What?: Well-stocked emporium of delights for children of all ages. In fact the nonchalant promise of “Shoes & Stuff for Kids” on the shop signage rather downplays things; this is not a just shoe shop, it’s an – albeit casually – cool kids’ superstore selling all manner of toys, games, kitschy nursery decor, designer clothing and beautiful books. And shoes. Not only that, but Gently Elephant has such a nice, chilled vibe and so much to see you could literally spend hours in here browsing the bursting rails of modern kids casuals, getting lost in the small library of design-led books and convincing your little one to try on trainers, boots and sandals in every colour under the sun.
Where?: Brockley; a hop, skip and a jump from the Overground and mainline station.
Best Bits: The store possesses a spacious, carpeted shoe-fitting area that doubles as a play space and comes complete with a box of not-for-sale toys that are authorised for chewing, dribbling and generally ruining. I got overly excited by the excellent range of Mini Rodini clothes with their quirky-cool animal conversational prints, and by the selection of brilliantly camp Lapin & Me lamps shaped like Bambi, dolls with ears and babies with their bums out. There was also some great Latin music happening.
Worst Bits: No, I can’t think of any.
Price Range: Toys start at a couple of quid for a packet of scratch-and-sniff stickers (!!) and peak at £70 for the coolest dolls’ house I’ve ever seen in my life. Clothing costs from £9 for a Tobias and the Bear bib up to £53 for a Mini Rodini insect onesie, while shoes range from £20 for some Bobux softies to £67 for a pair of sea-proof Salt-Water sandals.
Did We Buy?: We bought a Mini Rodini frog dress, as demonstrated by Bab.
Would We Come Back?: We’re already there.
Bab chooses an outfit at Gently Elephant, Brockley
bablands.com 