Topshop’s new Secret Store brings some hidden charm to town

Once upon a time, business ‘fronts’ were the reserve of the Mafia, illegal speakeasies and top secret spy bases. Then the hospitality industry caught on, and today the Alice-in-Wonderland venue-within-a-venue has become a pop-up classic.

With restaurants, we’ve got the likes of Barcelona’s Tintoreria Dontell – the fake dry cleaners hiding a late-licensed secret restaurant – and New York’s La Esquina – its restaurant-within-a-restaurant concealed beyond the kitchen of its chrome-clad taqueria upstairs.

On the booze-front, NYC’s Employees Only famously serves its top-notch cocktails from behind the protective gaze of a tarot reader and nearby PDT behind hot dogs; while here in London, there’s Callooh Callay’s bar-within-a-bar-within-a-bar to sate our thirst for secret drinks.

And now the trend is taking the retail-front…

As of this Thursday, Topshop’s otherwise manic Oxford Circus and Manhattan flagships are touting a brand new secret portal for the fashion-inclined in search of an escape. Tucked away behind a florist front, the hidden Secret Store promises an exclusive range of limited edition designs to distinguish itself from the main space – featuring both new and long-standing collaborators (including Nasir Mazhar’s crazy/stunning headpieces and Meadham Kirchhoff’s fab rings and bracelets), alongside their own in-house Boutique collection of luggage and vintage-inspired dresses.

Assuming you can find the darn thing, that is.

INFO
The Topshop Secret Store launches this Thursday, May 26
Topshop, Oxford Circus, 36-38 Great Castle Street, W1W 8LG .

Burberry’s ready-to-wear line launches in Covent Garden

With stores already in Paris, New York and Milan, Burberry have finally brought their ready-to-wear Burberry Brit line home to Blighty – and it’s hot. The first UK store has set up its discretely iPadalicious, dark oak and polished chrome home in the heart of Covent Garden. And after the all-star launch last Thursday, hosted by the brand’s ever-charming Christopher Bailey and populated by an aptly beautiful crowd including the likes of Ellie Goulding and star model progeny, Tara Ferry and Tali Lennox, the store is now open for all. Celebrating the best bits of Brit-ness, it’s perfect for topping up on your more cazh designer essentials (including a certain trench that we’re absolutely lusting after) – and be sure to keep an eye out for the series of in-store live gigs they’re planning for this summer.

Burberry Brit, 41-42 King Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2B 5JF.

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SMILE – As the Gumball 3000 rally revs into Covent Garden. 44A Floral Street, WC2E 9DA. 11am.

SEE – Imagination and creativity celebrated at Clerkenwell Design Week. Various locations throughout EC1.

CHECK OUT – Artist Francesca Lowe’s new solo show. Free. Riflemaker, 79 Beak Street, W1F 9SU. 10am-6pm.

CHOMP – On a burger at the eat.st take over in Peckham. Various. The Rye, 31 Peckham Rye, SE15 3NX. All Day.