Seven Dials shopping event

Great news fashion fans! Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard in Covent Garden is hosting a traffic-free shopping evening  on 30 May where 120 stores will be offering 20% off from 5-9pm. The gorgeous shopping hub heaves with hip shops including Cambridge Satchel Company, Diesel, Kiehl’s, Office, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Superga, Twenty8Twelve and Urban Outfitters. Shoppers can also expect cutting-edge entertainment on the night – think mixology classes and balancing act window shows.

New Food Market

New market alert! One New Change Saturday Food Market is launching on 1 June with an appearance from celebrity chef Gizzi Erskine, who will be giving talks at 11am and 2pm, as well as signing copies of her new cook book Skinny Weeks and Weekend Feasts. After 1 June, the market will take place every Saturday from 10-4pm, serving up delicious fresh produce from across the globe.

Soho Flea Market

Roll up, roll up! Artisans, ceramicists, fashion and jewellery designers will be peddling their wares on Soho’s Dean Street on 2 June. The Soho Flea Market  will also be playing host to a slew of emerging music and comedy acts who will be performing on an outdoor stage.

Westfield Luxury Coach Service

Fancy visiting Europe’s largest shopping mall? It’s now become easier to shop at Westfield Stratford City thanks to a luxury coach service which will pick you up from central London and drop you at the East London shopping mall for five hours – just enough time to attempt to cram in the mall’s 220 shops and 70 eateries. Guests from outside the UK will be given a VIP pass, which guarantees discounts of up to 20% in a wide range of shops and restaurants. Happy shopping!

Using a bit of his Christmas magic, Santa is appearing at spots all over the capital this month, sometimes even at the same time!

Santa’s Grotto in Duke of York Square
Kids can have their photo taken with Santa and receive a gift at Duke of York Square’s free grotto, where there’s also a special post box to send your Christmas lists to Lapland. On some dates in December, Liz Earle will provide complimentary hand and arm massages in the back of the grotto, so parents can get pampered while the kids chat to Santa. Advanced booking recommended. 
Until 23 Dec

Santa’s Grotto at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City
Seeing Santa in the flesh is exciting enough, but at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City he’ll be appearing in 5D. Every child will see their name and picture appear in a personalised film, which sees Elbow the Elf save Santa’s presents. Visiting also lets you download the “Elbow Saves Christmas” mobile phone game, so you can take him away in your pocket. Tickets are £3 per person or £10 for a family.
Until 24 Dec

Santa Baby
Santa will be popping into this pop-up Christmas cocktail bar, tucked away in the arches under the railway lines at 347 Old Street in Shoreditch. Indie Christmas tunes provide the soundtrack and top mixologists have designed treats like mulled champagne and molecular Santa Baby Eggnog, using techniques like high-pressure distillation. Santa Baby has a vintage feel - the venue is modelled on a 1950s American suburban living room. 
Until 23 Dec

Santa and His Reindeer at London Zoo
Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Blitzen and of course Rudolph are all at London Zoo this Christmas. You can visit them in their paddock, as well as meeting Santa and telling him your present list (as long as you’ve been good). Cheeky elf photographers will be on hand to take a picture and each child will receive a gift to take home. Tickets are £7.
Until 24 Dec

Winter Wonderland
Every Winter, Hyde Park becomes more festive than a penguin in a Christmas jumper. Winter Wonderland is back in the park with a Christmas market, ice skating, observation wheel and a kingdom of ice and snow sculptures. Santa Land includes a free visit to Saint Nick, as well as the new “Santa’s Factory” where the elves are making gifts ready for the big day.
Until 6 Jan

Find Christmas grottos all over London with our Christmas grottos guide

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.

Michael Kors Opens in Covent Garden, 25 Oct
Award-winning American designer Michael Kors is opening a shop on James Street in Covent Garden on Thursday this week. The store will stock a mix of accessories, jewellery, eyewear, watches, and fragrances from the MICHAEL Michael Kors brand, as well as some of his ready-to-wear collection. This is the sixth Michael Kors shop in the UK, including one on Regent Street and one in Westfield London.

Muji Reopens in Carnaby Street, 25 Oct
Everyone’s favourite Japanese lifestyle store, Muji is reopening on Carnaby Street on Thursday. The new shop offers a range of furniture, fashion, stationery and homewares and accessories with emphasis on simple, functional design. If you’re into minimalism, you’ll love this place. Thursday also sees the launch of their Christmas gift range. Show up on Thursday between 6 and 9pm to help them celebrate the opening and you can enjoy a free Kirin Ichiban beer and 20% discount on all items. Just email events@muji.co.uk for your free ticket.

