Bond Street has a long history of being one of the foremost shopping locations in all of London. Oddly enough, however, there is no actual Bond Street to be found. It’s more of a nickname that survived the times and was picked up due to the southern section being known as Old Bond Street and its northern counterpart known as New Bond Street.

The street runs through Mayfair from Piccadilly on the south end and up to Oxford Street in the north. This large shopping area is located in London’s posh West End shopping district, and it easily beats Regent Street in terms of high-end boutiques and clientele. Bond Street has been a fashionable shopping experience in London since the 18th century, and it continues on today.

Bond Street was named after Sir Thomas Bond, a developer who purchased property in the area. Bond would immediately begin demolishing the mansion he purchased and building up the area, including the nearby Albemarie and Dover Street. It wasn’t long until the area (Old Bond Street) was completed and shops started to open up.

Later on, Bond Street became the place for high-end art dealers and antique shops to set up. They were all close to Sotheby's auction house. This gave Bond Street a distinct reputation for catering to high society types. The Fine Art Society was one of the street’s main fixtures from 1876, and although they’ve long since been replaced, the atmosphere still remains.

One famous feature of Bond Street isn’t a boutique at all. Lawrence Holofcener created the statue Allies, depicting former American president Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill sitting on a park bench while engaged in conversation. This piece alone has brought in substantial tourism over the years. It’s one of London’s most popular pieces of art.

You’ll find hundreds of high-end shops on Bond Street, and even though this vast expanse of boutiques is London’s primary stop for the chic, there’s still a little something for everyone simply due to the sheer number of shops located in the area.

On the west side of New Bond Street, you’ll find shops like Zara, Pringle of Scotland, Armani, Bally, Bonhams, Porsche Design, DKNY Jeans, Diesel, Zilli, and many more shops. That theme continues all throughout. Some other notable shops of the area include Polo, Bulgari, Chanel, Tiffany & Co, Gucci, Cartier, De Beers, Calvin Klein, D&G, Patek Philippe, and Dolce & Gabbana.

Due to the hard economic times, some of the less popular shops on Bond Street have closed down, and as far as the vacant buildings go, there aren’t many new business owners around to try to steal business away from the powerhouses these days. Even still, the tried-and-true favorites are thriving, and many buildings are being remodeled to keep up with the times.

All in all, Bond Street is in no danger of losing its title as London’s most elegant shopping area.