Inside the Belmont Park Village and Bicester Village Shopping Centers

Before visiting, I had heard about Belmont Park Village. A slew of fashion insiders I know in New York had documented their trips, scooping up designer finds from the likes of Thom Browne and Vivienne Westwood. Others, attending Billie Eilish concerts and hockey games. At just a 30-minute drive from NYC, it’s a destination I had planned on visiting, and then I was invited to take a trip out myself.

Months before, to really understand the vision for Belmont Park Village, I visited Bicester Village in Oxfordshire, just an hour outside of London. The shopping center was originally opened in 1995, but when I visited, I had the feeling that it could have been opened just months before. The entire place fell shiny and new. The shopping center itself was pristine, as were its bespoke services. To describe it as the antithesis of any outlet experience I’ve had prior would be an understatement. It was white glove in every way. Ahead, more on my experience at Belmont Park Village and Bicester Village.

Inside Belmont Park Village

As I arrived to Belmont Park Village, I was whisked into ‘The Apartment’, where I met with a concierge and was clued into special services such as personal styling and hand-free shopping, where bags are delivered at to you at the end of the day rather than having to carry them around after purchases.

I was able to discover some incredible pieces at brands including Sunglasses Hut, where I found Tom Ford frames, and Rene Caovilla, where I spotted a pair of special crystal-embellished heels with a coiled ankle strap.

Designers including Valentino and Missoni are among the stand-out stores at Belmont Park Viilage, drawing in-the-know fashion people from the New York style set. This is ushering in a new level of outlet store experience into America.

Inside Bicester Village

Inside Bicester Village, the shopping was as special as the experiences outside of fashion. I dined at Cecconi’s. I visited Max Mara, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Prada, and walked away with some special pieces that will be in my closet forever.

At Bicester Village, I saw the vision for Belmond Park Village—a destination that has the same services, vision, and mindset for a new level of luxury outlet shopping in the U.S.

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear where she oversees luxury, runway content, and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, and Tiffany & Co., and her style has been featured in publications including The New York Times, Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.