Story-telling with UGG Australia at Selfridges, 27 Oct-17 Nov
To celebrate the launch of UGG Australia’s new children’s storybooks, the brand is hosting Story Time sessions with a costumed storyteller in Selfridges this Saturday. Look out for the enchanting story-telling sessions in the new footwear area on the fourth floor. UGG Australia are running the free story-telling afternoons between 2 and 4pm on 27 October and 3, 10, and 17 November.

Foodie Fun for Kids at Westfield Stratford City, 27 Oct-4 Nov
This half-term, kids can indulge in some spooky foody fun at Westfield Stratford City. From Saturday 27 October until Sunday 4 November, between 11am and 4pm (Mon-Sat) and 12 til 5pm, kids can make a range of scary snacks including coffin cookies, creepy cupcakes and Frankenstein potato heads. Taking part is free, but you need to join the Westfield Kids Club to participate. Simply join at the Concierge desk on the first floor, near John Lewis. Kids even get a free goodie bag when they join.

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.

By Janine Kelso

Calling all fashion lovers! If your wardrobe is in need of an autumn update, there’s no better place to rev it up than with a trip to Westfield London in Shepherd’s Bush, with more than 300 shops. I visited the mall last week and was wowed by the hot buys for autumn 2012.

Label lovers can find the latest trends in Westfield’s The Village where you’ll find all manner of luxury lines, from Burberry to Versace, but I made a beeline for the more wallet-friendly shops.

Those in the know are saying that black is back and that it’s time to show your rebellious side by going gothic with studs and crucifix details – or keep it feminine by sticking to velvets, feathers and silk. My top picks included a sumptuous black faux fur coat by Biba at House of Fraser and a rock chick-style studded black bag at Karen Millen.

Also making fashion waves right now are digital prints, with geometric and precision patterns leading the way. I popped into River Island where I found lashings of leopard print and tartan, with stand-out pieces including tartan trousers with black leather-look side panels and black boots with a zebra print heel. Fierce! “Leopard print has been popular for a while and everyone’s wearing lace and black at the moment,” River Island Shop Assistant Loren-Jai told me.

I swung by super-cool bimba & lola where I found a whirl of gorgeous brocades and embroidery, inspired by different cultures. Famed for its edgy designs, this Spanish fashion brand had some particularly gorgeous animal print fur coats and embroidered jackets, as well as scores of lovely leopard print loafers and ballet slippers, making it my favourite shop of the day.

When it comes to footwear, opulence is the order of the day with bejewelled shoes in fashion favour right now: think pointy studs and plenty of bling that will give any outfit instant wow-factor. I sneaked a peek at Dune’s footwear offering and was dazzled by polka dot court shoes embellished with sequins,  heels covered in metal studs, and crystal beaded court shoes for a truly bling-tastic look. There was even a spiked studded toe cap court shoe, which I wouldn’t like to encounter down an alleyway on a dark night!

Preferring to wrap up my tootsies in something cosier in the upcoming chilly months, I checked out UGG Australia, home to what is probably the world’s most famous comfy boot which I was told is like “wearing a teddy bear on your foot” by shop assistant Rudy. My fave shoes were fluffy flip-flops and bejewelled fluffy boots that Rudy said were “inspired by the Queen’s Jubilee and the Royal Wedding”.

And as for men, Reiss appear to have nailed the English gentleman look this season with its stylish suits and range of pocket squares – a handkerchief folded in a special way that’s placed in the breast pocket of a suit. “Old school stuff is coming back and our suits are very James Bond-style,” shop assistant Dewayne told me, working the accessory du jour himself with a fetching pink pocket hankie dashingly peeping out of the breast pocket of his dark blue suit jacket.

So if your wardrobe needs a refresh, head to Westfield London – or Westfield Stratford City if you’re based nearer East London – and you’ll be hot to trot!

Janine was a guest of Westfield

It’s been a good month for birthdays. Wicked turned 6 earlier this week, and Westfield Stratford City celebrated its first birthday the week before. Here’s a lovely video showing some highlights from their first, impressive year.

Are you a fan of Westfield Stratford City? Let us know what you love about it in the comments below.

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.

