Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat and London is overflowing with eager shoppers and honking vehicles cluttering up the roads and disrupting valuable shopping time. Or so you thought. 

The gods over at American Express have decided to eliminate the thing that puts a dampener on our festive spirit – aka road traffic – with a VIP shopping weekend that helps charity as much as it helps your sartorial endeavours.

Introducing the American Express Shop West End VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) Weekend – the only traffic-free shopping weekend in London this festive season.

Thanks to this frankly genius scheme, this weekend you can now enjoy two totally uninterrupted days of shopping on Saturday 10^th and Sunday 11^th December, where Oxford Street and Regent Street will be closed to road traffic so you can fully enjoy your shopping experience.

But the American Express Shop West End VIP Weekend doesn’t just benefit you – the event’s also raising money for the brilliant charity Kids Company.

We had the delight of joining Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of Kids Company, for afternoon tea last week where she told us about the wonderful work they do for troubled kids and teenagers, not only throughout the festive season but all year round.

It’s a tremendous charity to get behind, and if you’ve got gifts to buy this weekend, you’ll be helping them help over 3,000 vulnerable children have a better Christmas.

For every purchase made with an American Express Card on Oxford Street, Regent Street, Old Bond Street and New Bond Street this weekend, American Express is offering double rewards to its cardmembers and what’s more, it will donate £1 to Kids Company, too.

Is there a better excuse to get in the festive shopping spirit?

Visit www.westendvip.com for more information.

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Christmas is definitely coming early not only for Saturdays fans, but for red blooded males everywhere. If you want to catch a glimpse of THE hottest and best-selling British girlband of the year, you won’t need to look much further than Oxford Street.

The girls will be heading to Marks and Spencer in Oxford Street on Tuesday November 1st to turn on the Christmas lights. As well as treating fans to some of their best-loved hits, The Saturdays will also perform their brand new Christmas single My Heart Takes Over, which is out on 13th November.

Not only will tens of thousands of fans gathering outside the shops be treated to musical performances from The Saturdays, sister duo The Pierces will also perform, as well as some of the cast of hot new musical Ghost.

If that wasn’t exciting enough, you could also win the chance to watch the show from the front row and attend the exclusive after-party! Head to the Oxford Street W1 Facebook page and enter the ‘Win Tickets to the Oxford Street Christmas Lights Switch On and VIP party’ prize draw.

Good luck!

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***This competition is now closed****
The USA’s favourite fast-fashion store Forever 21 is coming to London’s prestigious Oxford Street on 27th July, and to celebrate, we’re giving 3 lucky fashion fans the chance to get their name, plus a friend’s, on the VIP guest list for the exclusive launch party in London on Wednesday 20th July.

The night will involve a DJ set by fashion blogger Bip Ling, who’s fronting the launch of the new store, and an exclusive spot at the evening’s main event – the Forever 21 Hologram fashion show.

So if you and a friend fancy partying like stars, it’s time to get your dancing shoes on. Click here to enter!

Psst… don’t forget to enter our competition with Girl Meets Dress to win a designer dress to rent for FREE!

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Vera Wang has finally brought her amazing style to the city of London, as the designer opens her first European store inside designer boutique Browns.

The shop-in-a-shop concept has taken over part of the store where Browns Bridal used to be, and has been transformed into a modern, minimalistic store which mirrors Wang’s LA boutique.

The store itself measures 1,800 square feet and sits directly opposite the prestigious Claridges hotel on Mayfair’s Brook Street, and will stock Wang’s bestsellers from past seasons, her current collection and provide a made-to-order service, reports LDNfashion.

Until this momentous time, Wang’s designs had only been stocked at Oxford Street department store Selfridges, so to celebrate the opening Caroline Burstein hosted a dinner at Massimo in the new Corinthia Hotel, with guests such as Leighton Meester, Tania Fares, Arthur Becker, Tamara Mellon and Grauso all making an appearance at the bash.

Time to head down to Browns, we reckon.

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Our European readers may well be familiar with Vero Moda, but across on British shores it’s a different story – a lot of online oohing and ahhing through a finger-smudged screen, to be precise – but not for much longer. The Danish brand is opening its first UK flagship store next week!

The high-end high street store, loved for its luxe-looking pieces at affordable prices, is joining the ranks of Britain’s best as it prepares to take up new residency on London’s Oxford Street next Thursday, where it’ll officially open its doors to the public with a suitably stylish celebration.

The new store will house a carefully-edited selection of the label’s five collections, including Vero Moda Feminine, Vero Moda Jeans, Vero Moda Basics, Vero Moda Intimates and Vero Moda Very, the brand’s new premium line (which, from what we’ve seen, is a good bet to become fashion fans’ favourite with its directional silk draping, luxe leather pieces and chic chunky knits among its affordable trend-led rails).

And, to celebrate its London launch, the label is giving away 100 gold bags to the first 100 customers who visit the store when it opens next Thursday, giving them up to £150 to spend on a new outfit – incentive enough?

Get yourselves down to Vero Moda at 179 Oxford Street on Thursday, 4th November at 10am sharpish to get your hands on a free outfit – we’ll race you to the last gold bag.

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On 1 October, there was a huge rush at selected Uniqlo stores and Uniqlo online. Why? Because Jill Sander’s  +J collection was launched, that’s why! The collaboration hit Oxford Street and Westfields in London to a hungry fashion crowd, all hoping for a slice of Jill Sander’s minimalist chic.

The +J collection consists of 100 pieces for women and 40 pieces for men. Favourites include this dark brown Relaxed trench coat (£89.99)

…..and Cashmere stretch V-neck cardigan (£89.99), perfect for those cosy, winter nights in, while the Tuxedo wool coat (£89.99) offers luxurious androgyny.

This a perfect unison between the German designer and the Japanese brand, with Sander staying completely in tune with the Uniqlo brand and creating a collection that can either be mixed and matched or worn as elegant and sharp separates.

The range is selling out fast so get your piece of this designer collaboration online while you still can!

For more “must haves check out our Editor’s Picks!

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A bizarre thing has happened. London’s famous shopping hub Oxford Street are putting on the first ever High Street Fashion Week.

Beginning just before London Fashion Week this September, our favourite high street shops will be showing their fall collections during the dates of the all new Oxford Street Fashion Week. 

Drapers have reported that many retailers are also said to be taking part in a launch to the event, which is likely to be in the form of a catwalk, promoting key high street trends for the season.

We are also told to expect customer discounts, beauty workshops, fashion advice and extended shopping hours – all set up to entice more shoppers to Oxford Street during the build up to the buzz of Fashion week.

Hold on, more shoppers? Isn’t Oxford Street rammed enough? Perhaps I’m being a bit of a Fashion Week scrooge here, but the thought of a busier Topshop, Urban Outfitters, H&M and Zara sounds like something I might want to avoid…

That all being said, I can see myself being tempted to check this one out to see how it goes! Watch this space…

The Oxford Street Fashion Week will be run by the New West End Company from 7th – 11th September.

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