It’s no secret that London Fashion Week is the place to find the Next Big Thing on the catwalk. From Galliano to McQueen, Vivienne to Stella, the capital has a knack for nurturing fashion’s fledgling talent. It follows, therefore, that London is also the place to hunt out the creations of bright young things before they turn into covetable (and costly) international labels.

When John Galliano sent his graduate collection Les Incroyables down the runway in 1984, Joan Burstein, proprietor of then up-and-coming boutique Browns, promptly snapped up the whole collection – and the rest is fashion history. Galliano might have moved on to Dior in Paris, but London’s reputation for exciting, edgy new designers is still matched by boutiques offering a unique shopping experience, if you know where to look.

This was the starting point for My Sugarland in Farringdon, a boutique owned by stylist-turned-shop keeper Zoe Lem. She set out to create somewhere that inspires rather than intimidates. ‘It’s about finding something new, not the latest must-have that you’ve seen in a magazine,’ she explains. ‘I buy pieces for the shop in the same way that I style for a shoot, so it’s taking on a trend but giving our take on it, it’s about selling ideas rather than saying that this is the one item you have to have.’

Forget status-driven, instantly recognisable logos. Getting into the new designer mindset is about the satisfaction of being ‘in the know’; it’s about wearing a name few have ever heard of. Machine-A, one of a new generation of boutiques, places London’s reputation for edgy, even eyebrow-raising design at the core of its approach. Its artist-designed shop windows are infamous, even in London’s famously unshockable Soho. Highlights include swapping the traditional festive window displays over the Christmas season with hanging bloody heads. But, shock tactics aside, the store’s owner has a serious mission when it comes to maintaining London’s reputation for cutting-edge design. ‘Designs are fresh, new and innovative and you definitely won’t turn up to the party to find someone else wearing the same thing!’ says Machine-A director Stavros Karelis, who boasts new names such as Gemma Slack and Gabriella Marina Gonzalez as visitors to his boutique. ‘As everything is produced on a smaller scale, customers are benefitting from exclusivity; we’re often working with designers to make pieces just for us.’

Of course, it’s worth doing your research. If you’re a label lover looking to dabble in the creations of designers fresh from college, quality might be a concern. But, as Lem points out, with new designers quality tends to be a lot better. ‘Many international designer labels produce their clothes and accessories in far-flung factory locations,’ she explains. ‘When you buy something from a new name, the likelihood is that it is handmade and handfinished by the designer.’

For many of these boutique owners, it’s about giving power back to the designers; not an easy task in these times of multinational luxury conglomerates. ‘We were looking to provide greater opportunities to the plethora of outstanding fashion and design talent that the UK produces,’ explains George Graham, who is behind Notting Hill’s new designer outpost Wolf & Badger.

The boutique allows designers to rent individual shelving or hanging displays, often for a nominal fee, giving them the opportunity to manage their own stock. But it’s not just about philanthropy; savvy shoppers do well out of the arrangement, too. Buying into a small brand can be very rewarding; you may not be buying a status symbol yet, but it may be the next big thing. It’s not only about investing in something beautiful and innovative today, it’s supporting a designer and keeping innovation alive.

Flick through the brand list of many of these boutiques and you won’t necessarily see names you recognise, but that is the point. Like Burstein before them, the overriding priority of the people behind these small shops is to continue London’s reputation for independent design, and give us the opportunity to access them. ‘People in London aren’t scared to experiment and be bold when it comes to creating their own aesthetic,’ says Karelis. And, by nurturing and promoting independent brands, let’s hope these boutiques keep it that way.

In our pick of boutiques below, there’s something for every fashion fanatic:

Dover Street Market

Comme des Garçons designer Rei Kawakubo’s six-storey space aims to recreate the energy of London’s indoor markets. This is the place for newer names that have already had the nod from fashion’s elite, with names like Peter Pilotto and Marios Schwab.

Dover Street Market, 17-18 Dover Street, W1S 4LT, +44 (0)20 7518 0680

Machine-A

Previously a Soho tailor, this boutique showcases the latest hotly tipped young names and is worth visiting for its controversial window displays alone.

Machine-A, 60 Berwick Street, W1F 8SU, +44 (0)20 7998 3385

My Sugarland

With its mix of new designer names and covetable vintage pieces, this boutique is the perfect place to while away an hour – or four.

My Sugarland, 402-404 St John Street, EC1V 4NJ, +44 (0)20 7841 7131

Browns Focus

At the little sister boutique of Browns, exceptional buyers pick out edgier, younger names.

Browns Focus, 38-39 South Molton Street, W1K 5RN, +44 (0)20 7514 0063

Darkroom

Perfectly placed on the brilliant Lamb’s Conduit Street, with fashion accessories displayed against black walls and lampshades, the space doubles as a gallery for art exhibitions.

Darkroom, 52 Lamb’s Conduit Street, WC1N 3LL, +44 (0)20 7831 7244

Labour of Love

Designer-owner Francesca Forcolini brings together a blend of fashion in this eclectic boutique that selects pieces that are classic with a twist.

Labour of Love, 193 Upper Street, N1 1RQ, +44 (0)20 7354 9333

Kokon To Zai

The shop’s creative director, Marjan Pejoski, was behind Björk’s famous swan dress, so it’s perhaps no surprise that the rails are dominated by the weird and wonderful.

Kokon To Zai, 57 Greek Street, W1D 3DX, +44 (0)20 7434 1316

Wolf& Badger

Wolf & Badger, 46 Ledbury Road, W11 2AB, +44 (0)20 7229 5698