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.

As well as stocking its hip, own brand merchandise, the store will feature designers such as APC, House of Hackney and Obey. The shop is currently promoting the store with a YouTube video which you can watch below. Look out for top London sights in the video, including Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus and Tower Bridge.

If you fancy dressing your walls with an original artwork, swing by the Affordable Art Fair Battersea. Taking place from 7 to 10 March in Battersea Park, the fair will present work by established artists and emerging talents, all priced from £40 to £4,000. Every piece is available to buy and take home the very same day.

If you’ve got cash to splash, American fashion house Oscar de la Renta opened its first-ever flagship UK store in London last week, on the corner of Berkeley Street and Mount Street in Mayfair. The cavernous 3,000sqft store spans three floors and stocks accessories, fragrances, homewear, bridal lines and children’s clothes.

Bookworms who love Lewis Carroll novels can find Alice-themed goodies aplenty at new boutique Alice Through the Looking Glass. The shop’s star attraction is a £3,500 chessboard, handcrafted by Alice novels illustrator Sir John Tenniel. Victoria top hats and first edition Alice books are among the other curiosities on sale. Shoppers can also enjoy a cuddle with the shop’s resident white rabbit who lives in the window.

Shush! Silence is golden at department store Selfridges‘ recently-opened The Silence Room. Part of the store’s No Noise campaign, the ground-floor space offers a peaceful sanctuary for shoppers who are in need of some quiet time. The notion of having a quiet space in the store was originally mooted by founder Gordon Selfridge in 1909, but it was never put into practice – until now. Store insiders say shoppers have been using the space to pray, sleep and meditate.

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.

Harvey Nichols New-Look Lingerie Boutique
Knightsbridge stalwart Harvey Nichols has relaunched its lingerie boutique. As well as a complete shop-in-shop from Stella McCartney, and the latest collections from Elle Macpherson, Calvin Klein, Wolford and Spanx, the third floor boutique offers complimentary expert fittings to give you a flawless figure. To celebrate, Harvey Nichols is offering 20% off all lingerie until 21 October. Plus Nails inc are treating shoppers to a free shape and paint with every lingerie purchase over £50 or with the purchase of a matching lingerie set, meaning you can match your nails to your knickers.

Floris Opens New London Boutique, from 18 Oct
Perfumers to Her Majesty the Queen, and Prince Charles, Floris is one of London’s oldest retailers. Their first store was established on Jermyn Street way back in 1730. The brand is now expanding, with a second shop opening in Belgravia this week. The eighth and ninth generation of the family are now selling their wares at 147 Ebury Street. A growing waiting list precedes the opening of the new boutique which will offer Floris’ unique bespoke Perfumery Service as well as providing their eclectic range of scents for women, men and the home.

London College of Fashion “College Shop” Returns to Kingly Court, from 18 Oct
After the success of its pop-up shop last September, the London College of Fashion Shop is back. Opening on 18 October on Kingly Court off Carnaby Street, and running for just two weeks, the College Shop will stock unique and one-off creations from the college’s alumni. Pieces on offer are by Ada Zanditon; recent London Collections: Mens stars Joseph Turvey and Domingo Rodriguez; womenswear designer Para Manko; and fashion illustrator Rosie McGuiness. Stock will rotate daily and will also feature designs from recent graduates in womenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, jewellery, fashion photography and illustrations.

Lyle & Scott’s Campaign for Wool in Covent Garden, 18-21 Oct
The excitement of Wool Week continues in London. Following last week’s news from M&S, this week the promotional campaign moves to Covent Garden. From 18 to 21 October, golf and knitwear brand Lyle & Scott is hosting a “baaa-rmy extravaganza” to show its support for The Campaign for Wool. There’ll be a mini-golf course set up on Covent Garden’s North Piazza, with woollen obstacles and sheep statues in place of the traditional AstroTurf and windmils. Fans of the brand can practice their putting for the chance to nab a 15% discount and a free Lyle & Scott golf ball. Lyle & Scott has also teamed up with a talented design student from the Wool School initiative to create a limited-edition sweater. The marl-stripe jumper is made using high-quality Hinchcliffe yarn and is on sale in the King Street store now.
Visit campaignforwool.org to find out more about Wool Week.

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.

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.

Selfridges Destination Denim: Until 8 Sep
If, like me, you’re on a near-constant quest for the perfect pair of jeans (I had them once: a pair of 7 For All Mankind, plucked randomly from a sale rail in New York; wore them till they fell apart), Selfridges may offer a solution. This month, they’re celebrating their longest denim wall in Europe with Destination Denim, an exciting store-wide denim event, including exclusive product launches, designer appearances, style advice and special events. Just this week, there’s a 12-hour online jean-a-thon with giveaways on the hour, every hour on Thursday. Women can get advice from Stylist magazine’s fashion editor on Thursday afternoon; while men can distress their denim with Denham between 30 August and 2 September. Find out more at denim.selfridges.com

Biscuit Decorating Demonstration at Fortnum & Mason: 23 Aug
If you need a new excuse to pop into the hallowed halls of Fortnum & Mason this week, here’s my suggestion. With the Great British Bake Off turning everyone crazy for cakes and barmy for biscuits, don’t miss this free decorating demonstration in store. Ellie, an artist-cum-baker creates Fortnum’s stunning animal decorated biscuits. She’ll be showing off how she works her magic powers with piping bags in the Demonstration Kitchen on the First Floor from 2pm. You’ll be wowing your tea party guests in no time.

Soho Arts Fair in Kingly Court: 24-25 Aug
This weekend, the Soho Arts Fair come to Kingly Court for the very first time, showcasing artworks by young adults produced in Art-Alive workshops. The Art Alive Arts Trust is a charity that works with children and young adults to develop creative skills through art. On display will be a variety of works ranging from fine art to fashion. If you’re inspired by the works on show, you can also get involved as there’ll be workshops on Mosaic and Ceramic art, Painting, Fashion Photography, T-Shirt printing and more. In a packed weekend of activities, there’ll also be live dance and music performances as well as street artists. Don’t miss the fashion show on Friday between 6pm and 9pm. This is the culmination of three months’ worth of workshops taking place in Kingly Court, giving young people the chance to explore their skills in photography, fine art, fashion design and ceramics.

Foyles Children’s Events at Westfield
Why not head to Westfield London this summer holiday as there are some special children’s events taking place in Foyles. On 25 August between 2 and 4pm, hear sea shanties and look for treasure with Hannah, the Queen of the Seven Seas: don’t forget to dress up as your favourite sea creature: Mermaid, Pirate, Squid… On 28 August between 2 and 3pm, Paddington will be in store, where the booksellers will be throwing a party to celebrate the end of the Great British Sumer. There’ll be storytelling, activities, and a chance to meet the great bear himself. Both events are free.