Taste of Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen at John Lewis
Fans of Jamie Oliver are in for a treat at John Lewis this week. To celebrate the launch of the new and exclusive Jme and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen product ranges, the Oxford Street store is offering a unique Fifteen dining experience with a menu specifically created by Jamie and his apprentice chefs. To book a table, visit the Bistro or call 020 3073 0626.
25-28 Sep

Book Signings: Kaffe Fassett at Liberty and Jessie J at Waterstones
Artist, designer, and author Kaffe Fassett will be signing not one but three of his best-selling books and reading extracts from “Knitting with the Colour Guys” at Liberty on Wednesday evening this week. More details here. And on Thursday, Jessie J will be signing copies of her autobiography Nice To Meet You at Waterstone’s Piccadilly from 5.30pm. Call Waterstones on 0207 851 2491 for more details.

Harvest Festival Artisan Market at Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum & Mason are celebrating the best of the season with an Artisan Market this weekend. You can meet and learn from F&M’s chutney suppliers in the demonstration kitchen, taste the very best of Fortnum’s savoury preserves and jams, and sample refreshing cordials made from the juiciest fruit in Norfolk’s hedgerows. It’ll also be the time for F&M’s honey harvest, so you can go up to the roof and see the Fortnum & Mason bees hard at work.
28-29 Sep, 11am-5pm

Celebrate Cheaney at Selfridges

Selfridges are helping Northamptonshire heritage brand Cheaney celebrate 125 years of quality English craftsmanship this week. From 29 September to 7 October, there’ll be a special Cheaney space in the Men’s Shoes department, where you can see in-store demonstrations showing the intricacies of how a Cheaney shoe is made. What’s more, receive a complimentary refurbishment voucher worth £90 with any pair of shoes purchased.
29 Sep-7 Oct

Westfield Stratford Attracts a Record 47m Shoppers in its First Year

East London shopping centre Westfield Stratford City has marked its first birthday with record-breaking stats. The 1.9m square-foot shopping centre welcomed 47 million visitors in its opening year; one million within the first seven days of being open! Since then, the shopping centre has attracted around 800,000 shoppers each week. Westfield Stratford was also boosted during the Olympic and Paralympic Games, as the centre was the gateway to the Olympic Park, meaning visits hit 8.5 million during London 2012. So, the Stratford shopping centre has a lot to celebrate. Between 21 and 23 September, there’ll be a whole host of fun events including circus-themed parties, free live entertainment, offers and prize giveaways. Look out for free cupcakes, cake pops, balloons and popcorn, as well as mime artists, magicians and jugglers. Happy 1st Birthday, Westfield Stratford!

Two New Designer Flagship Stores for London’s West End: Burberry and McQ

As London Fashion Week comes to a close, London is left with the legacy of two incredible new flagship stores. Burberry World opened late last week, in a beautiful 1820s building on Regent Street: the largest Burberry store in the world. The store aims to recreate all the elements found on the brand’s online shopping outlet. There are 500 speakers and 100 screens throughout the store, showing original films created in-house at Burberry. Some of the clothes are specially tagged: when you take them into a changing room or near certain screens, you’ll be shown catwalk footage or details about how the product was made. I can’t wait to try this out!

Over on Dover Street, the long-awaited McQ London flagship opened on Friday. The three-storey boutique features Alexander McQueen’s secondary, more affordable label, as well as some of the most spectacular designs from the brand’s former fashion shows. “We want to create a story and a home for McQ and the flagship on Dover Street is an extension of this world,” said Sarah Burton, creative director for the Alexander McQueen brand (and designer of Kate Middleton’s wedding dress, you’ll remember). “The store will offer special catwalk pieces alongside ready-to-wear collections in a rich and immersive McQ environment.” According to Vogue, that means fancy shag pile carpets, suede-walled changing rooms and velvet chairs creating an intimate boudoir feel for the shop.

Meet The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Waterstone’s Piccadilly

 Finally, one for the kids: on Saturday, you can meet The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Waterstone’s Piccadilly. Between 11.30am and 3.30pm, there’ll be fun activities and story time in the bookstore. The Caterpillar himself will be making appearances every hour, and you can even help Waterstone’s make their very own Hungry Caterpillar in store. Call 0207 851 2400 to find out more.

Victoria’s Secret New Bond Street Store Launch: 29 Aug

Sample Sale: 30 Aug-2 Sep
Starting on Thursday, there’s a four-day sample sale of men’s designer shoes, clothes and accessories at the Old Truman Brewery on Hanbury Street, E1. For just £1 admission, you could pick up bargains like Ralph Lauren polo shirts from £60; Ted Baker shirts from £35 and True Religion T-shirts for £29 (RRP £79.) Head along from 1-8pm on Thursday, 1-7pm on Friday, 12-7pm on Saturday and 12-5pm on Sunday to get your hands on some great new clothes for autumn. Visit www.secretsamplesale.co.uk for more information.

Book Signings: 6 Sep
I’ve got two exciting book signings for your diaries, happening next week.

On Thursday 6 September, actress and author Emma Thompson will be in Selfridges signing copies of her new book, The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit. Emma’s book is the 24th tale in the existing collection of Peter Rabbit stories. It is the first time that Frederick Warne has published an additional title to the series which Beatrix Potter wrote between 1902 and 1930. In The Further Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter’s adventures take him beyond the boundaries of Mr McGregor’s garden all the way to Scotland, where he meets the gentle giant Finlay McBurney, a distant Scottish relative. Emma will be signing copies of the book between 5 and 6pm on 6 September.

On the same day over at Waterstones Piccadilly, you can meet the Fifty Shades of Grey author E L James. From 6.30pm, the writer will be signing copies of the bestselling novels Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

In both cases, make sure you arrive early to avoid disappointment. Details about the Selfridges signing are all clearly laid out here. You’ve been warned!

My Perfect West End Day
If you’re feeling lucky, why not enter one of West End London’s fantastic new competitions?

Between today and 3 September, you can with the Perfect Iconic West End Day, as part of West End London’s new Perfect West End Day campaign. This prize includes a VIP shopping day for two at Liberty, dinner for two at the National Portrait Gallery, tickets to see One Man Two Guvnors at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, and a night’s stay at The Langham Hotel. There’ll be more competitions coming in the next few weeks – I particularly like the sound of the Perfect Family West End Day, which includes a VIP experience at M&Ms World, dinner at the Rainforest Café, a private shopping spree at the Disney Store and four tickets to see Stomp and meet the cast. Check out www.westendlondon.com to find out more.