Light fantastic at The Trafford Centre!

SPARKLE: At Barton Square.

Well, I think The Trafford Centre has really excelled itself this year with the brand new Christmas lights. What do you think?

They really are the most stunning I’ve ever seen here!

After a fantastic switch on event with X Factor favourite Ollie Murs, everyone around the Centre has been getting used to the new festive outfit adorning every inch of the place.

With lots of time and effort put into this new lights scheme, the designers have done something very new, with the UK’s first-ever animatronic displays creating a dance of light and movement at every turn.

Baubles: Dangling on the Malls.

Huge Christmas baubles hang from the atrium of each mall, gently opening and closing to reveal bright, spinning Christmas trees at their centre.

Wreaths of lights decorate the Orient, with gorgeous Christmas trees twinkling away merrily. Every palm tree and every lamp-post it seems is drenched with thousands of bulbs – which are now greener LED bulbs which use far less energy than the old-fashioned bulbs the Centre used to display.

The old favourite talking Christmas tree is back on Lower Peel Avenue, and last year’s highlight the Ferrero Rocher installation in the Main Dome is back – and looking as amazing as ever.

You really can lose yourself staring upwards at that gravity-defying sculpture.

Over at Barton Square we have the multi-coloured conical Christmas trees which are my favourite, I would dearly love one in my own garden. Then the magical Ice Palace grotto takes pride of place in the Square, alongside the classic Victorian Carousel and festive stalls. It’s Christmas wherever you look!

SLEIGH: In the Orient sky-ceiling.

I’ve gathered some fun facts about the new lights to delight and amaze you – but there is no comparison for coming down and taking a look yourself. Why not bring your camera, and take some fab photos for friends and family elsewhere in the world, to show them how we do it in style at The Trafford Centre? Remember to look up while you’re in the Orient, to spy Santa and his sleigh streaking through the sky!

Let me know what you think of our Christmas lights – any favourites?

Light Fantastic Facts!

WOW – 30,000 Christmas baubles from Finland have been hung around the Centre

GEMS – More than 6,500 sparkling jewels will be glittering into the New Year

CRYSTAL – 5,000 crystal droplets have been polished for the display

HOLLY – 58,000 holly leaves have been used

LIGHT – 280,000 LED light bulbs will shine, using a third of the electricity of the old tungsten bulbs

HUGE – In all, the Centre has strung up more than 10,000m of lights

GOLD – 300m of gold-plated poles hold the decorations in place

ICE – 3000 icicles sprout from balconies and stairways

GIANT – 1,000m of Christmas garland will be used

CRAFTED – The enormous 10 metre Christmas tree has 1,100 branches, individually applied!

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Illamasqua’s stunning new season looks

WHEN I saw these new images from cosmetics brand Illamasqua at Selfridges, I knew I had to share them with you; they are simply stunning.

They are part of the new Autumn Winter collection from this dramatic brand, and really exemplify the darker, bolder side of contemporary cosmetics.

I’m a big fan of Illamasqua – they are quite unlike any other cosmetics brand I know. Edgy, provocative and daring, the night-time products they create appeal to the counter-cultural woman – this is the direct opposite of “barely there”. And as we in the Northwest head into Pride weekend, I imagine quite a few drag queens will be lashing on these stunning products to amazing effect.

Illamasqua has created a series of characters to show off their new season range, from Mistress of Ceremonies, through Dark Angel Reaper, to the Queen of the Gypsies, devouring a juicy pomegranate like some latter day Persephone…

I think you’ll agree the characters are breath-taking – and not a little bit inspiring.

If you have a devil lurking inside you, this range could well be the one to drag her out. Enjoy.

JUICY: Queen of Gypsies

FAB: Queen of Gypsies

AVATARISTIC! Mistress of Ceremonies

* YOU can find Illamasqua on the ground floor of Selfridges, just enter via the Main Dome and look to your left. The Art of Darkness collection is released on September 16th. Watch the Illamasqua blog for more images as they are released.

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Fish spa makes waves at The Trafford Centre

MIRACLE: The industrious little Doctor fish.

AN amazing new concept in skincare opens at The Trafford Centre this weekend, as we welcome thousands of little fish to the Malls!

The new Appy Feet store on Upper Regent Crescent is sure to cause waves in the beauty world, as shoppers plunge their feet into water tanks to have their feet massaged, and the dead skin nibbled away by clever little Doctor Fish.

As we wear our shoes and boots more often and for longer periods of time, our skin can become calloused and rough. This highly alternative treatment sees the little fish solve that problem naturally and organically – what could be better?

