Oxford is perhaps more famous for academia than for fashion, but in this month's In Style magazine the Top of the Shop Award for Best Multi-Label Shop Outside London was awarded to none other than Vanilla, one of Summertown's own clothing shops.

Vanilla owner Renate Beaumont

Of course, this does not come as a surprise to any fashionable female in Oxford, but it did come as a pleasant surprise to the shop's owner, Renate Beaumont: "It was absolutely brilliant…couldn't believe it, absolutely excellent, really lovely and a big party in the next week or two…!"

Renate Beaumont is everything that one would expect the owner of Vanilla to be. She has style, she's worldly and has a wonderful warmth about her. Beaumont has been in the business of fashion for over 16 years and it's obvious from her fabulous array of labels that she knows what she's doing. She carries British designers like Betty Jackson, who pairs tough street-chic with soft feminine touches, John Smedley, who is known for his ingenious knitwear and Antonia Ghazlan, whose lingerie is not only comfortable but feminine and sexy, with liberty prints and florals. Renate carries labels from France and Italy as well - her only criteria is that she love the clothes.

Vanilla store front

When you walk into Vanilla, you feel like you've just entered your very own walk-in closet, complete with a leopard print bench, antique mirrors, a chandelier and to top it all off a delicious pink ceiling. The tempting displays beckon you in, and you just might be offered a coffee or glass of wine. You cannot resist the latest Cacharel shoes and you start to imagine which holiday party you'll wear them to. There's never a need to worry about wearing the same outfit as someone else to a party in Oxford because Renate knows her clientele so well she won't let that happen: "It's personal service; I'm actually buying for our clients now, as I know what they want."

Renate Beaumont wants you to look amazing. Her staff is helpful and friendly. There is no hard sell, they know their merchandise inside out and can dress you for any occasion. Vanilla's clientele ranges from young girls from St Edward's buying little t-shirts to loyal clientele in their glorious seventies.

It's good to know that you don't have to go to London to shop. Oxford has many great clothing stores, catering to everyone from young students looking for hip clubwear to older people looking for elegant eveningwear. With great stores like Vanilla putting Oxford on the fashion map, it's only a matter of time before all the other great fashion shops in Oxford start getting more coverage.