home to home shopping

With the overriding convenience of internet shopping taking its toll on traditional malleable stores, Bicester Village is a stimulating reminder of why traditional shopping, away from cyberspace is a more pleasurable alternative.

Located in the county of Oxfordshire, Bicester Village Shopping Centre is a discounted outlet for high-end designer fashion. It offers up to a staggering 80% off items' r.r.p. 

The shopping centre is like no other I have visited. Instead of banal, cramped, sweaty and artificially lit clothing holes-all valid reasons to opt for internet shopping, Bicester Village is the Wysteria Lane of shopping. 

Bicester Village. Picture taken using a Canon EOS 1000D. Credit: Chic Outlet Shopping

Its stores are individually and attentively decorated spacious homes, adorned with decadent rugs, chandeliers and glittery tiger monuments. Long gone are the days of feeling inclined to ring the neck of the 6 dawdlers nesting around the sale racks. 

The village houses approximately 130 stores, encompassing a vast range of designers including Dior, Luella, Dolce and Gabbana, Roberto Cavalli, Ralph Lauren and Vivienne Westwood. More affordable brands such as All Saints, Cath Kidston and Superdry are situated there too. 

I splurged £8,000 on two MIU MIU dresses, a Luella checked shirt, Cavalli embroidered shorts, Burberry sequin jacket, Gucci patent ankle boots, a tan Mulberry bag and Vivienne Westwood jewellery...all imaginary speaking of course. 

Bicester has established itself as a major international tourist attraction and is one of the leading designer shopping destinations in Europe. Coach loads of more than 3 million customers hailing from all over the globe visit annually, so make sure you do too. 

You can witness shopping experiences akin to Bicester Village in the following regions: 

•  Fidenza Village, Milan, Italy
• Wertheim Village, Frankfurt, Germany
• Las Rozas Village, Madrid, Spain
• La Vallee Village, Paris, France