Hot on the Highstreet Week 54

Have you heard about the secret pop up shop in Topshop? It seems it is not such a coveted secret anymore, everyone in the fashion world is blurting out the news! The secret store is housed inside the flagship store at Oxford Circus, as well as in New York and online.

The beautifully decorated colourful space is a treasure trove full of one-off goodies from designers known and obscure. Gems, lace, beads and trinkets litter the place so there is plenty to look at and try on. Topshop Boutique designs that never made it to production hang delicately on hangers, looking absolutely dreamy.

The concept was thought up by designers Meadham and Kirchoff, a wacky fashion pair who are familiar Topshop collaborators. I particularly love the wildly eccentric limited edition headdress made by Nasir Mahdar that you can see a picture of above. Other designers include Maria Francesca Pepe and Pamela Love.

This tiny shop inside a shop is hard to spot, disguised on the exterior by stunning flower decorations from fancy florists ‘Wild at Heart’. Look carefully enough and you will discover a door that leads to the magic emporium, just like C.S Lewis’ fairytale wardrobe.

Prices range from £50-350, the temporary Secret Store is only open til Thursday 9 June. Visit website here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 50

In a variation on the theme of last week’s hot on the highstreet, I introduce to you some of my other favourite highstreet spring collaborations. Get your very own little piece of designer with these much cheaper collections.

Antoni and Alison are a dynamic duo, British designers with a very British flair. Their clothes are quite art-based and sometimes use a ‘stupid’ concept to present garments with silly quirky slogans. I have visited their dizzy little shop on Rosebury Avenue, and was fascinated by it all, a museum of exciting and bizarre artefacts amongst their wonderful clothes.

This season Antoni and Alison have contrived some witty remarks for UniQlo, and together they’ve made some hilarious bright t-shirts, casual and very easy to wear. Bold statements such as ‘I hate my hair’ and ‘I can play the piano’ are used on the front, and there are about twenty different illustrations to collect. I hadn’t noticed this collaboration until I saw my trendy little sister sporting one the other day. If it’s as popular as the Jil Sander partnership I’m sure it will sell out in no time. At the moment there are still quite a few online, buy here (£12.99 or two for £19.99, bargain!)

Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff are the designers behind London’s most talked about, up-and-coming label, Meadham Kirchhoff. The clothes are girly, candy floss tinted with a touch of mystery - ethereal garments unlike any other. The prices are painfully steep though making it hard for most of us to afford these charming gems. Meadham Kirchhoff presents its second collection with Topshop this spring, featuring incredible layered skirts and dresses that are beautifully dishevelled and amazingly flattering. See the whole collection and buy here.

And finally Matthew Williamson has teamed up with charity Too Many Women (raising funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer) to create a fun neon beach bracelet that will be sold in Accessorizes all over the country for £15. Featured in this month’s Vogue.