Carnaby Shopping Party

Anyone with a serious interest in fashion should hotfoot it to Carnaby Street on 2 May when it will be hosting a 20% Off Shopping Party. From 5 to 9pm, shoppers can enjoy a 20% discount in more than 100 shops, restaurants and bars in and around Carnaby. Register for a free ticket here.

Designers at Greenwich Market

A glittering collective of designers will be showing off their talents at Greenwich Market as part of Craft & Design Month. Wood turners, jewellers, knitters, quilters, print makers, felters and blacksmiths will all be available to give inspirational advice and show you how it’s done at A Subtlety of Designers. If you’re feeling creative, you can have a go yourself! 4-6 May

New Shops at Seven Dials

New pop-up shop alert! Accessories and jewellery brand Moxham is hosting a temporary shop in Monmouth Street, Seven Dials in Covent Garden from 29 April until 24 May. Expect leather and metal cuffs, necklaces and body pieces, all of which will be handcrafted at the store. Open on 27 April is Spanish menswear shop El Ganso, which will be stashed with bright shirts, shorts, tailored blazers and smart suits.

Soho Flea Market

Start saving up your pennies for the Soho Flea Market on 2 June, where you’ll find creative stalls aplenty. Hyped as “London’s most glamorous flea market”, shoppers can get their mitts on everything from art prints to vintage clothes, furniture to ceramics. And to top it all off, emerging music and comedy acts will be performing on an outdoor stage. We can’t wait!

From shop openings to designer sales, here are this week’s top London shopping news stories:

New shops for Carnaby Street
Start flexing your credit card because a slew of under-the-radar labels are opening up in Carnaby Street, in London’s West End. Here’s a sneak peak:

Iconic French fashion label Eleven Paris is opening its first UK store on 25 April. Inspired by music and art, the shop is launching with a campaign fronted by brooding rock star and style icon Lenny Kravitz. British design icon Paul Smith is also opening a store in Carnaby Street this month.

Women can treat themselves to a glam-over at make-up giant Benefit’s one-off beauty emporium, which is opening in June with a champagne bar, blow-dry bar, nail bar and treatment rooms offering waxing and spray tanning. Men, meanwhile, can enjoy a touch of old-school barbering at Pankhurst London’s first-ever flagship barbershop in the Newburgh Quarter. With Steve McQueen plastered on the walls and Sinatra providing the soothing soundtrack, men can be expertly groomed in style.

Follow in the dapper footsteps of rock gods David Bowie and Led Zeppelin by swinging by shoe legend Terry de Havilland’s new store, which opens in the Newburgh Quarter on 25 April. The shops homes winkle pickers, bespoke platform picture wedges, 80s platform sandals and stiletto mules.

Designer Labels at Charity Fashion Evenings

Calling all label lovers! Designer and vintage fashion fans can get their mitts on original pieces from the likes of Givenchy, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin, Dolce and Gabbana and Ossie Clark. The items will be on sale at two special shopping events at the Octavia Foundation’s Charity shops on the Brompton Road and Fulham Road. Guests will be treated to special offers and refreshments. 5-8pm on Thursday 18 April at Octavia Foundation Brompton Road. Thursday 16 May at Octavia Foundation Fulham Road. RSVP info@octaviafoundation.org.uk

Shop Openings at Westfield
Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva has launched a new kiosk at White City’s Westfield Shopping Centre. Melt-in-the-mouth treats on sale include biscuits, carrés, chocolate spread and gold gift boxes. Also opening this weekend is fashion-forward shoe and accessories brand Mascotte.

Rock Photography Pop-up at Seven Dials
Rock photography store Rockarchive has opened a pop-up shop and exhibition in Monmouth Street. The space is showcasing never-seen-before photos and iconic rock images of legends like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. Open until 27 April.

