From the swinging 60s to the 2000s, High Street Kensington’s legendary ‘Kensington Market’ was a go-to for London’s underground fashion scene and pop-culture lovers. This September, in the spirit of this creative heritage, Opportunity Kensington is hosting an exciting programme of independent markets. Taking place every Saturday across the month, it includes two brand-new events celebrating London’s design and fashion scenes.
The programme starts on Saturday 5th September with the Botanical Market, a curated market celebrating botanicals from fashion to flowers, featuring vintage furniture for the home and garden, plants pots and pictures. This will be followed by the brand-new All Ears Market on Saturday 12th September, taking place during London Design Festival. A new market for music and design lovers, it will feature artist and DJ talks, records, merch and zines, alongside pan-Asian street food – with an accompanying free day of talks and music films in the Kensington Central Library Lecture Theatre.
Then, during London Fashion Week on Saturday 19th September, Judy’s Vintage Market will bring a new event to High Street Kensington, inspired by the individuality and creative energy of the original Kensington Market. More than 50 traders will showcase emerging designers and makers, sustainable and upcycled fashion, jewellery, accessories, textiles and vintage, with plenty of one-off finds that won’t be found on the high street.
The month rounds off on Saturday 26th September with the regular and hugely popular Big Flea Market, offering another chance to shop from over 60 perfectly curated independent stalls to hunt out vintage fashion, furniture, collectables and unusual finds.
Together, the four markets will make September a month-long celebration of independent retail, creativity and community in High Street Kensington, bringing a fresh take on the area’s distinctive market heritage.
All four markets open from 10am on Phillimore Walk, Kensington, with All Ears running until 6pm and the others until 4.30pm.
For more information, visit https://highstreetkensington.co.uk/markets/
About Kensington Market
From its opening in 1967, Kensington Market became one of Britain’s most influential fashion destinations. It was where London’s alternative fashion culture was born and throughout the 60s and 70s became the heart of the city’s bohemian movement. Then in the late 70s and 80s it was a playground for the creativity of punks, goths, new romantic, ravers and underground designers. It launched designers, nurtured independent businesses and gave a generation of creatives an affordable place to experiment. Long before pop-up retail and concept stores, the Market proved that small independent businesses could shape global fashion. It closed in 2000.
About All Ears
All Ears is a music market for London, featuring records, merch, zines, pan-Asian food (curated by SHŌTENGAI Market). As an added extra, the inaugural ‘Design Week’ edition of the All Ears market, will also feature a day of short music films and chat from well-respected music industry names. Taking place in the Lecture Theatre in Kensington’s Central Library, entry is free (secured through supporting the food traders at the market by buying a meal). The line-up will feature club designers, artists, technologists and musicians who will discuss their life in sound, their creative obsessions and the way music and design intersect. The film programming will be curated by Blue Screen, with the final programme schedule – including the likes of Honest Jon’s, Caravan Records, Diet Cola Records and Velocity Press.
