Once the watchword for luxury Knightsbridge shopping, Harvey Nicks lost ground to Liberty, Selfridges and even Harrods, which were engaging better with their customers and seemed to get the idea of hosting dynamic shopping events. But it’s beginning to fight back. Makeup junkies should head to the ground floor beauty space to pick up established brands like Charlotte Tilbury and Shu Uemura, or try something new with Beauty Bites – a lovely series of mini cosmetics, featuring up-and-coming brands. On the third floor, Sneaker Concept showcases high-fashion sports shoes. The clothing rails are full of top labels such as Alexander Wang, Balenciaga and Givenchy, and there’s an excellent array of accessories and beauty buys from luxurious brands such as Tom Ford and COR (whose soap contains real silver). Finish off proceedings with lunch on the fifth floor, where the buzzy food department is located along with a branch of Burger & Lobster (0207 201 8676, noon-10.30pm Mon-Sat, noon-10pm Sun).
Harvey Nichols is number 35 in our list of the 100 best shops in London.