Ever since Carnaby Street was riveted to global fame in the sixties it has remained a formidable feature of London life.  With all that groovy clothing, Afghan coats and psychedelic shirts, the smell of hippy perfume, the Who, the Stones, the Kinks, even the Mods were turning a little bit hippy. In the late sixties Carnaby street was in full swing, but what’s happening there today?

Not a huge difference, in fact some of the most unique shops in London can still be found in Carnaby Street today.

You just can’t get away from the Rolling Stones. To commemorate the Stone’s 50^th anniversary as recording artists, they have opened a shop on Carnaby Street, which will stay open until some time in 2013.The shop is being run by Bravado who look after the merchandising for the Stones and many other bands.

The iconic extreme sports brand North Face also has a shop on Carnaby Street. Back in the old days North Face made life saving clothing for mountaineers and the like. During this time North Face clobber was worn in snow holes on perilous mountains such as the Eiger in Switzerland by Chris Bonnington and the likes.

Today all the kids want to wear a North Face duvet jacket when they go out on the town in London, a potent sign of how the fashion of Carnaby Street has changed from an exciting hub for the unconventional and underground to a place for cool yet albeit more mainstream crowd.

Bexy Lady is funky contemporary designer based on Carnaby Street, which is described as foxy, funky and fun, not to mention fab! The store of this emerging London designer is on Kingly Court, which is part of the Carnaby complex.

Sweaty Betty makes high fashion active wear on Carnaby Street for ladies with a passion for sport, whilst allowing them to look funky and fashionable as they participate in their sport.

Championing the cause for cheap and cheerful fashion is Carnaby Street’s ‘Cheap Monday’ from Sweden. This popular fashion store claims to have high level design at a low price. This buzzing and happening store is all industrial steel girders and pipes, resonant of the successful fashion store in Copenhagen.

Yes it is safe to say that Carnaby Street is alive and well and kicking. It may have changed some over the years but we can’t wear psychedelic shirts forever, can we?