VFD (formerly Vogue Fabrics) Formerly: Vogue Fabrics

A disco/art/fashion-minded, zero-decor basement club on the border of Hackney/Dalston and Stoke Newington, its mystique enhanced by semi-regular hot and sweaty dance nights marked by tickling conceptual baggage. This is an intimate space with a small but buzzy dance area; it feels a bit like someone's living room, but with a DJ. VFD owner and fashion/costume designer Lyall Hakaraia lives close by with an eye on the festivities: "We're a roleplay pitstop; a Haberdashery Hacienda by day, by night a cultural Helter Skelter, showcasing the creative hub of East London with the very best in music, performance and mayhem." VFD is drag- and transgender-friendly, and compatible with its more high-octane neighbour Dalston Superstore [see entry], just a few minutes' walk away, among the area's many Turkish food outlets. Check website for its twisted spectrum of themes and audiences. Started in 2011 as Vogue Fabrics, and in the summer of 2015 changed its name to VFD (Vogue Fabrics Dalston). Warning: it's kinda difficult to spot. Sympathetic locals include Dalston Superstore (117 Kingsland High St) and the Divine (33 Stoke Newington Rd). [see entries]. Overground stations: Dalston Kingsland and Dalston Junction. Tube station: Highbury & Islington, then a nine-minute bus ride.