New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- The minimalist jacket, but for panels that resembled medieval armour-styled breastplates, seemed to have a halo all its own. In papal white, it belonged on the catwalk-but for its price tag. Marked down by about 75%, I bought it for the equivalent of Rs.3,225. In the same Zara store on Kensington High Street, an energetic Indian sales assistant was acting as a personal shopper to a 60-something man who had accumulated a pile of purchases.

Welcome to the London summer sale, a sweet spot of bargains and thoughtful service in what is ordinarily one of the priciest cities in the world. Before I left Zara that morning, I bought a linen double-breasted blazer for less than Rs.6,000. In London's ubiquitous charity stores, m...