Ulla Johnson on Sloane Street and Chelsea's autumn shop openings
Sloane Street's newest arrival is also one of its most colourful. Ulla Johnson, the New York designer known for rich prints, crafted textiles and feminine tailoring, has opened at 150 Sloane Street, her first store outside the United States. It is the headline of a busy autumn for the streets around Sloane Square, where landlord Cadogan has lined up a series of first-to-UK names.
Inside Ulla Johnson
The store is a corner site with a black-painted façade, designed with Italian architect Giuseppe Porcelli. Inside, a restrained scheme of white, blush and gilt leaves the clothes to supply the colour, which they do generously.
What sets it apart from a standard flagship is the craft programme. Mayfair's Sarah Myerscough Gallery curates a rotating selection of British and international contemporary craft for the space, and the pieces are available to acquire. The opening selection includes a volcanic-rock ceramic vase by Aneta Regel, wooden vessels by the French woodturner Marc Ricourt and a rice-straw and threadwork piece by the Japanese artist ARKO. It suits a designer whose collections have long drawn on painters and makers, with past prints and textiles inspired by the work of Lee Krasner, Anna Zemánková, Shara Hughes and Helen Frankenthaler. The effect is closer to a collector's home than a shop floor, and it rewards an unhurried visit.
On the rails, the autumn and winter 2026 collection brings dressed-up denim, 1970s-inspired trouser suits, feathered party dresses and fringed multicoloured knits, in a palette of oxblood, emerald, cherry red, cerulean and fuchsia.
The wider Sloane Square wave
Cadogan's autumn line-up brings several more names to the neighbourhood:
- DeMellier: the London-founded handbag label is preparing its first physical store, at 34 to 37 Sloane Square, having built its following online and through department stores.
- Ralph Lauren: a new menswear store on Sloane Square, opposite the brand's existing womenswear boutique.
- Sézane: a 3,319 sq ft store at 145 King's Road as part of the French label's UK expansion.
- Otiumberg: the London jewellery brand's first boutique, at 178 King's Road.
- Maison 123: the French womenswear brand's first UK store, at 92 King's Road.
- BYAN and BallereTTe: Spanish womenswear and Italian footwear respectively, both opening their first UK shops on the King's Road.
Why it matters
For Knightsbridge shoppers, the result is a stronger walk south. Sloane Street already holds the big European houses; these openings add younger, more personal labels between Harrods and the King's Road. Our Sloane Street shopping guide maps the established boutiques along the way.
It also reflects a broader pattern. Brands that started online, such as DeMellier, are choosing Chelsea for their first bricks and mortar, which says a good deal about the footfall and the type of shopper the area attracts.
Plan your visit
Ulla Johnson is a short walk from both Knightsbridge and Sloane Square stations, toward the Sloane Square end of the street. Some of the King's Road openings are scheduled for later in the season rather than now, so check each brand's own channels before making a special trip. A weekday morning is the quietest time to browse, and a good moment to see the craft pieces properly.
