Kensington Market, London

Kensington Market was a three-story indoor labyrinth at 49 to 53 Kensington High Street that served as the primary incubator for London's counter-culture fashion for over thirty years. It opened in 1967 inside a former department store and quickly became a destination where young, independent designers could secure affordable stall space. While the building itself was famously ramshackle and often smelled of patchouli, it became the essential meeting ground for successive waves of youth, from 1960s hippies and bohemians to 1970s punks and 1980s goths. The market's influence on British style was profound, acting as the birthplace for iconic labels and experimental aesthetics that eventually defined the city's alternative scene.