Residents of Mayfair have no excuse for not being impeccably dressed with Savile Row on hand. Tailoring started here in 1803, in recent years it has reinvented itself as the epicentre for bespoke flawless design. Stalwart Saville Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes have been established here for more than two hundred years.
The epitome of English couture, Hardy Amies, the Queen’s couturier until 1989, is going strong, alongside long established Huntsman Savile Row – the masters of fine cloth. Richard Anderson has led the Row’s revival, with a reputation for elegance and classic styling, he is the go-to tailor for politicians, public figures and senior professionals. The newest addition is Gary Anderson creating sharp suits with distinctive indulgent coloured silk linings.
Suit sorted, hot foot it to the quintessential English shoemaker, Crockett & Jones in Burlington Arcade. They have been making handmade shoes since 1879, known for their elegance and durability. Over in The Royal Arcade is George Cleverley, the shop’s namesake was the master shoemaker in Mayfair for more than 50 years and today his bespoke craftsmanship continues alongside a high end ready to wear range.
Making sure your property is equipped with a dedicated storage space (including a concealed trouser press!) for your bespoke goodies, is now expected in prime properties. Dressing rooms or at least walk-in wardrobes will certainly add value and if absent can potentially lose a sale. It’s not uncommon in Prime Central London for bedrooms to be converted into ‘his’ and ‘hers’ dressing rooms, because properties tend to be narrow with limited floor space.
Buying the Right Mayfair Property
The scarcity and individuality of residences along with their particular location within a given street makes it all the more difficult and time consuming when trying to buy the right house in the right place. Rarely is money or time a key motivator when looking to buy here, it really is a waiting game. Those in the know, including experienced buying agents, should understand the lie of this land and be canny when it comes to knowing where the hidden gems are.