So guys, I don’t want you to freak out or anything, but this weekend I found the BEST charity shop in London, and possibly the world! Jade from Fertha kindly invited me in to have a look around and I fell in LOVE with her stock. It’s in Notting Hill (36 Hereford Road, W2 5AJ) and is right round the corner from Elle Macpherson and the Beckhams (#celebspotting). I assumed it’d be expensive because of the area, but things were priced extremely reasonably (even for tight fisted me!). It’s pronounced the same as ‘further’ – as in making your clothes’ lifecycle go further, your budget stretch further, and charities’ work reach further via extra income! Basically 100% guilt free shopping all round. In this post I’m going to show you all round the shop, and some gorgeous pieces I spotted – which will definitely make you want to take the first train to Notting Hill and check it out.
Here’s Jade – the owner. She has amazing customer service and will make sure you don’t leave disappointed! She sources all the clothes herself and works on/at the shop 7 days a week. She was so passionate about changing the image of charity shops, and bringing people affordable luxury – we immediately clicked! The concept of Fertha is totally unique – it supports three different charities and is owned by her. So, each week she goes to the warehouses/shops of each charity and picks some pieces she adores, then when they sell she passes the money back to them. It means that shops which couldn’t afford a space in Notting Hill, or aren’t experts in interior design and merchandising, get access to this gorgeous shop and it’s stylish customers. You can also donate directly to the shop and choose which charity you want your sales to go to.
inside the shop
As any thrifting male will know – it’s almost impossible to find a decent menswear charity shop…. but of course Fertha has gorgeous menswear! The selection was almost as large as the ladies’, and had some stunning unique pieces from the Clic Sargent ‘Fix Up Look Sharp’ collection where they recycle waste fabrics into amazing new clothes. 
Now – onto ladies wear! The shop isn’t huge, so every items there has a purpose. The price range was impressive – from £5 to £60, but all far lower than I expected for the postcode and the quality. For example – the monochrome Fit Flop horsehair loafers above were just £15 and as good as new! 
Everything is beautifully displayed, uncluttered, while both calming and exciting! I went round the whole shop several times and kept discovering more gems. Jade has a fantastic eye so everything is wearable and flattering, but also totally on trend. She’s very price conscious and wants everyone to find something they can take home and love. It’s all about raising money for charity, and not just a museum of clothes that no one buys.
I even spotted a little Mary Portas (with the tags on!) – surely a sign from the gods that this place would have her approval. 
The interior design was really clean and minimal, with fun quirks dotted around. I particularly fell in love with the antique mannequin in the window, and all the red painted accents throughout. Nothing distracts from the clothes, but just adds an air of glamour and excitement. 
Some of the clothes!
The first item I fell in love with was this denim dropped waist dress. I love the denim trend but it can be a bit heavy, whereas this dress had a light silky feel to it, and was just so effortless to wear. It looked great with my silver converse trainers, but also dressed up to an ‘I woke up like this’ evening look with these amazing black strappy heels. The dress is H&M and £14, while the shoes were brand new (with tags) Zara for £18!
Next I went for the skirt that EVERYONE on Instagram and blogs seems to be wearing – the button down denim. This went perfectly with a see through summer cami and some statement sunglasses. I felt girly and on trend and ready to explore London! The vest is £7 (Zara), skirt £6 (H&M), sunglasses £11 and lace cream shoes £18 (Dune). 
Next up was the perfect leather jacket. I find leather jackets a bit tricky as I’m SO not a biker chick type – but this one had the draped waterfall front, and seemed more elegant and grownup than a biker version. It’s by Muubaa and was £34. And yep – that’s normally a £300 jacket!
I also loved this silky ‘cold shoulder’ top, and paired it with shorts from a short+jacket set where the jacket was too big. You might recognise these shoes from earlier – I never knew Fit Flop had done such a stylish range (sooooo comfy!).
Top: £8, Shorts £28 (with jacket), Loafers £15. 
Finally – the ‘piece de resistance’ is this jawdropping feather and lace dress. As you can see it’s WAY too big for me so sadly I couldn’t take it home, but it’s going to be a wardrobe centrepiece for whichever lucky person snaps it up. I styled it with my silver converses for a fun attention-grabbing day look, but of course it’d be also be wonderful for a glamorous evening event…. or if you want to outshine a bride on her big day! #sorrynotsorry
This dress is from Alice + Olivia is BRAND NEW and will cost you just £60. Alice + Olivia cocktail dresses range from £300-900 so this deal is literally insane. I am so gutted it didn’t fit… but now one of you lovely readers can snap it up!
If you like what you see (which you’d be mad not to!) make sure you also follow them on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
So, next time you’re in London, or fancy a charity shop adventure, I’d 100% recommend Fertha (and make sure you say Hi to Jade for me!). The charities they support are Sense, Clic Sargent, and Rennie Grove hospice, and they’re open from Tuesday-Saturday 10-6 and Sundays 11-5.
This place is certainly not to be missed, and next week I’ll be sharing with you guys the amazing 3 outfits that I took home with me! Watch this space…
Wow ! I would’ve never expected a charity shop in Notting Hill! I’m going to London next weekend, must try check it out! You may like this post on swap-shopping https://joyofblogs.wordpress.com/2015/08/13/swap-shopping/, even cheaper than charity shopping!
Ooo awesome – will check it out! Looking forward to hearing what you find at Fertha