat is the only shoe a woman needs? Chanel celebrates the 40th anniversary of the iconic style this year. Introduced by then creative director Karl Lagerfeld as the ballet flat for spring/summer 1984, it was inspired by Chanel’s own two-tone sling-backs from 1957. Today, artistic director of fashion collections Virginie Viard mixes fabrics and finishes to keep the style insouciantly fresh. If you’re heading in-store to try, be warned that the queues start early although, apparently, if you are shopping for ready to wear, you will be whisked inside.

167-169 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9QF; chanel.com 

Everything behind the glass door of Hermès has icon status, although the Maison’s quotas and restrictions on some of the more elite bags (the Kelly, Birkin and Constance) mean it’s more realistic to pop in and purchase a silk scarf (not to mention a little more forgiving on your bank balance). If you’re spending the day on Sloane Street, make Hermès your first stop – before the queues grow – and avoid weekends. If you want to build up to buying a bag, get friendly with your sales associate and encourage them to keep you in mind when bags are released.  

1 Cadogan Place, London SW1X 9PX; hermes.com

Founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry, the classic trench is woven into this luxury label’s DNA. The quintessential British coat has heritage credentials yet is still suited to the bustle of modern life. Creative director Daniel Lee has evolved the classic cover-up for summer 2024 with lighter fabrics. Far removed from its military origins, a Burberry trench still takes time and expertise to bring to life. Specialist tailors train for a year to learn the arrangement of more than 180 collar stitches, which create the most flattering line around the neck.  

1 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9LA; burberry.com

To earn legendary status, any piece needs to work hard. Dior’s book tote is one such icon that combines style and practicality with its capacious interior. Since it launched in 2018, the Book Tote has been a must-have for shoppers browsing the plush environs of Dior’s Sloane Street store, which is chicly decorated in calming oat-milk neutrals, punctuated by works from British artists such as Selma Parlour and Victoria Morton.

196-198 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9NR; dior.com

You can’t have missed the ‘quiet luxury’ trend this past year. And the brand at the height of the zeitgeist? Loro Piana. Originally founded by a wool merchant family in the 1800s, the Italian maison has become one of the most exclusive luxury labels in the world. Famed for exquisite materials and a fervent dedication to sourcing the highest-quality fibres and fabrics, a classic cashmere crew-neck sweater is the ideal first Loro Piano purchase. Warm as toast, soft as silk and light as air, this really is knitwear on another level.

47-48 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9LU; loropiana.com