As you know, we are huge Marni fans here at TWR, but can really only justify the odd purchase (if any) as the prices are way out of our league. If you are a Marni fan, it is definitely worth paying Bicester Village a visit. While it’s not exactly discount, it is quite a bit cheaper and as it’s Marni, it doesn’t matter if it’s old season as the styling is so timeless. The stock at the Bicester shop changes continually and its impossible to know whats coming in, but every time I have visited there have been numerous pieces I love – if only I had the odd £300 to spare. When I visited recently they had a great jewellery and footwear selection too.
The 21st of March sees the return of Bicester Village’s annual British Designers Collective. Now in its third year, the pop-up boutique is a collaboration between Bicester Village and the British Fashion Council, offering emerging British talent such as Goat, Holly Fulton, Jonathan Saunders, Lily & Lionel, Lulu & Co, Marcus Lupfer, Marios Schwab, Mawi, Nicolas Kirkwood, Osman, Peter Pilotto, Preen andYMC the opportunity to showcase their collections..
Marni
Bicester Village are keen to encourage shoppers to make a weekend of it and put us up at the lovely Hartwell House hotel, when we visited. A bit like stepping onto the set of Downton Abbey, this relaxing country manor is set in the Buckinghamshire countryside and is the perfect antidote to a days shopping. The spa offers a great selection of treatments to take your mind off how much you’ve spent on a odd shaped dress with frayed edges!!
Hartwell House
The local area boasts some amazingly grand properties owned by the National Trust. Waddesdon Manor is the home of the Rothschild family, Claydon House is renowned for its association with Florence Nightingale and Stowe Landscape Gardens has some interesting temples and follies.
So if you have an event coming up that you need a special outfit for, or just fancy a weekend away (with a bit of shopping included) it could be worth checking out Bicester Village. If like me, you hate shopping, you could just make straight for Marni, eat lunch and escape for a long walk in the country!
delicious afternoon tea at Downton -oops I mean Hartwell!
Well what a coincidence. I’ve just this evening booked a day return to Bicester on Saturday to have a look-see at new Spring stuff, then I clicked on TWR for my daily dose of news to find…..this piece on Bicester Village – spooky! I didn’t know there was such a lovely hotel nearby but maybe next time….