Paddington Shopping

Designers, boutiques and markets

Ask anyone about their first impressions of Paddington, or Paddo to the locals, and they’d probably say ‘sophisticated’ or ‘cool’. Paddington’s designer strip is all about exclusivity, luxury and bespoke shopping. All bets are off in the market across the street though where it’s easy to snap up a cool outfit, piece of jewellery or handmade bag at prices that won’t hurt your hip pocket.

In fact, Paddington Markets is Sydney’s longest-running community market. It began in 1973 in the heritage-listed sandstone Paddington Uniting Church, and was always a place for artists and designers to mingle and flog their wares. Over the years, it’s provided a platform for everyone from Lisa Ho to Dinosaur Designs – and today, the big, bustling open-air weekend market still offers a place for emerging talent in design, art and fashion. Every Saturday morning, shoppers from all over Sydney come to browse over 250 stalls, which sell everything from contemporary fashion and jewellery to retro homewares and original art.

Antique shops can be found in Paddington’s backstreets. Juniper Hall, on Oxford Street, has lovely antique pieces for sale. The building is beautiful in its own right; owner Robert Cooper had the hall built for his third wife on the promise that it would be the ‘finest house in Sydney’. He wasn’t far wrong.

Old favourites on Paddington’s designer strip include Charlie Brown, Sass & Bide and Alannah Hill. Don’t miss Ginger and Smart, recently accredited with Ethical Clothing Australia and Lucette, for its original prints, silk fabrics, embellished detailing and boho style. Come As You Are is great for denim labels, and High Tea with Mrs Woo sells cool clothes and paper goods.

Paddington’s William Street also lures savvy shoppers with hip boutiques like Jac+Jack, Mauourg, The Corner Shop and Elegantly Scant. Just William Chocolates has delicious hand-made chocolates while Andrew McDonald makes beautiful leather shoes for men and women. The Intersection Co-op on the corner of Glenmore and Oxford streets is also worth a visit.  The big names here include some of Australia's best fashion talent - Sass and Bide, Willow, Ksubi, Scanlan and Theodore.