As London Fashion Week draws to a close, the spectacular Somerset House will morph into a giant shopping extravaganza for London Fashion Weekend (21-24 Feb). You can experience the buzz of the city’s biggest week of fashion by enjoying glamorous catwalk shows, insider talks and pop-up designer sales. The event is a shopaholic’s dream with more than 100 British designers selling one-off pieces, as well as their spring/summer 2013 collections at heavily discounted prices. Don’t leave without nabbing your free Radley bag! Tickets from £15.50.

Speaking of bags, The Cambridge Satchel Company has opened up its first-ever stand-alone store in Seven Dials, Covent Garden. Located at 15 Shorts Gardens, the former pop-up store offers quirky leather satchels, inspired by 1970s-style satchels, in an eye-popping array of styles and colours. If you want to personalise your bag, you can have your initials embossed on one.

British accessories brand Jack French London has launched a new pop-up shop at St Pancras Station. To celebrate the launch, the brand has created a limited edition St. Pancras bag. The deep-red bag reflects the colour of the station’s pipes, walls and tiles. Open until 13 March.

Are you passionate about popcorn? Then swing by the recently-opened Pop, Europe’s first popcorn boutique in Blenheim Crescent in fashionable Notting Hill, which produces an ever-changing popcorn menu. Forget sweet or salty, customers can munch on popcorn flavoured with orange caramel and chocolate, Bloody Mary, chilli and cheese, and English toffee and sea salt. Pop also sells a selection of cult drinks and sodas from the US, including A&W Root Beer, Vanilla Coke and Grape Soda.

If like me, you have a sweet tooth, Divine Chocolate is celebrating Fairtrade Fortnight with a pop-up shop in Seven Dials, Covent Garden (25 Feb-10 Mar). Expect lashings of chocolate to try, including Divine’s Easter range and new chocolate bar flavours, as well as a photography exhibition, Azonto Ghanaian dance lessons and the chance to meet some cocoa farmers.

Cambridge Satchel Company Opens Debut Seven Dials Store
If, like me, you’re a fan of the Cambridge Satchel Company, you’ll be thrilled to hear the brand is opening its first standalone store in Seven Dials. Located on Short Gardens, the store will open in two phases: first as a pop-up store on Saturday this week in time for Christmas, and open until January. Then the rest of the shop will be completed in time for London Fashion Week in Feburary, where they’ll have an exclusive Bloggers Lounge. I’m really looking forward to this one.

Zaeem Jamal Opens New Kings Road Boutique
And here’s another store with a split opening, combining Christmas and London Fashion Week. Luxury eveningwear brand Zaeem Jamal opens its new flagship boutique on London’s Kings Road today, coinciding with the area’s late-night Christmas shopping evening. However the official celebrity launch is planned for London Fashion Week in February, where the brand will also launch a bespoke shoe service. Pop in to peruse the boutique’s two floors, with the ground floor dedicated to ready-to-wear dress, gown and accessories collections, while the lower section features a swish private bespoke area and suite.

Harvey Nicks Jewellery Designer Showcase: 6 Dec
Head to Harvey Nichols on Thursday between 7pm and 9.30pm for a special evening showcasing their beautiful jewellery collections. Enjoy up to 20% off on the evening, plus sip on complimentary Champagne and sample funky bejewelled canapes while you shop for that perfect Christmas gift. Stylist Melissa Lund will be on hand, running a Jewellery Clinic offering top tips on how to wear this season’s key trends, stones and colours. Make sure you RSVP: eventsrsvp@harveynichols.com

Quintessentially British Christmas Shopping on Sloane Street
On 6, 13 and 20 December, there’ll be special shopping events taking place on Sloane Street. Look out for a host of traditionally uniformed British butlers. Lining either side of the street between Basil and Pont Streets, the butlers will be on hand to open car doors, guide visitors into stores and provide information about Sloane Street’s luxury retailers. In full uniform and holding umbrellas, the butlers will act as beautifully dressed beacons on wintry evenings, welcoming all Christmas shoppers to the street.

