Leeds, in some minds, is still synonymous with broad vowels and bluff common sense; with soot blackened brick and back-to-back terraces, whippets, mills, flat caps and Yorkshire pudding.
But over the past decade, this booming northern powerhouse has had a bit of a makeover. No, make that a major makeover. The scale of the transformation is most clearly visible in the city's rapidly changing skyline. Leeds, as the locals proudly tell anyone willing to listen, is the fastest growing city in the UK and a major international player.
In recent years Leeds has been named the UK's Favourite City (Conde Nast), The Best Place in Britain to Live (Urban Behaviours survey), and Number One City for Clubbing (Mixmag Music Dance Awards).
The new however, hasn't completely displaced the old. Contemporary architecture sits cheek-by-jowl with the city's imposing Victorian landmarks. Housed in elegant Grade II listed buildings, The Victoria Quarter in the heart of the city centre is undoubtedly the jewel in Leeds’ crown, a unique shopping development home to 75 of the worlds leading fashion and lifestyle brands including Louis Vuitton, Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry, LK Bennett, Agent Provocateur, All Saints and of course Harvey Nichols. The Victoria Quarter is justifiably renowned as The Knightsbridge of the North and is an essential destination for style-savvy players looking for something different.
