Leading UK supermarket chain has launched a multi-million pound overhaul of its in-house range.

The mid-market own-label selection will be rebranded to become Chosen by You, as Asda splashes out around £100 million in the new facelift which is aimed at addressing the ongoing slide in the group’s market share.

Over 3,500 items from food to drink were overhauled in the nine month process, which saw customers involved in more than 200,000 taste test according to Andy Clarke, Asda CEO, speaking at a London conference yesterday. The new range, which previously has recorded annual sales of around£8 billion, will be available in all of the group’s outlets as from today.

According to figures from Kantar Worldwide data, the share of the UK grocery market held by Asda has fallen steadily for the past nine months, while the group’s market share price has slid to just 17.2 per cent over the past three months, significantly trailing its major competitor Tesco, who leads the pack with a 30.8 per cent market share. The own brand range, which includes the Extra Special premium range and the Smart Price value range, makes up around half of Asda’s total sales.

Asda said the rebranding marked a real change for the group, which will now focus on the mid-tier Asda brand Chosen by You. This will see the group highlight what they call their ‘value hat-trick’ of service, quality and price. Careful consultation has been made with the UK public, with some 40,000 customers participating in blind taste tests across the country in recent months, leading to the addition of 500 new products and the modification of 1,000 more that reported room for improvement.

London Fashion Week has always been at the cutting edge of the runway culture.

Now, it appears as if the last taboo in the fashion industry has finally been broken, after models showed off what not to wear.

Adorned in just heels and big hair/ hat combinations, the models showcased the offerings of wig maker Charlie Le Mindu, although viewers were treated to the runway nudes showcasing rather a lot more.

As a wig maker, there can be no denying that naked models will draw attention to your designs, but industry purists may find the bold decision less than appropriate. There has, for some time, been an unwritten rule that the catwalk is not the place for full nudity, though few designers offer pieces that require no clothing at all. French-born Le Mindu has only been at the helm of his new label for just over a year, but in that time has managed to grab headlines with a series of flamboyant and quirky creations such as wigs in the style of the Eiffel Tower.

The 24-year-old Le Mindu, whose creations are a favourite of Lady Gaga, has caused the biggest stir so far at London Fashion Week, only days after the launch. The audience was certainly not prepared, with many of the industry’s leading lights visibly discomforted by the nudity. Still, the naked forms on the runway were an improvement from his Fashion Week debut last year, when animal rights activists were outraged at a full headdress made from rat and mice carcasses.

Known as the birthplace of edgy designer clothes, London Fashion Week has taken a new direction.

The fashion industry has changed in the past few years, with smart designers responding to widespread changes in attitudes. This means that having a wardrobe with a conscience is now almost as important as celebrity endorsement.

Today, for the first time in its history, the British Fashion Council – which runs the iconic London Fashion Week – has added a sustainable catwalk show to its program. While ethical fashion has existed on the periphery of the industry for some time, it now finds itself sharing the limelight thanks to acclaimed international designers such as Christopher Kane and Burberry.

Clarence House is the setting for the open air event which will see established designers such as Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney joined by the likes of People Tree and Junky Styling – the former known for its celebrity partnership with Sienna Miller and Emma Watson. While both Westwood and McCartney will have later shows in London and Paris, their presence at the ethical runway adds significant clout and influence.

The show will be held in conjunction with the Prince’s Charities Foundation initiative START, which seeks to promote and celebrate sustainable living. London Fashion Week is already the site of Esthetica, the static exhibition which showcases those designers on the edge with a commitment to eco-sustainability.

In what will come as no surprise to anyone, Top Gear has fired the Stig.

The Stig, whose real name is Ben Collins, has been making headlines in Britain and aound the world after he was unveiled as the secret identity behind the mysterious masked-man on the hit show.

The BBC, fearful that the concept of Top Gear was being compromised by Collins going public, claimed that his contract prevented his from showing himself and sought out an injunction against the publication of the upcoming autobiography of the former Formula 3 racing driver. A father of three, Collins, 33, lives with them and his wife in Bristol.

Presenter Jeremy Clarkson confirmed the official departure of the Stig from Top Gear, saying he was dead to them. Viewers are wondering if a similar send-off for this Stig to that of his predecessor make take place. The last Stig, Perry McCarthy, unmasked himself in 2003, and was similarly fired, although on that occasion it was strapped to a nitrous-assisted Jaguar XJS leaving the deck of a Royal Navy aircraft carrier.

At the time, McCarthy moaned that his weekly salary of £700 was pittance compared to Clarkson, reputed to earn more than of £40,000. Lawyers for driver said he had been denied opportunity under the cloud of secrecy conditions, which had hamstrung his potential to make celebrity appearances and do advertising deals. Despite the former veil over his identity, the Stig drew a large global fan base, mainly due to the fact that they could not put a face to the name. The anonymity, and Stig, are now gone.

A race across three iconic European capitals in one day will celebrate the role of Eurostar

In a just over one week’s time, Eurostar’s unique  triathlon will start, featuring the traditional three triathlon disciplines in three of continent’s most prestigious cities.

The event will see 20 entrants from France, London and Belgium join a host of past and present Olympians in the event which is being staged to help celebrate Eurostar, the high-profile, high-speed passenger rail service connecting Britain and continental Europe, being named as the Official International Rail Services Provider for the London 2012 Olympic Games and also the 2012 Paralympic Games.

In the early hours of Tuesday, September 14, competitors will begin the race along a specially designed 1.5km swimming course along the Bassin de la Villette in the French capital, after which a dedicated Eurostar train will ferry them onward to Brussels, where they will complete an exhausting 40km bike ride around us Heysel Stadium, before boarding another special train over to London where the culmination of the day will be a 10km run through Regent’s Park, where an awards ceremony will be held at the completion of the final leg.

On 12 May 2010, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) declared that Eurostar would be the Official International Rail Services Provider, reiterating its commitment to the greenest games ever.

Joining the 60 public traithletes will be celebrated sportsmen and women such as British 400m record holder Iwan Thomas, badminton champion Gail Emms, award-wining triathletes Jonny and Alistair Brownlee and swimmers Karen Pickering and Mark Foster.