Here is your guide to the best international fashion, which is just up your [high] street…
Zara
Basically an adopted member of our favourite ‘go-to stores’, Zara is up there with the likes of Topshop, River Island and New Look. With reasonable prices – the TRF section, which is aimed at the slightly younger fashion pack, is often cheaper, whilst still being completely on trend- what is not to love? A great collection of accessories; we love their oversized scarves, and they are guaranteed to deliver a pair of stand-out stilettos each season. Most importantly though, it adds a flare of Spanish style to our lovely British wardrobes.
H&M
The Swedish-owned brand is a store that stocks just about everything; from a staple tee for a fiver, designer collaborations with Versace and Balmain, to gym gear, H&M fits the bill every time. The store was particularly impressive this year with the sell-out Balmain collection, which made designer fashion more accessible to the high street shopper. They also have a ‘H&M conscious collection’ which focuses on making ‘fashion choices that are good for people, the planet and your wallet’. So whatever you need fashion wise, H&M has got it covered.
Monki
Fairly new to the high street, Monki is a Scandinavian brand which combines its own sense of style with the latest trends: ‘from the beginning, it has been a combination of the more simple minimalistic Scandinavian fashion sense and a more expressive street style’, says CEO Henrik Aaen. Simple cuts, pattern and anything oversized seems to be what Monki is about and with prices from £10- £110, it is great for all budgets.
Kiko
Another relatively new addition to our high street, I first paid a visit to Kiko whilst on holiday and was amazed by the choice and price of products in the store. Established in Italy, the cosmetics brand, which goes by the motto ‘Be what you want to be’, features a variety of makeup and an extensive skin care collection. What is great about Kiko is it fills the gap between the high end and the super cheap make up brands available on the high street.
Frankie Cooke
Images: Zara, H&M, Monki, Kiko