This new store really has to be seen to be believed – already people are gathering at the store windows to see the tanks being installed – and we fully expect fish-watching to become a spectator sport at the Centre!

If you’ve been travelling recently, you might have already seen this kind of treatment, as it’s increasingly popular in places like Japan, China and Turkey. The process is entirely safe, as the fish are only interested in dead skin – so they leave good skin alone.

At the end of the rather ticklish treatment, you can expect smooth feet or hands, and what experts claim is a pressure point massage – which is actually very relaxing!

Everything is kept safe and sanitary with the help of UV treated water, so the only things gaining access to your tootsies are the nibbling fish.

Price wise, the treatment is not expensive. It costs £10 for a 15 minute foot spa, and £20 for 35 minutes. Hands are cheaper at £5 for 5 minutes and £10 for 15 minutes.

Gift Vouchers are available in units of £10 or £20 – if you know anyone who suffers from Psoriasis why not think about getting them a voucher? The Appy Feet treatment is known to help that condition.

You can read more about this new store in my latest press release…

HAVE you tried Appy Feet yet? Tell me what you think!

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Storming launch for Legoland

OUR brand new Legoland Discovery Centre has certainly made a splash since opening, with numerous TV news crews coming down to take a look inside this brilliant attraction.

The VIP launch saw Manchester City players and soap stars mingling with your Mall Rat amongst the bricks, and enjoying the fantastic 4D cinema. (In case you don’t know, if 3D is when the images seem to reach out and touch you, then 4D is when images really do reach out and touch you! In this case, real snow, rain and wind lash your face as you laugh at the trials of Bob the Builder – it really took our breath away.)

We found this lovely film on YouTube made by some big fans of Lego – which shows the inside of the Legoland Discovery Centre for those of you who haven’t seen it yet. You can see from the smiles on the children’s faces that Lego must be getting it right – and if the reaction of the children I took to the launch is anything to go by, then LDC is in for a busy year!

My favourite part has to be the Miniland – with miniature replicas of famous landmarks made entirely of Lego. And pride of place in the Manchester scene is your very own Trafford Centre – with a Lego dome, and a mini Barton Square.

It must take months to create these sculptures, and a lot of talent – but it is a very weird feeling to stand next to a little version of where you work.

Another highlight is the café – which sells healthy snack options for kids at very reasonable prices. I was impressed that it wasn’t all turkey twizzlers, but some good juice and fruit options. The last thing kids at Legoland need is a sugar rush – they will be excited enough as it is!

HAVE you been to LDC yet? Let me know what you think!

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Summer style sweeps the Centre

Take a look at our latest Summer Style video, currently playing on the Big Screen in the Orient. There’s some great ideas for relaxed weekend wear – perfect for this Bank Holiday weekend!

Which look is you?

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Fashion shines for Trafford Centre summer

SUMMER LOVING: Fashion from The Trafford Centre.

We’ve been poring over the latest images from our superb Spring Summer Fashion Shows last weekend – and with the sun peeking through the clouds today it has really got us in the mood for summer!

Lots of shoppers enjoyed the lively shows in the Orient, as we displayed pieces from retailers like Calvin Klein, Zara, Bench and Karen Millen.

You can take a look at the online galleries here, and see what summer trends you’ll be buying into.

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Lions disappear at The Trafford Centre

IN DANGER: The wild lion.

The Trafford Centre likes its lions. You can see that from the array of marble beasts which guard the Centre at various entrances, especially outside The Great Hall.

But did you know that real lions are in serious danger of extinction? Fifty years ago there were around 200,000 lions in the wild – today, there are barely 20,000 remaining.

That’s a drop of 90% in wild lion populations – a shocking decline that makes some experts worry this proud creature might never recover without urgent and international help.

Thankfully, someone cares enough to do something about this. Lionaid is a new charity set up to bring attention to the plight of these large cats in Africa.

To drum up attention, and to show what the world might be like without lions, the charity is taking on a massive UK tour of prominent public lions, and shrouding them in black material as a thought-provoking reminder of how these amazing creatures could easily disappear into history.

The “Where Have all the Lions Gone?” campaign begins today (March 1st) in Glasgow and ends on the 31st March in Trafalgar Square – with 11 UK cities in between (Blantyre, Blackpool, Manchester, Liverpool, Nottingham, Norwich, Birmingham, Bath, Cowes, Portsmouth and Rochester).

So at 10am on March 7th, the Lionaid crew and their local supporters will be at The Great Hall near Regent 13 car park, to hold a solemn ceremony in which 8 of our lovely lions will be temporarily shrouded.

