Velvet

One of my fave shops in Hove, I never leave empty handed, even when I convince myself I’m only going in to browse!
Velvet has an eclectic mix of fashion, home ware and gifts and its one of those places where you can find new and cool things that you can’t pick up elsewhere. Some of the clothes are a little random and it can be pricey, however, I did pick up a great pair of boots for £40 the other day.
I will often pop in here when looking for a gift for a friend and often come out with presents for myself as well!
The staff can be a little surly at times but on the whole its a much better shopping experience than you will find at any of the chain stores.

I actually can’t walk around the laines of Brighton without popping into Velvet. It has so many cute little furnishings from mirrors and clocks to wall hangs and gifts. It’s decorated with something everywhere you look.
This shop is simply full of charm. Although I’ve never bought any, they also sell a selection of elegant and pretty looking clothes here. It’s fairly pricey but if you want something delightful for your house or are looking for a sweet gift for a friend, this is the perfect place to go. It’s a little on the pricey side but if you go in you’ll see why. However it’s usually pretty busy so you can easily go in and browse without feeling awkward or pressured to buy anything. Overall, a splendid little shop to look around.

Selling an eclectic range of products, Velvet is like Marmite for most people. If you like to compartmentalise the shops you visit this won’t be for you, however, if you’re up for roaming round a well-​designed, non-​discriminatory shop full of interesting gifts, furniture and clothes then Velvet will surely satisfy. As my girlfriend once said, «Velvet helps you get in touch with your inner princess.» Apparently the clothes are well-​selected and stylish but can often verge on high fashion and thus feature a sizeable price tag. In terms of home furnishings it all gets very kitsch but as they sell everything from coat racks to welcome mats you’ll probably find something nice for your pad. Perhaps a little confused Velvet tries to hit the just above mid-​range home and fashion markets but charges a price worthy of more. It’s no doubt a great place but is ultimately a little disappointing, as they could easily stock some more interesting goods and play more to the popular kitsch market.

This is great if you need a one stop shop for some last minute gifts, especially in the Chistmas run up. Unfortunately though, like Sarah-​Jane, I just don’t find much charm in this place. You’ll find those gifts that were quirky a few years ago but have popped up everywhere in the last couple of years and somewhat lost it — think flowery tools and retro signs for the house, as well as cutesy notebooks and dangly things galore. You may find the odd thing that’ll catch your eye, but when everyone else has that ohso gorgeous vintage french vanity set it just feels a bit sad. Do check out the clothes though — the prices are okay, particularly the shoes, (say £15 for some pumps or £45 for some boots) — they’re not great quality but there’s a range you might not have seen elsewhere in the North Laine.

Am I the only person in Brighton that refuses to be charmed and seduced by Velvet?
I’ve been in to both the shop in the Lanes and this large, warehouse-​style shop in Hove on a handful of occasions and I never see anything I’d want to take home. Their selling point seems to be that they sell vintage style furniture that falls into three categories; the French look, the modern British /​open plan living look and American retro. The problem is, the chairs, sofas, wardrobes and cabinets they sell don’t even look slightly authentic to me, they look like cheap copies. If I wanted to replicate one of the three looks, I’d rather go to a genuine antique shop that sells original and salvaged furniture.
Bizarrely, the one thing this shop has got right is clothes. To the back of the floor, there’s a small selection of beautiful, brightly coloured womenswear including designer silk dresses, summery skirts, jackets and accessories. Most of the ones I liked were too petite for my curvy figure but in a parallel universe, I’d probably pick up a few holiday clothes from here.
Shame about the furniture and lighting…

From the outside Velvet could vaguely be confused for a vintage store. The ornaments and furniture do certainly have a vintage feel, however, on closer inspection, you’d hope that this isn’t a vintage store. This is down to the prices, which fall into the higher end category with a chest of drawers costing up to £399 and an armchair £549, which out price a lowly graduate like me. Despite these prices, there is definitely a feeling that a) you are buying something of high quality, and b) you are not going to see one of these in every student house you enter. The vintage/​traditional look is not to my personal taste, but there are definitely some finds here if you have just bought a house and have a large budget to make it your own.