Our beloved London is always opening her doors to some exciting new stores. Here’s a couple that have caught my eye…

Paul Costelloe

A little while back I outlined the stylish and sensational SS/11 collection from Paul Costelloe.

The big man might be opening London Fashion Week once again but he’s also doing something a little less predictable…

Directly after the show at LFW Paul will be in attendance to open an exclusive pop-up shop in John Lewis’ flagship Oxford Street store.

The pop-up will be the first John Lewis has ever installed and will showcase the capsule collection with a unique branding and likely-to-be-stunning visuals, all with its own Oxford Street window.

And anyone who thinks they can turn up a little late and bag a catwalk bargain, think again: there will only be ten pieces of each garment across a selected size range.

If you’re lucky enough to bag one, you’ll know it’s a keeper because each item has also been hand-stitched with its birth number (1-10)…

Certainly some fashion to flash with pride (just expect a little envy!)

Patagonia

Patagonia – the outdoor clothing and gear company – is gearing up for a summer store special with the opening of their first UK flagship shop.

With roughly 2,500 sq feet of retail floor, the store’s going to be a showcase for the full Patagonia outfit, offering from core technical alpine and ski/snowboard products to Patagonia’s renowned lifestyle range and the new footwear collections.

I caught up with Robert Cohen, Patagonia’s VP of global retail: “we want our stores to be gifts to their communities. Because we’re trying to create a living, breathing version of the brand, we view the building as much a part of the story as the products inside.”

Cohen’s talking about Patagonia’s famed reputation for using historical buildings built on heritage sites. Covent Garden’s old (we know that much!) but it’s great to see super-brands maintaining the integrity and history of such a famous capital district.

Store doors will open Summer 2011.

Paul Costelloe’s fleeting fox logo seems a little apt this SS11.

You see, Costelloe seems to be fleeting away from conventional spring / summer wear and moving towards a lightweight winter wardrobe with greys and blacks intact. And don’t think though that it’ll look out of place on the rail because it looks strangely and stylishly in-place.

The first thing you’ll notice about the collection is Costelloe’s appreciation for lightweight outerwear. It truly is about keeping the spring chills out and locking the summer style in. Sure, they wouldn’t look alien in an AW collection but this time they’ve shed a good few pounds.

On top of that are Costelloe’s signature inlays: a luxury lining that truly shows – even if you can’t see it – it’s made with love and a fashionable affection.

In terms of colour Costelloe has done a little U-turn on the norm. While other fashion labels will be pushing neon trenches and a flashy spectrum of button-downs, Paul’s opted for some striking silvers cut with smoky charcoals and deep greys and blacks.

Throw in a dash of rouge red and olive green for a bit of eye-catching colour and you’ve got yourself a quality collection.

Signature pieces include a striking white waistcoat and a flashy long silver trench-mac. Also added to the mix is a Japanese-inspired button-down with birds and Bonsai trees.

Finally – and my personal fave – is a double-breasted pin-stripe blazer that looks hot with a low-neck tee and short white shorts.