Oscar de la Renta comes to London

Oscar de la Renta is opening his first shop in London and, after a three-year search for the

perfect location, is set to move in to the space occupied by hairdresser, Nicky Clarke on Mount Street.

Clarke, who has occupied the unit for more than 20 years, will move just along the road to 11 Carlos Place - next to Roland Mouret andJenny Packham's stores, and just opposite the Connaught Hotel - in a deal said to be worth more than half a million pounds. Both Clarke and his landlord have refused to confirm whether he was paid the reported £500,000 premium to move.

Reports suggest that De la Renta, who was born in the Dominican Republic and is based in New York, is paying a record rent for the street - rumoured to be close to £1 million.