this is how we wear it: lululemon chelsea
Boasting some of London’s most elegant white townhouses and garden squares edged by cast iron railings, the neighbourhoods of Kensington and Chelsea—known as the Royal Borough—more than live up to their stately name. Here you’ll find the famous King’s Road, which played home base to the 1970s punk movement, and is where Mary Quant gave the miniskirt its name, not far from Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s iconic boutique, Sex.
Today, Chelsea is a popular place to spot individuals of cultural relevance and perhaps surprisingly down-to-earth yoga studios. It’s a place replete with inspiring runs through quiet, charming streets, along the River Thames and across Victorian-era bridges. And now it’s home to our second store in Europe.
Sabrina Percy, the Chelsea-based artist who created the installation for our King’s Road store, has lived in the neighbourhood for two years. Her piece, she says, was inspired by quintessentially British aspects of the Royal Borough, its links to the aristocracy and understated grandeur. Traditional English animals appear in the illustration (because many Chelsea locals spend weekdays in city and weekends in the country—for North Americans, this all sounds so posh), and Sabrina incorporated them with a comic edge, like a pheasant doing yoga, a fox is playing golf. A nod to the historic Chelsea Porcelain Factory is in there, too.
We caught up with Sabrina next to a roaring log fire at The Builders Arms—a cozy pub just off King’s Road—to sip coffee and talk about life in Chelsea.
Alice: Where else would you go to enjoy a coffee with friends?
Sabrina: “The garden at The Phene. Their weekend brunch is the best and it’s served till 5pm. My favourite is the avocado on toast with a poached egg and an Americano, it’s the perfect pick-me-up after a night out. It has heaters for the winter with big white umbrellas to keep you dry, great comfortable seating—some swinging chairs—and looks beautiful in the summer.”
Alice: How do you get sweaty in this neighbourhood?
Sabrina: “The Chelsea Embankment, a favourite amongst the area’s running set, is my go-to spot. I like running by the river, around Eel Brook Common and I do my workouts at home. I’m really into my fitness apps at the moment. I love Sworkit Pro and Yoga Studio because I can blast my favourite music, choose exactly what I want to do, for how long and go at my own pace.”
Alice: Where do you head for a post-sweat bite to eat?
Sabrina: “At the moment, my favourite spot is Rabbit (172 Kings Rd.), an English tapas restaurant. The food is so good and wholesome and the brothers who run it are from West Sussex, where I spent my teens, so it’s nice to be able to go somewhere in the middle of Chelsea that reminds me of the traditional pub food down in the country. The menu changes all the time as it’s all seasonal ingredients, primarily from the brother’s farm in West Sussex. The secret is to order a bunch of small dishes for the table to share. Oh, and their Bloody Marys are the best in West London.”
Sabrina is wearing the in heathered grey, a in heathered black and the in black.
Alice: Is there somewhere you secretly haunt that you’ll share?
Sabrina: “The Chelsea Physic Garden. I first discovered this little gem when my mother and stepfather had their wedding reception there back in the 90’s. It was summer and the garden was beautiful. It’s Britain’s second oldest botanical garden and has a statue of Sir Hans Sloan, who brought drinking hot chocolate to the UK from Jamaica. As an avid hot chocolate drinker I feel I have a lot to thank him for. Also, I love The Tangerine Dream Café—unbeatable for a summer’s day afternoon tea out on the terrace.”
Alice: How would you describe your style?
Sabrina: “Very laid back. If I don’t feel comfortable wearing it, then I’m probably not leaving the house. I think because I’m tall (6’2”), I let my height do all the talking and what I’m wearing take a back seat. If I’m going out, I always veer as close to smasual (translation: smart/casual) as I can get away with. Heels aren’t a no-no, but I want to be able to walk, dance and run if need be.”
Alice: What lululemon product have you put to the test that stands out for you?
Sabrina: “It would have to be the jogging trousers ( ). When I heard that they would be long enough to go down to my ankle I was in disbelief—and they do.* They’re so comfy and I love the pockets, which are so useful. If I get up in the morning and put on my gym clothes, even if I’m busy that morning and don’t have time to workout, I’m ten times more likely to work out later in the day than if I had to go home and change.” You can wear lululemon as your normal day clothes with trainers, and then simply change your shoes and put on a nice jacket and you’re ready for a night out.”
*quite alright, women under 6’2”, we also offer free hemming in our stores.
We’re opening on January 23 at Come and hang with us!
Alice describes herself as a style magpie, attracted to anything sartorial that’s shiny and unique. She runs a blog called Street Style Stalker, which focuses on inspiring people, documenting their thoughts on style. Follow along her journey on Instagram.
