London Zu Blog

NGT - Nougat London have launched their new toiletry range for men.

At long last a complimentary range to their ever popular womens toiletry range has come to market and we love it. In fact my husband is road testing it right now and has given it the thumbs up. He's also road testing Tyler and Tyler socks which he says are the most comfortable socks ever, but I digress. 

The NGT range includes a face wash, shaving creams and balms, muscle soak and shower gel, which makes me wonder which are the favourites of the England Rugby team. Because an insider at Nougat recently told me that they were so delighted to hear that one of the England Rugby team guys had tweeted he was a fan of the range, they immediately sent the whole team NGT goody bags. Lucky them.

Well pop in a see for yourself. We have the range in both our shops and here online. We'd love your feedback x

STEAMCREAM is handmade in the UK and Japan with fresh natural ingredients, fused together with a shot of steam. 

A great skin cream doesn’t just feel good as you put it on, it sinks deep down to keep it soft, smooth and flexible. Most creams are made with complex molecules bound together by a powerful emulsifying process; the problem with this is that they just sit there on the skin’s surface. They give a good first impression, but don’t keep their promises.

STEAMCREAM use a unique steam process to make an amazingly effective cream that your skin can absorb instantly. When it touches your skin, the naturally moisturising ingredients and pure, calming essential oils are released from our light emulsion so that they can penetrate past the surface. Your skin will feel softer for longer.

How the steam process works.

Steam is pure water, heated under pressure past 100°C, and STEAMCREAM harness its power to fuse the ingredients together instantly, to make a gentle emulsion. This forms the natural base of the smoothly textured cream. By using steam to combine them, the natural materials in STEAMCREAM remain pure and effective.

By using such a simple process, STEAMCREAM can invest in natural materials such as orange flower water, oatmeal and vegetable glycerine to hydrate your skin. Almond and jojoba oils, with moisturising cocoa butter, soften the skin’s surface.

The unique method means that STEAMCREAM gives your face instant refreshment the moment you use it. It’s super-moisturising, sinks deep down and revives your skin straight away. I actually use this and believe me I have really annoyingly sensitive skin so if it works on my skin it will work on everyones! Although I've only used it so far on my face, it can be used on your hands, body and feet. What a treat it's fragrance is a mix of Lavender and Orange water and is very very lovely.

STEAMCREAM produce eco-friendly limited edition tins that they design with the odd collaboration here and there to spice things up. Which means the tin designs are constantly changing as new releases are delivered and designs sell out. So grab your favourites before they sell out because when you’ve used your STEAMCREAM,  you can keep your tin for storing your small stuff, and come back to see what’s new. I like to use mine for earrings and rings in my suitcase, very useful.

Enjoy!

As Christmas fades into a distant memory and pre Christmas Sale signs are replaced by January Sale signs, one wonders whether these 'Huge Reductions' and '70% off' sale offers can firstly be genuine and secondly be sustainable if they are genuine.

It doesn't take a mathematical genius to work out that if a retailer buys something for £10 and prices the item at a standard retail mark up for £27.50 to reduce it by 70% would mean selling it for £8.25. Allow for VAT and the item is being sold at a significant loss for £7.94. If the same item is reduced by 30%, allowing for VAT the retailer will receive £17.40 which covers the cost of buying the item but is unlikely to help cover any other costs incurred with running a retail business such as utilites, rates, rent and wages. And a 30% discount does not give any retailer a profit. So for the small independent retailer offfering items at a reduced price it should be a considered decision. Independents which follow the big retailers business model may find they go out of business fairly quickly.

Large high street retailers work with a much higher footfall and stock turnover, it's a numbers game, a matter of volume turnover of often cheaply sourced items from the East each generating a small profit. A small independent retailer rarely has the luxury of high footfall and large volume turnover, and may struggle to negotiate lower unit prices on the stock they buy. So the business model simply can't compete with the High Street model. And let's not forget there have been plenty of High Street retailers that have gone to the big retailer in the sky because this model was not sustainable.

In our shops we occasionally run a sale cabinet which offers quality items at a reduced rate. These will be the last one or two of a range which isn't being repeated. We tend to sell collections of designs,  and when something is the last of a range it makes sense to sell it at a reduced rate, rather than have a shop full of bits and bobs, which are difficult to merchandise together. But such items only go into the sale cabinet when we are sure that we have sold enough of the range to make the profit we need to sustain the business. It's no use giving our customers a bargain if it means they won't have their local gift and jewellery shop in six months, because it's gone out of business. 

So whilst we all love a bargain just take a moment to think about the whole story; is that '70% off' genuine or is it a garment brought in from a warehouse after being stored there since 1995! And so what if your local shops can't offer you huge discounts, their products are probably nicer and better quality, the staff probably offer you a much better service and if you don't support them and shop locally you won't have any local shops left.

For our genuine 20% off website sale page click on this sale logo 

The 'Christmas lights switch on' is happening on Friday 25th of November, and we've already created our Christmas window display much to the delight of the local children. So it's no use pretending Christmas is not going to happen this year and trying to ignore the looming date of December 25th.

