It's the time of the year again. Oxford Street and Regent Street in London are closed for the much anticipated shopping event of the year - Shop West End VIP Day 2009! VIP - Very Important Pedestrian, that is. The entire 2-miles stretch of Oxford St is swarmed by hundreds of thousands of shoppers from every side of the world - searching for bargains, shopping for love ones, window shopping, snapping freebies around and of course, some just like to be caught in the moment. Who wouldn't, when it is tauted to be the world's biggest shopping event, right? Rumor has it last year there're more than 1.2 million on the day itself. I think this year would be the same too.
I started my journey right from the far end of Oxford St again - the Marble Arch - when the street is started being blocked from traffic. At the same time there're some people dressed in blue outfits. I thought they're part of the 'happenings', but it turned out they're demonstrators for the Climate Change summit that's currently held at Copenhagen. Hmmm...
Btw, what's hot?
- The window displays - some stores like New Look and La Senza got 'live' mannequins. I love the idea, making the event so much fun. That model at New Look is gorgeous in real life and even posed for me. Thanks, honey. And La Senza. That's something to talk about - they got male model in just his underwear. Ho ho ho..Santa do comes early for some ladies, huh? >:)
- New to the event - German Christmas Market on the former ground of shops that's being demolished before. Very Bavarian, with wooden stalls being purposely built for the event. What are they selling there? Apart from little eateries with the smells of barbequed sausages and German booze everywhere, some sell handmade leather bags, wooden ties, some wool scarves etc..etc. Me, I love the hanging thingy decoration - which when spins it give different glow to one who saw it. You've gotta be there to see the awesome thing. :)
- The street, of course being closed from traffic. And this is the only time people really can walk at the centre of the road. Though you might think it'll ease shoppers to walk around, boy... just put 1 million people there - thing is the same btw. But, slightly better.
These lots thought I was from a magazine. Probably coz I'm with my DSLR. They suddenly appear out of nowhere in front of me to snap their photos. Cool guys. This what makes London so fun!
Some of the shoppers... as far as the eyes can see...
Gift wrapping emporium set up by American Express
Snow at John Lewis.
There are loads more happening around. Emporio Armani got live DJ and dancers strutting their stuff to Heartbreaker song (love that chorus.. I'm a heartbreaker, I'm a heartbreaker), Nokia got their version of snow too, Santa's Grotto at Regent Street, performers on stilts walking around passing flyers, some cartoon characters like Sonic and Super Mario... and lots of freebies too.
Talking about freebies, that's what i love about any event. Got myself the carrier bag handed out free by the American Express guys (coz they're the sponsor of the event). Why take one when I can get 5, right? In front of Santa's Grotto, Cadbury got boxes and boxes and boxes of Snow Bites choc given out to the passersby. Love it! And there's also those giving out free travel wallets. I think by now I already got tons of them. Ngg.... And oh, REISS also giving out 10% off flyers for their autumn/winter collection. Love when the guy said to me 'you look like you know your fashion'. Ahaks... thanks dude. Another day, another one saying good thing. That's what really conclude my VIP day!
