Even though last week's trip to London was mainly focused on business (thanks to everyone I had a chance to talk to, for all your great feedback!), I still happily managed to take a few moments to visit a couple of new shops, and some old favourites on the way.

My first stop was the newly opened Georgina Goodman boutique on Old Bond Street. Right off Picadilly, it nestles comfortably next to the other gorgeous luxury stores, designed with the same great love to detail as the brand's home base at Shepherd Street. The shoes on display in the window spin slowly in their elegant metal cages, allowing the onlooker a comfortable view from all angles, and the door knob has the same shape as the one in Shepherd Street – a cobbler's last. See also the Links section for more details on Georgina Goodman and a link to their website!

Stepping off New Bond Street, I passed through Lancashire Court and Avery Road – I like taking the small side streets in London, where you don't meet so many tourists – and continued up South Molton Street, rather one of my favourites. Here I passed Butler & Wilson (bring on the glitz and glam!) and Electron Gallery, one of the best-stocked galleries for contemporary jewellery I know. They stock the usual suspects as well as some great cutting-edge, experimental young designers, and are always worth a visit. By the way, you usually have to ring the bell to be let in, but don't be shy, they're very friendly!

As I've mentioned before, I do hate the crowds - and thus Oxford Street as well. But this time, I made an exception to go and see the new Swarovski Crystallized boutique on Great Marlborough Street, right off Regent Street. This is the first outlet of a new line of shops that sell Swarovski DIY components. To be honest – I was hesitant when I first heard about this. I'm still not convinced by the entire DIY thing, but I have to say – Swarovski really did a great job, and I'm convinced that if anyone can pull this off, it's them. Mind you, I was not so sure when I initially decided to drop by for my visit.

So, here we go. My first impression: a lot of scaffolding. The entire building is currently wrapped in it, due to some urgently necessary construction work, which is also why the store has so far only enjoyed a 'silent launch' – the 'official' opening is scheduled for when construction is finished later during the summer. This is a real shame, as the shop space itself is very beautiful, and the high windows let in a lot of sunlight that sparkles off the crystals on display. It's a two-storey shop, with the core product offering on the ground floor and a lounge area on the second. On the ground floor, there are individual components and pre-packed DIY component kits on sale. These are marked with an indication of the degree of difficulty involved in the assembly, and it is also possible to purchase the items ready-made if the customer feels that he might not quite be up to the challenge. In the lounge upstairs, there are free walk-in sessions and seminars that can be booked in advance, and in which the customers can learn the basic assembly techniques. They have a stylish menu of small snacks and a great range of teas, and they showcase changing exhibitions relating to Swarovski in the space as well.

As I've said – I was hesitant at first. The whole DIY thing didn't grab me in the beginning, yet when I started looking around the Crystallized shop, I had to check myself in order not to start picking up a beautifully cut crystal here, and an elegant pair of tweezers there, and I was lucky I had to rush off to my next appointment – otherwise this would have been bound to turn into one expensive research trip! The only thing that I would have to criticize is the use of aluminium for the Crystallized hang tags. Yes, they do give a very high-end feel – however, at a time when sustainability should be high on the agenda of companies, it feels wrong to me to use a material that has such a bad ecological balance in a context where it is not vitally necessary. But overall, I can say that they've convinced me. They've picked up on a topic that I'm not really that keen on, but they have executed it in a stunningly beautiful, very professional way. Make sure to drop round and have a look next time you're in London!