West End shopping is on the rise PA

FASHION conscious Londoners are splashing out on new season clothes despite gloomy economic news.

Shops in the West End have reported a “significant sales hike” in the first week of this month, and expect a £126m boost in sales as the world’s first High Street Fashion Week begins today with shows, exhibitions and launch parties.

Richard Dickinson, chief executive of the New West End Company, which represents retailers, said that some stores have reported double-digit sales increases on the same time last year.

"Over the last few days we have seen shoppers’ appetites for fashion shopping surge with a feel-good factor permeating the High Street,” he said.

"Excellent autumn/winter collections are helping to give shoppers a great reason to spend also boosted by good weather."

"This is the most important month in the year for fashion sales and a good September will be seen as a positive indicator for Christmas, so all eyes will be on the takings this week."

Retailers expect 2.4million shoppers to pass through the tills in the West End this week because of the High Street Fashion event, 400,000 more than normal.

"The British high street leads the way in showcasing cutting edge fashion. Milan, Paris and New York don't come close."

Mayor Boris Johnson has given his backing. He said: “The British high street leads the way in showcasing cutting edge fashion. Milan, Paris and New York don't come close.

"Our own West End is an extraordinary shop window full of top designs, the first-ever High Street Fashion Week on Oxford Street celebrates this great success story by bringing the catwalk, creative brands and customers together.”

The news comes as Topman announced it would expand its flagship Oxford Circus store into another floor, making 23,000 sq foot of trading space.

The area will be modelled on the brand’s New York emporium, and will include personal shoppers, wi-fi equipped lounge, a Sharps Barber and the first ever Rough Trade Records concession, where customers can buy and listen to the label’s albums.

New brands including Baracuta, D.I.E and Calvin Klein Underwear will also feature. Bosses plan to show their customers which clothes to buy together to “get a feel for the trends”.

• The West End will be the latest part of London to be given ‘naked streets’ if plans backed by the mayor go ahead.

Traffic lights, white lines, signs and kerbs could be stripped from Oxford Street and Regent Street to try and make drivers concentrate more in a bid to cut down accidents. The concept cut accidents in Kensington High Street by 44 per cent and is also being installed by the South Kensington museums.