From the polished districts of Kensington and Chelsea to the graffiti-covered Shoreditch and Dalston, our Associate Art Director, Sam Wilkes, and Front-end Developer, Don Lee, share their highlights from The Charles’ London HQ.

Catch a glimpse of London life below and see the full gallery at VSCO.

“I love imagining West London as it was in the 70’s with a thriving community of artists and tastemakers — a playground for London’s early punk scene. It’s similar to NYC, where even though it seems some neighborhoods have lost their edge, you can still feel the history.” – Sam Wilkes

Of the streets of Dalston and Shoreditch, Don shares, “They have a certain ‘grit’ that I find inspiring. Even the street art had this intriguing combination of decay and refinement.”

“If art is indicative of culture, I find fashion to be an art form that’s immediately digestible and speaks a lot to the city’s people. Compared to New York’s diverse fashion aesthetics, London had very distinct styles that were adhered to. ” – Sam Wilkes

“The new tech makeup of London is insane. They’re so connected. There’s literally free Wifi everywhere.” – Don Lee

“I had high expectations for the food and was not disappointed. It was fresh and so full of flavor.” – Don Lee

Even as a flurry of alternative creative hubs pop up around the world, London and New York remain a beat ahead. Two very different cities with so many common threads — The Charles is proud to call both home.