We have lots of lovely new lines to make your life easier and your Christmas shopping a breeze, and don't forget we are still gift wrapping up to mid December. So start your shopping early and avoid the crowds.

Keep those chilly Christmas winds away with our lovely selection of velvet, satin and jersey scarves from UK designers Earth Squared, Lua and Powder.

Accessorise with a pair of luxury suede gloves in a range of contempory colours by Penelope Pond, beautifully boxed and ready to give as the perfect present. 

New in for the boys are boxed scarves and leather gentlemans gloves - men deserve a little pampering to! 

And on those wintery Christmas nights what better than to fragrance your home with the scent of cloves and juniper and snuggle down to a warm fire and a good book. Then look no further as we have a new collection of winter fragrances from Lily Flame, Copenhagen candles, True Grace and Bluebell33.

Of course it's not all about staying home and keeping warm, it is afterall the party season! So what better way to care for those tired party feet after a night of celebration than to slip into the ever so comfortable Tipsy Feet.  These clever little pumps fold away into a neat matching purse which also opens up into shopper bag to carry your party shoes in when you've swapped them for your Tipsy Feet shoes. Genius! They come in a range of colours and sizes and we've just uploaded our winter colours, including bronze metalic, for you to buy online.

And don't forget to accessorise your outfit with some stunning jewellery Michal Negrin is always perfect for a bit of vintage sparkle. Our London Vintage range includes swarovski rings, brooches, bracelets and necklaces in beautiful wintery colours. 

The Michal Negrin rose bud studs and vintage necklaces are available in a huge range of colours and are now presented in a Michal Negrin vintage gift box for those of you buying as a gift. Just perfect! 

 And for those of you that missed out last year we have just two musical carousels left, so don't miss out again.

 Happy Christmas shopping!

If attending London Fashion Week has taught me just one thing, it’s that literally anything goes in the world of fashion. This year, designers showcased such a wide variety of colours, cuts and hemlines, inspired by every era and every continent. Designers like Emilia Wickstead embraced femininity with floaty florals and pastel shades, citing ‘charming moments from harmonious summers’ and garden parties as inspiration. Swedish brand Acne, on the other hand, showcased loose, masculine items in white, black and block yellow. Ashish, whose famous fans include Katy Perry and Marina Diamandis, toughened up Van Gogh-esque sunflowers and sequins with heavy duty boots whereas Corrie Nielson borrowed from Japanese origami and Victorian literature to create structural yet dream-like pieces. No two catwalk shows were the same, proving that spring/summer 2012 will be all about individuality.

The Exhibition featured more jewellery and accessories than the catwalk shows, and it was clear that everything that glitters is gold! From the delicate interlocking heart rings at Jordan Askill to the fairytale necklaces at N2, gold and gold plated jewellery reigned supreme. 

 Layering was still a very prominent trend. Designers showed delicate bracelets that lent themselves to stacking - much like the ever-popular sterling silver and silk ‘friendship bracelets’ at London Zu  - and necklaces that could be worn as a statement piece or in combination with others. Designers like Cabinet bought along delicate gold chains with edgy pendants that worked alone or worn together, and even silk and gem stone studded collar necklaces to accessorise a plain dress or top!

The vibe of the whole event at Somerset House really embodied the spring/summer 2012 look - everyone was welcome, everyone looked unique and everyone was really enjoying fashion. It really proved that, in London of all places, it doesn’t matter how much you spend or how much you know about fashion, anyone can look fashionable every day. 

Sara Neal

Guest blogger Francesca Wilson is here to help you with your shopping conundrums.

What to buy for…. THE GIRL WHO HAS EVERYTHING?

It’s a question I hear every week at London Zu, what DO you buy for the girl who has everything? Good question. Most of us have had this predicament when trying to buy that last minute present for our most particular of friends, BUT luckily I have some answers for you… We pride ourselves on keeping our stock up-to-date, evolving and different from what you find on the high-street. We also love to help you find the perfect present so if you’re stuck for ideas we’re happy to make some suggestions, just ask!

DID YOU KNOW?...

That a lot of our jewellery collection is handmade? That we stock a number of fair trade products? That we prefer to work with small suppliers and all our toiletry ranges are made in the UK? That we now sell online and deliver UK-wide?… So, don’t fret, we guarantee there’s always something she won’t have from our selection of gifts and jewellery, and it won’t break the bank either. Tick tick!

 If she already has lots of jewellery, why not give her a means to organise it beautifully? Here are a few suggestions:

STACKERS Beautifully coloured tray organisers in a leather style finish with pretty and chic fabric lining. Designed in the UK to be the most flexible of jewellery boxes, Stackers are bought as separate trays so they can be added to as your collection grows and literally stacked up to infinity! You need buy only the sections which suit you most, whether deep sections for bangles and beads or small sections for storing earrings. The closable lid section can also come in useful on holiday as a portable jewellery box!  

