Cool shops/markets/places for teens in London

[unicornhair]

Taking DD in a few weeks. Having never been cool I don’t know where any of the good stuff is.
She likes alternative/90s stuff, buys a lot of band T-shirts. Also shops that just sell interesting things.
Is Camden still good?

We have some things planned like theatre, museum, aquarium. Any other suggestions. She’s gutted the Hello Kitty cafe is in Brighton not London.

She might like the ambiance is she’s into indy/ rock music, checking out goths and punks, tattoo and piercing parlours, vintage clothing and trainer stores, and new agey kind of stuff (Indian tapestries, jewelry etc). I went with my daughter back in February and personally I don't think it was all that good. Not bad but just not worth the detour. Very tacky items for sale so I would give it a miss in my opinion.
There are lots of interesting/cool shops in the Covent Garden/Seven Dials area and Brick Lane.
My dd also likes Japan Centre near Leicester Square - quite a bit of Hello Kitty stuff too.
Junkyard Golf is fun and under 18s are allowed Sunday-Wednesday until 7pm (last game at 6pm).
The House of Mina Lima in Soho is cool.

Does Kensington Market still exist? That was THE place to go in the 90s, for things like band shirts, biker jackets, and goth stuff. I got my Nirvana T shirt there!

I would check out spitalfields market in shoreditch

Portebello road. There is a vintages sellers market for clothes and indie bits under the west way by Ladbroke Grove side.

Sadly it is long gone 😢

Camden is still the place to go, I reckon.

I would agree with Camden. I went last month and it wasn't nearly as good as it was back in the 90s.
There a lot more tat shops than there was as well but I still think your DD would have a great time.
Great vibe.

Yep, Camden is now very touristy rather than teen nirvana. Leake Street Arches might be good if she's into grafitti at all. https://www.leakestreetarches.london/ and yes, Japan Centre and tbh, any Korea food shop works for the out-of-town teens I know. The Japan Centre also has a vast foodshop in Westfield Shepherd's Bush but Soho would definitely be more fun. Japan House is a bit sniffy about Hello Kitty but has great events/exhibitions (which are usually free) and there's a shop/cafe. It's next to Kensington High Street tube. https://www.japanhouselondon.uk/whats-on/

Some great ideas thanks. I was thinking of heading to Covent Garden the first day anyways as to me it’s a good intro to London so good to know there are some good shops round there still!

My dd loved Camden even if it has changed a bit since the 90s.

If she likes Hello Kitty vibe then Artbox near Covent Garden will be perfect! Tiny but stuffed full of cute plushies etc . And lots of the streets around there away from Covent Garden itself (Neal St/Severn Dials) have sort of cool places (as in a bit commercialised “cool” but your daughter might not notice!!)

https://www.artbox.co.uk/coventgarden.php

She just lost her mind about Artbox - thank you!