Cissy Wears has permanently relocated to Unit 89 Coal Drops Yard, Kings Cross; and 53 Monmouth Street, Covent Garden.
What?: South East London lifestyle store offering an exceptionally tasteful collection of kids’ clothing, toys and books, as well as a stylish selection of gifts for bigger people. Cissy Wears is not your average kids’ shop, being the antithesis of cheap plastic toymageddon with its serene palette of black, white and dusty pastels, and focus on sustainable design. The shop itself is flawlessly laid out, even housing a giant Brio play table to divert your little one’s attention while you browse (though predictably my little one’s attention couldn’t be diverted by something as basic as an actual toy and was so fascinated by the staff-only zone you’d have thought it was fricking Narnia.)
One thing I love about this boutique is how it’s been beautifully styled but not so much so that you feel like you can’t touch anything; in fact Nicola actively encouraged Bab to have a ride on the Plan Toys rocking Pegasus and the Vilac vintage-style car, and didn’t seem too bothered about her persistent attempts to go behind the scenes. Once she’d satisfied herself that there was nothing for her in the back room and I’d managed to steer her back into the shop, Bab became completely mesmerised by the trio of different-sized Miffy lamps in the corner, while I spent ages gazing at the library wall with its expertly chosen picture books and light-up Cissy Wears sign.
Cissy Wears encapsulates the same dreamy minimalism I love about Islington’s Molly-Meg and Tufnell Park’s eenymeeny, and yet Nicola’s distinctive curation and styling skills and the shop’s placement in this quiet corner of South East London make it totally unique. Those who can’t make it to Hither Green needn’t worry as the website is brilliant, though the bricks-and-mortar store is well worth a look if you don’t mind the trek, with must-sees (and must-feels) including LuckyBoySunday’s knitted doll collection, Konges Sløjd’s baby rabbit toys, Main Sauvage’s Exotic Fellow softies and Design Letters’ range of tableware and stationery, not to mention the super-stylish kidswear selection. Cissy Wears’ beautiful Instagram account is also worth a follow.
Where?: 210 Hither Green Lane, a seven-minute walk from Hither Green mainline station.
Price Range: Not as horribly expensive as you’d think, with plenty of pocket-money bits and only a few special pieces crossing the £100 threshold.
Best Bits: You will want to buy everything.
Worst Bits: You will want to buy everything.
Did We Buy?: We got a couple of Christmas gifts, including another Little People, Big Dreams book for Bab.
Would We Come Back?: We’d definitely call in again and have already ordered more Christmas bits online.
Babu in Cissy Wears’ Hither Green store.
bablands.com 