A first look at Victoria Gate, Leeds

Just when I was learning where all my favourite shops were in Leeds, a brand new and super amazing shopping centre opens in the city centre. I’m not complaining – the shops are fab and some of my favourite brands are in there.

Step forward & Other Stories, Cos and Anthropologie, not to mention the enormous John Lewis which I have to say I’ve missed since moving to Yorkshire from near Liverpool.

This isn’t a review of the place, I just wanted to share a few photographs I took yesterday while walking round on my lunch break. I’ve been walking past the building a few times a week since the summer, and although not everyone seems to love the exterior I think it’s really striking. The design is supposed to be drawn from the textile heritage of Leeds, the cool white concrete of John Lewis made more striking next to the red brick of Victoria Gate.

Although John Lewis looks pretty smart, it’s the inside of the Victoria Gate arcades that really blew me away. I must have come out with about 20 photos of the ceiling – the light, the lines, the shiny floor, everything is just so beautiful to look at.

It kind of echoes the style of the Victoria Quarter across the road but in a more modern way.

I walked round for a bit and had a browse in some of the shops, namely two which I love looking at online having never been into their actual shops – Anthropologie and & Other Stories.

I could have bought everything in & Other Stories and was particularly taken with a red and purple dress in the window, but I managed to restrain myself and just window shop for now.

Above picture by Tom Airey

I had to seriously rein it in with the candles in Anthropologie, the ones in the brass boxes made to look like apples and pears would look great in my Instagram shots, but they were £20 each so I might just put one on my Christmas list instead!

The only downside to Victoria Gate that I can see is the temptation it’s going to give me every time I leave the office at lunchtime.

But at least I’ll have good clothes… and candles. Don’t forget the candles.

x Julia