Dr Martens Opens Carnaby Street Store

Selfridges Opens World’s Largest Men’s Shoe Department
Staying with shoes, Selfridges opened the largest men’s shoe department in the world last week. The new 15,000 square foot men’s footwear department features more than 250 brands, as well as a made-to-order shoe salon, a salon dedicated to driving shoes, bespoke brand boutiques and a space dedicated to pop-up shops. One of the first designers set to take advantage of the new set-up is Christian Louboutin, who will showcase his men’s collection in a dedicated boutique next February. I think the idea of being able to create bespoke shoes including selecting the leather, the colour, the sole type and the stitching, from brands such as Church’s, Tods, Tom Ford, Ferragamo, Kurt Geiger and Prada sounds like such a fantastic luxury. Enjoy, boys!

New Alice and Olivia Boutique Celebrates Thanksgiving in Harvey Nichols
Celebrate Thanksgiving in Harvey Nichols with the brand new Alice and Olivia boutique this Thursday. The funky American womenswear brand launched its new boutique earlier in the month, and is now offering shoppers complimentary strawberry bellinis and sweet treats, as well as a limited edition American flag scarf with every purchase on Thursday 22 November between 12-8pm.

Musto Opens in Seven Dials
The London 2012 Olympic legacy lives on as performance brand Musto opens a new shop in Seven Dials. Founded in 1965 by Olympic athlete Keith Musto (after participating in the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo) and endorsed by elite athletes including Zara Phillips, Musto have been making sailing, equestrian and outdoor clothing for more than 40 years. The new Musto store will offer collections from their Autumn/Winter Men’s Lifestyle, Sailing and Evolution ranges. As well as the high-tech sailing and rambling stuff, look out for sailing-inspired clothing including chunky knitwear and jumpers, comfortable fleeces and sweatshirts, sturdy coats as well as accessories and luggage. Look out for the new shop at 27 Neal Street in Seven Dials.

London Turns On Its Christmas Lights
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Central London! This is the big week for London’s Christmas lights. Following Harrods’ Christmas Parade last week, look out for festive twinkles coming to Oxford Street, Regent Street, Carnaby, Covent Garden, Westfield, and Greenwich Market to name but a few. From now until Christmas, shopping in London after dark will be a real treat as all the main shopping areas show off their finest festive trimmings. Enjoy!

Superga Opens in Carnaby
Italian shoe brand Superga has opened its second London store. Superga’s trademark vulcanized rubber soles can now be browsed and bought at 13 Newburgh Street in Carnaby. The brand was born back in 1911 Turin under the stewardship of Walter Martiny. After the war Superga reopened with a new mission to bring high-quality footwear to the people of Italy. Look out for the 2750, the so-called “People’s Shoe of Italy”. British Superstar Rita Ora is the face of their Spring/Summer 2013 campaign; if you can’t wait til then, pop into the new Carnaby store for fantastic shoes galore.

Lucy in Disguise Launches The Drama Parlour
On Thursday there’s a new hair studio opening inside Lucy in Disguise in Lexington Street. Billed as a one-stop shop and salon, tucked away in the eclectic comfort of the vintage boutique, you can have your hair tamed, teased and whipped into shape by Victoria Saunders, with her individual, one-to-one service. Working alongside her will be Sarah Hill, a fantastic hairdresser, if you are bored with your barnet or frustrated with your fringe, the Hair Mistress and team are here to revamp and revitalize your look! There will also be a “Menu of Make-up looks” inspired by styles from the 1920s to the 1960s for you to choose from, created by make-up artist Holy Silius. Click here to find out more.

Keith Brymer Jones in Seven Dials
Another week; another fab Seven Dials pop-up shop. This time, British ceramicist Keith Brymer Jones is showcasing his full collection of beautiful, useable and practical objects at 15 Shorts Gardens. I really like his Word Collection: classic typewriter font stamped objects, with honest descriptors like “coffee” or “bowl”, and more quirky statements like “don’t panic” and “overworked and underpaid”. Look out, too, for the Punk range, where famous rock quotes are cleverly re-worded (“Sex, Mugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll”), and printed on safety-pin pierced mugs. As well as plates and mugs, the pop-up stocks baby gifts, pet bowls, kitchen items like aprons and jugs. There’s also the first home fragrance collection from the brand including soaps, scent diffusers and candles. Keith Brymer Jones is in Seven Dials until 27 November.

