As one of the most notorious global centres of fashion, it's only natural that London should boast a number of desirable high street shopping areas and designer boutiques. In fact, if you can get over the high cost of living, London offers one of the world's best locations for shopping breaks - and anyone thinking of commencing a shopping holiday in London will definitely be able to locate an area of the city in which they can find the key to all their retail desires.

First and foremost, shoppers in London will adore the world-famous Oxford Street - Europe's busiest shopping district. Oxford Street extends over two kilometres and offers retail enthusiasts a range of fashion, shoes and clothing stores - many of which include flagship stores of major British brands. For instance, on Oxford Street you'll find Selfridges department store - a London shopping institution - as well as Marks and Spencer, John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser, HMV, Borders, the Disney Store and Topshop, the latter of which claims to be "the largest fashion store in the world".

If you're looking for a more alternative location for your shopping break in London, head straight to Camden Market. Camden Market comprises a range of markets, including Camden Lock Market, Stables Market, Buck Street Market and Inverness Street Market. Here, you'll find a variety of market stalls selling offbeat, vintage and second hand clothing, as well as handmade crafts, accessories and other goods. You'll also find one of London's oldest street markets in Portobello Road, in London's Notting Hill district. While Portobello Road Market also offers unique vintage clothing, additionally, it is known as one of London's premier destinations for antique-buying - so is sure to cater to shoppers with a variety of interests.

However, London's most prestigious shopping destination is undoubtedly Knightsbridge, home to some of Europe's most exclusive designer stores and boutiques. The Knightsbridge area houses the UK's top two luxury department stores - Harrods and Harvey Nichols - as well as leading designer brands, including Cartier, Jimmy Choo, Chanel, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood. And the popularity of weekend shopping breaks in Knightsbridge means that hotels near Harrods are in high demand, ensuring that Knightsbridge is a first class shopping location in London year-round.

What's more, Knightsbridge and its surrounding areas of Mayfair and Chelsea, are home to a number of art and fashion schools. As a result, London - like Paris, Milan and New York - offers a constantly regenerating fashion climate as new generations of designers and artists come and go with regular frequency. So if you don't make it on a luxury shopping break to Knightsbridge this year, you can rest assured that there'll be many more years to come!