WIRE HEART WALL PHOTO HOLDER/  EARRING DISPLAY 

An unexpected life-safer of an organiser in a vintage cream finish. Do you have so many pairs of earrings they get stored in a box and you end up wearing the same pair day in day out? Thought so! Hang a pair off each little hoop, of which there are 97, and you’ll soon be enjoying browsing your full collection as you decide on your outfit for the day! The hearts in the middle can be used to display your favourite photos or cards, and are also are a handy place to hang necklaces! What’s more, they’re only £14.99

JEWELLERY WRAPS An absolute investment - every girl needs one of these on holiday, in her handbag and even in her gym kit! Jewellery wraps are stylish way to transport jewellery safely when off on holiday, a weekend business trip or even so as not to lose it in the bottom of your handbag whilst you’re in the gym. One of our newest designs, the rainbow sequinned union jack wrap is being snapped up! We have them in all different sizes and designs, starting from £9.99.

Other London Zu favourite organisers:

VIP BAG ORGANISERS For the girl who has hundreds of handbags - once you’ve had one of these you won’t know how you lived without one! Pretty and practical, these pouches have pockets galore for all your daily essentials.  You can just pop it from bag to bag without accidentally leaving your keys, cash or mascara in yesterday’s bag! They come in 2 sizes and in an array of lovely colours, and for a limited time only, in shimmering silver. 

LUGG PORTABLE BRUSH CANOE A clever little organiser from our newly arrived LUGG range: stores your make-up and brushes in organised sections. Also, it can stand upright so you can access your products and brushes easily whilst you apply it… No more rummaging. Hooray! 

BAGABOOK A really clever solution to carrying your ebook, Kindle or paper book in a nifty designer bag with an extra compartment for you travel card, mobile phone, keys and money (just the essentials). Bagabook even has a bookmark for those of you that haven't switched to an ebook.

HAND, BODY AND FACE PAMPERING Well of course every girl loves a luxury hand and body lotion, or a yummy perfume so why not consider some of the following must haves on the London Zu favourites list...

STEAMCREAM An all-in-one lotion so gentle and clean it can be used on your face, body or hands. SteamCream is a steam infusion of natural ingredients including Lavender and Orange Flower and is presented in limited edition tins which can be re-used as a pretty trinket box when you've used up all your SteamCream.

PACIFICA ROLL-ON PERFUME OIL A roll on perfume which comes in a variety of scrumptious fragrances such as Persian Rose and French Lilac, they are beautifully packaged and come in a handy travel size. Every handbag should have one.

DI PALOMO'S Wild Fig & Grape is a constant favourite with London Zu customers, so you can't go wrong choosing from this range and our mini travel size ABAHNA products in White grape & May Chang and Frangipani & Orange Blossom are just gorgeous.  A free gift bag when you buy two or more mini Abahna just seals the deal.

We've always loved using room diffusers in both our shops, they create a lovely welcoming scent for our customers and of course we get to benefit from the lovely aroma.

We noticed that our customers regulary commented on the lovely smell as they walked in the shop and it occurred to us that they might like the opportunity to have the same at home. So we decided to find a suitable range; it had to offer a good collection and variety of fragrances of good quality, be nicely packaged and of course great value.

Eventually we were delighted to discover the Copenhagen Candle Company and they absolutely fit the bill. As soon as we put the range in the shops it was a great success and so due to customer demand we have extended the range and fragrances available. We now have two designs with two price points, and 10 fragrances from heady Seville Orange to exotic Frangipani Orchid. For those of you who like more familiar fragrances we have the ever popular, Vanilla, Fresh Linen and Sandlewood. Take a look here online or visit one of shops in Chiswick or Twickenham.  

Hot from the studio are our fabulous Life Bracelets from Jacques Storm jewellery.

What are Life bracelets?  I hear you ask. Life bracelets are slim bead bracelets made up of indvidual hand made silver beads and semi precious stones. Each one is unique and each design is slightly different so no two people will ever wear the same one. Each Life bracelet represents the various walks of life depending on the semi precious stone such as health, happiness and love. And which one of us doesn't need some help along the way sometimes.

I'm currently wearing Rose Quartz (love and friendship), Amazonite (inner strength) and yellow Jasper (good fortune). All definitely great choices but if I'm honest I chose them because they are soooo pretty.

Life bracelets are designed to sit alongside your other jewellery or as London Zu customers seem to be choosing alongside each other in colour collections.

They also look fantastic alongside our silk and silver friendship bracelets. With so many to choose from which one will be yours? 

Some days you get a customer who is just that little bit extra nice and puts you in a good mood for the rest of the day. And it's amazing how contagious your smile can be, it finds itself on each new customer that you greet and meet during the day and before you know it you are giving great service without any effort and enjoying your day at work. 

New blog from The Independent Retailer. Behind the scenes chat about what goes on in an independent shop. 

  http://tilltalk.blogspot.com/