Carl Warner at Westfield Stratford City
If you’re shopping at Westfield Stratford this weekend, don’t miss your chance to check out some free food art while you’re there. Food artist and photographer Carl Warner will be at Westfield Stratford City from today until Sunday 11 November. Carl will also be making an appearance, showing how he puts his work together in a series of demonstrations from Friday to Sunday, between 1pm-5pm each day in the Great Eastern Market on the Lower Ground Floor.

 Click here for more images and info.

J M Weston Opens Jermyn Street Boutique

French footwear brand J M Weston’s new flagship has slotted into Jermyn Street between some very chic neighbours: Church’s, Tricker’s and Crockett & Jones. J M Weston, which was founded in 1891, is the only shoe-maker in the world to own two tanneries, one responsible for leather uppers and one for soles. Inside, the store has a Parisian apartment feel, with parquet floors and mirrors. Look out for curios from artistic director Michel Perry’s travels around the world – tribal sculptures, vintage globes and glossy picture books. The company also offers a made-to-measure shoe service for those of you who prefer your footwear bespoke.

Cro’Jack Comes to Seven Dials
From Wednesday, British menswear label Cro’Jack opens on Monmouth Street, bringing authentic British textile tailoring at affordable prices to Seven Dials. Cro’Jack is the brainchild of Dean Batty and Daljit Mehat, who have extensive experience in the textile industry and decided to establish their own clothing collection, to supply first-class clothing manufactured in the UK to discerning customers. The long-term pop-up will be available until the 31 March next year. Might be worth thinking about for that difficult-to-buy-for brother/uncle come Christmas time…

Michael Jackson Exhibition at Westfield
If you’re a Michael Jackson fan and you’re in Westfield Stratford City over the next month, you might want to pop into the Getty Images Gallery on The Street to see some of Michael Jackson’s costumes. Presented by Jackson’s long-term costume designers Michael Bush and Dennis Tompkins, the exhibition is part of a worldwide tour of items from the King of Pop’s personal and performance wardrobes. Highlights include the famous crystal-covered glove, the complete “Scream” video outfit, and a suit from the 1987 Smooth Criminal video. Book your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment.

Plan Ahead: M&S and Oxfam Host Live Knitting Installation
Finally, you can celebrate Wool Week with a live knitting installation at the Marble Arch Marks & Spencer next week. New York artist Andrew Salomone, who is famed for mixing computer technology and traditional knitting craft, will be knitting on jumpers donated to Oxfam through the sustainable fashion partnership Shwopping. Salomone will be producing designs tweeted @shwopping using the hashtag #woolweek by members of the public. Find out more here.

London’s best stores and shopping districts are taking part in Fashion’s Night Out on Thursday 6 September: a celebration of shopping that runs all over the world. If you’re into shopping, you don’t want to miss this! Here are some of London’s highlights:

Seven Dials
Seven Dials will be celebrating Fashion’s Night Out with complimentary drinks, makeovers and special offers across many of Seven Dials’ beauty salons, fashion and lifestyle stores and restaurants. Seven Dials is a really lovely area for shopping in London, so make sure you take advantage of the freebies on offer.

John Lewis Oxford Street
Top London department store John Lewis Oxford Street is also joining in with Fashion’s Night Out. John Lewis is displaying the exclusive new Somerset by Alice Temperley collection in a live catwalk show between 6 and 9pm. There’ll be a DJ in store creating the perfect fashion party atmosphere, while you can enjoy delicious Charbonnel & Walker chocolates and a complimentary drink. And the John Lewis Beauty hall will be full to the brim with this season’s key products, ready to create wonderful new looks. I can’t think of a better excuse for an early evening make-over before heading out into London’s West End!

