Sssssshhhhh! Discover the power of quiet

Oxford Street may be a frenzy of sales shopping, during the bi-annual stampede for discounted white goods, slashed-price shoes and money-off make-up kits - but when it all becomes overwhelming, there is (temporarily) somewhere to retreat to. Selfridges - rather brilliantly, we think - is from today until the end of February introducing a 'No Noise' concept, which 'invites you to celebrate the power of quiet, see the beauty in function and find calm among the crowds'.  Apparently, a 'Silence Room' was first dreamed up by the store's founder, Harry Gordon Selfridge, in 1909.  But in 2013, Selfridges has teamed up with The Idler and Headspace (who offer brilliant meditation tools via your computer and iPhone) to help everyone 'find balance in this fast-paced world'.  We're all for that.

Amusingly, some of the world's leading brands will apparently be removing their so-recognisable logos from brands, and offering them in the Quiet Shop.  And not surprisingly, there'll be some brilliant silence-inspired installations in Selfridges' windows.

As part of the festival, too, you can enjoy special menus in their restaurants at Selfridges Oxford Street and Selfridges Manchester Trafford, serving fresh juices and offering mini-nutrition clinics.  (Or organic and biodynamic wine tastings, if this is all a bit monk-like for your tastes.)  Plus gluten-free and wheat-free goodies from their WAGfree Pop-up Bakery, a temporary West End outpost of the talked-about Brixton café and deli.

We'll forever think of it as Sssssshhhh-elfridges, from now on!

www.idler.co.uk www.getsomeheadspace.com