Getting over London Fashion Week with the London Design Festival

I had an incling of how busy the last few days would be when I realised that my birthday coincided with the first day of London Fashion Week, but on the other side I now realise it's Thursday and a whole week has gone by since I last too stock.

I didn't think I'd be *that* busy.

I've been so consumed in birthday/fashion week world that the London Design Festival almost passed by without registered so much as a blip on my radar. I knew it was happening but the thought of making plans? Too much.

So yesterday when a friend emailed me and said did I know of anything good they should see, I thought did I?

My friends at Phaidon were my first port of call and sure enough they pulled through. They're showing their new beast of a book (I say book, it's not actually) and have a store selling some of their most notable titles at Design Junction down in Holburn at the Old Sorting Office.

This is a furniture and design geeks dream, there is even a Braun stand. Yes, Braun have a whole stand filled with lovely Dieter Rams designed goodness ready for you to touch and drool over. I think the stand-minder was doing a fair bit too. Make sure you wipe up after yourself.

The Old Sorting Office is so big and there's three floors, I'm going to have to make a trip back at the weekend to make sure I've not missed anything.

There's a cinema showing films by Light Surgeons as part of a Crafts Council exhibition called Added Value? which my friend seemed very excited about and there's a pop-up Canteen at which to refuel too.

Design Junction is part of the wider London Design Festival, which last year saw the Bouroullecs take over the V&A, so you know it's going to be good. Find something near you here