Liberty
At Liberty, you’ll have the chance to meet Jonathan Saunders who’ll be in store running a photobooth where you can get involved in #showusyoursaunders: pose in your finest Jonathan Saunders wares for a photo with the man himself. In addition, Roksanda Ilincic will be signing exclusive hand-drawn sketches of her AW collection for you, and working with her muse and model Jade Parfitt. Jade will be on hand to model Roksanda’s designs and advise you on your purchases. Head up to the Shoe Lounge on the first floor where there’ll be a Victorian Fun Fare-styled photobooth where you can pose for photos in funky masks and accessories. If you’re a scarf fan, don’t miss the Liberty scarf styling team on the ground floor, who’ll be demonstrating a myriad of ways to wear your finest Liberty scarves. On the same floor, you can visit hair colourist Josh Wood and his team, who’ll be taking over the Liberty beauty hall. Finally, Cointreau has created a special cocktail menu to celebrate FNO, exclusively for Liberty shoppers, which you can sample in the Cointreau satellite cocktail bar on the first floor.

UGG Australia Piccadilly
Take a trip to NYC via the UGG store on Piccadilly on Fashion’s Night Out. For one night only, UGG will channel Manhattan with NYC-inspired treats for customers on the night. All shoppers on the night will receive an exclusive UGG Australia shopper with any purchase to carry their goodies home, while a DJ will spin iconic New York-themed songs to get shoppers in the Empire State of Mind; and the apple-flavoured cocktails will also give you a real “taste” of the Big Apple! Finally, there’ll be a classic yellow New York cab parked outside the store, where shoppers can enter hourly competitions to win all of the UGG goodies stowed in its “trunk”. Simply pick a car key from the basket in-store and if your key fits the lock, then the “booty” is yours!

Watch this space for more info on Fashion’s Night Out. Or you can follow them on facebook or on twitter with the #FNO hashtag

Give yourself something to look forward to after Christmas with our competition to win a day out in Seven Dials, Covent Garden.

One lucky winner will win £150 of shopping vouchers to spend in the shops of Seven Dials in the New Year.

The prize also includes cocktails and canapés for two at Brasserie Max at the Covent Garden Hotel - just what you need after a hard day’s shopping!

You’ll also get a complimentary blow dry at top hair salon Adee Phelan, so you’ll have a new  ’do to go with all your new stuff!

Enter now to win shopping and pampering in Seven Dials, Covent Garden

At the end of a relationship, both parties are left with a certain amount of emotional and physical baggage, and it’s often difficult to know what to do with the latter. The Museum of Broken Relationships aims to relieve the heartbroken of that dilemma, by allowing the public to donate their souvenirs of lost love and “overcome emotional collapse through creation”.

The award-winning Museum of Broken Relationships has travelled all over the world, and also has a permanent home in Zagreb, Croatia. The travelling exhibition has now arrived in London. For a nosy person like me, the opportunity to get a glimpse into other people’s relationships was too good to miss, so I went along last night.

The exhibition takes place in two venues in Seven Dials. Most of the objects on display aren’t particularly interesting themselves – we’ve all seen SIM cards, cuddly toys and shoes before – but the stories that accompany them and the reason for their significance are.

The objects become a metaphor for the whole relationship – a piano given as an extravagant gift during a short and passionate affair, a second-hand frisbee given as a birthday present by a less-than-enthusiastic boyfriend, and a bike used on long rides to get away from a deteriorating relationship.

I liked the layout of the exhibition. The first venue, at the Tristan Bates Theatre used low lighting, music and paper cuttings interspersed with the objects to create a poignant atmosphere. You could even leave your own messages and feelings about the exhibition on a blackboard outside. The second venue, in Earlham Street, was harshly lit and I thought this matched the exhibits, which seemed to have more bitter stories attached to them.

Some people might find the subject matter depressing, but I left feeling quite uplifted. Some of the relationships had ended well, some badly, some people were clearly still very affected by what had happened. But all of them had taken a positive step to put the past behind them and you could almost feel their sigh of relief at finally getting rid of something that had been bothering them for a long time.

The Museum of Broken Relationships, until 4 September 2011, Tristan Bates Theatre, entry £3.50