How close can you get to the Olympic Park without a ticket? A guaranteed way to see the Orbit, Olympic Stadium and Athletes Village is to take the daily Olympic walking tour around the edge of the park. In spite of tightened security and crowds, the tours are continuing twice a day throughout the Games.

The altered tour route for the Olympics visits the film studio where Danny Boyle is preparing the Opening Ceremony. It takes in the Stadium and the distinctive Aquatics Centre from a pedestrian gate and finishes up at Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, overlooking the Athletes Village.

The real highlights of taking a tour in Games-time are the unplanned encounters with Olympic stars, explains guide Victoria Herriott, who has bumped into the likes of Steve Redgrave, American sprinter Michael Johnson and legendary British Athlete Mary Peters on her tours.

“The atmosphere is great because there are athletes wandering around everywhere,” she says. “The athletes have all been moving in recently and they’ve hung their flags on their balconies so you know where different teams are staying. Last week, we met the American equestrian team with their trainer Mark Phillips, who is Zara Phillip’s father. My group were mainly American so they got the meet their own equestrian team and the father of the Queen’s granddaughter.”

The tours are led by professional Blue Badge tourist guides who tell the story of east London’s industrial past and regeneration, winning the bid and the build up to the Games.

Many guides have led tours of the park for years, from site visits for architects to trips for local schools. They launched the tours in 2010 when they realised the limited bus tours of the Olympic Park weren’t satisfying curiosity about the Olympic site. “We could see there wasn’t going to be much chance for people to be let into the park,” says Herriott. “There used to be bus tours but they were always sold out. It didn’t even begin to scrape the surface of the demand to learn about the Olympics.”

Guided walks take place every day at 11am and 2pm, starting at Bromley-by-Bow Underground station. Booking in advance is necessary in Games time. Have you been on a walking tour of the Olympic Park? Let us know your experience in the comments below.

The Olympic Games aren’t just about victory at the finish line – creativity and design have played a part in making the ultimate sporting event in the world happen. Make sure you celebrate the artists and engineers involved as well as the athletes by visiting one of these top Olympic exhibitions this summer. They’re all free.

Design Stories and After the Party at RIBA
The Royal Institute of British Architects is putting on two Olympic exhibitions to toast the architecture behind the Games. Design Stories: The Architecture Behind 2012 explores the ideas and complex engineering behind the brand new Olympic venues like the Aquatics Centre. It compiles drawings, images, videos and detailed models. The second exhibition, After the Party: The Legacy of Celebration, compares the UK’s Olympic buildings to efforts for previous Olympic Games and celebrations and asks what happens to monuments celebrating events after all the hoopla has passed. 
Design Stories: 25 Jun-21 Sep
After The Party: 25 Jun-5 Oct

Road to 2012 at the National Portrait Gallery
None of the glory on the track and court would be possible without all the work behind the scenes of the Olympic Games. This free series of photographs at the National Portrait Gallery features not only the athletes but people who have put the event together, such as apprentices from the Olympic Park and the team that led the bid for London to hold the Games. It’s the final part of  the BT Road to 2012 project which has commissioned leading photographers to document the build up to the event. Katherine Green’s images of sports communities in London’s East End sit alongside the display. 
19 Jul-23 Sep

The Olympic Journey at the Royal Opera House
For two weeks only, an impressive collection of Olympic artefacts will set up camp at the Royal Opera House for The Olympic Journey: The Story of the Games. The exhibition traces the evolution of the Olympic Games from the ancient Greek games 3,000 years ago. The highlight has to be seeing every single summer Olympic medal since 1896 and every summer Olympic torch since 1936. 
28 Jul-12 Aug

London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Posters at Tate Britain
The posters for the Olympic Games have always reflected the art – and the mood – of the city that hosts them. Artists like Tracey Emin and Chris Ofili are among the 12 to put their mark on the official posters for London 2012. Screen prints and lithographs of their creations will be among those on show at Tate Britain as part of the London 2012 Festival.
21 Jun-23 Sep

Olympics Through the Ages at Westfield Stratford City
Award-winning photography will showcase iconic sporting moments at this exhibition in the Getty Images Gallery. Taking place within walking distance from the Olympic Park, it looks at the Olympic Games through a camera lens – from the first modern event in Athens in 1896 through to Beijing in 2008. 
27 Jun-30 Sep

What will be the most iconic image from the London 2012 Olympic Games? Comment below and let us know.