Click to visit Lionaid online.

Come down to the shrouding ceremony, or click on the Lionaid logo to visit their website for more information, and clear instructions on how you can get involved.

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Famous Monks kick start Chinese New Year

DANCE: Colour and noise!

I’m really looking forward to our Chinese New Year celebrations this month, as we are expecting a very special visit from some very famous performers.

The incredible Shaolin Monks will be taking to the Main Stage on the afternoon of February 13th, to stun our shoppers with their gob-smacking stunts and combat moves.

There are around 10,000 Shaolin Monks in the world, and as well as being great fighters, they are great marketers. Since the 1970s, the monks have been very active in the world of popular culture – which has helped them survive in a world where many ancient traditions fall by the wayside.

Some of you will remember the 1970s TV series Kung Fu starring David Carradine. That great series featured the Shaolin temple and first turned the monks into a global phenomenon.

And since then, younger generations have been introduced the monks via rap stars the Wu Tang Clan, the Mortal Kombat computer games – and even honorary mentions in The Simpsons!

So this New Year, it’s the turn of The Trafford Centre to showcase this talented temple. They’ll be using shields and sabres to show off their skills – joined by death-defying acrobats and some more sedate traditional Chinese arts.

With some delicious traditional Chinese food from one of our many restaurants, you couldn’t ask for a more authentic start to the Year of the Tiger.

You can read a full run-down of the acts on stage here, and we’ll be publishing a gallery of photographs straight after the event, so watch this space.

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Scents make sense at The Trafford Centre

AROMA: The scent of summer will send you...

Did you know that the average human nose is able to recognise more than 10,000 different odors?

Or that aromas can effect our brainwave patterns, and effect mood, memory – and even your maths ability?

These are the amazing findings of neuroscientists who have spent years investigating how our sense of smell effects us – and it’s these findings that convinced us to try out a new technology at The Trafford Centre, starting next week.

A company called Brand Aroma will be setting up scent stations during our Beauty Theatre event, to pump the smell of summer across the malls. We hope these evocative aromas help people to feel relaxed, and contented – and more likely to enjoy the vast array of beauty experiences we have lined up for next week.

Heathrow Airport has used the scent of pine needles to calm anxious flyers, while the London Underground has used birdsong as well as pumped perfumes to enhance their….less attractive stations.

The Trafford Centre’s nose led us to a scent called “Summer” – a fresh, light, floral perfume that will trigger memories of cut grass, picnics and long days lounging in the sun. Our aim is to remind people of the changing of the seasons – and the need to change with them if we aren’t to appear dated, or old-fashioned.

Personally, I would prefer either the scent of a new car interior, or failing that, the aroma of my mum’s cheese and onion pie (the best in the world!). But I get the feeling that cheese and new leather seats won’t create the fashionable image The Trafford Centre strives for!

You can test out the theories for yourself next week, as hidden machines near to The Beauty Theatre on Upper Regent Crescent send out nasal messages to our shoppers.

Let us know what you think!

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Print me happy at The Trafford Centre

I’ve just returned from my first visit as a paying customer to the brand new Kodak Express Print Lounge here at The Trafford Centre – and I have to say I think I’ve fallen in love with it!

FASHION: Easy print out with Kodak.

The concept is simple; the Lounge offers instant printing of your digital images, whilst at the same time serving delicious coffee, cakes and sandwiches.

I had some images from the recent Christmas Party Wear Fashion Shows which were lurking on my Blackberry. What a nice idea to have hard copies, I thought. And you already know how much I like coffee – so why not kill two birds with one stone?

The Lounge itself has been done out very nattily – it’s comfy, but with a reassuring edge of ‘tech’.

There is a terminal at each table, which takes your images in disc format, memory stick, floppy disc – whatever you happen to have. I had none of these, so instead I Bluetoothed my images across, and had them printed in colour, with added funky borders and text, within seconds. How 21st Century, with added cake!

The idea is novel, but it’s the ease of execution which really impressed me about this new retailer.

You could fill you camera’s memory card with great images of your visit to The Trafford Centre – pop in for a last coffee before home time, and be presented with a wallet of your artwork before you head for your car! Price-wise, it costs me only 30p for a colour print, which was less than I expected.

The great thing is that the whole process was really fun – and I’m already taking new images on my phone with a view to printing them out for the lovely staff here to see.

*Check out the World’s First Kodak Express Print Lounge on Upper Peel Avenue at The Trafford Centre. Open NOW.

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