The new menswear stores you need to know about

You can’t really beat the act of shopping in person. Indeed, the online sphere offers myriad more options, perhaps often with slashed price tags, but there’s just something magical, almost mystical, about carving a few hours out of your schedule to peruse shelves of items, feel their weight, glide your hands over their rich material, and ultimately swipe your credit card to oblivion.

If you’re looking to stock up on some clothes this month, we’d suggest you head in-store when tackling the task – otherwise, how else will you know whether your long-coveted merino-knit rollneck will truly suit your silhouette?

For the best new menswear openings in recent times, take a look below…

Launched by Jack Stammers and Will Davison – both of whom met while cutting their sartorial teeth at Thom Sweeney – this portmanteau label has been on a mission to “bring the flair of Mayfair to the City”, which is to say introducing a relaxed edge to bespoke. The house cut, for example, brings together the time-honoured techniques of Naples and Savile Row with softer, less rigid shoulders, armholes that sit higher, and a nipped-in waist. As a result of this heritage-meets-modern ethos, for nearly six years, the label has graced the shoulders of the city’s great and good, from the creative crowd to fashion front-rowers and the finance circles.

Its new location, on Bow Lane, between Bank and St. Paul’s, also has a hybrid feel, merging the lightness and warmth of herringbone-patterned wood floors with dark, inky-hued walls. The footprint, compared to its previous home on Ludgate Hill, is far more sizeable, in order to better showcase the expanding ready-to-wear line, which includes knitwear, suits, and various other menswear staples (we’re particularly drawn to the extremely versatile brushed-cotton navy trousers). Downstairs is the fitting room, where clients can sit down, pour over fabric samples, and have a fine libation in-between fittings: “We’ve made this space so that when people visit us, they get the whole experience,” says Davison.

43 Bow Lane, London EC4M 9DT

For almost a decade, L’Estrange has become synonymous, in certain circles, with menswear essentials. Adaptable, versatile and with a signature pared-back aesthetic, its capsule range – featuring tailor-fit t-shirts, an ‘Easy Zip’ sweatshirt, and trousers in stretch cotton – have become contemporary classics seen in the most style-conscious corners of the UK. (The modular collection, especially, hits a fine balance between functionality and style.)

In mid-2022, the understated brand cut the ribbons to its newest store, on the fringe of the Old Spitalfields Market – where you’ll also find the likes of accessories specialist Mulberry, and Cheaney – in which one will be able to purchase a tightly curated selection of signature styles, from the perennially popular ‘Monochrome’ hood to the new ‘Hydrowool’ bomber that’s made in a bonded waterproof fabric. Done out in lightwood and with an interior as refined as the wears, a trip here has the hint of entering a bijou Scandi boutique.

105B Commercial Street, E1 6BG

From its start as the outfitter to Eton College scholars to its expansion on Jermyn Street in 1922, all the way to its current form, for over a century, New & Lingwood has been the go-to label for tastemakers, the red-carpet list, and generations of British royalty. Indeed, though its foundations lie firmly on solid pillars – it maintains strong rapports with workrooms and mills, such as silk weavers in Sudbury, and still continues to draw upon 100 per cent silk, lush leathers, and fine wool – N&L also emphasises innovation and the contemporary. Its AW22 collection, notably, showcases loungewear in bold colours; playful pattern; and approachable, easygoing cuts.

Though its Chiltern Street store isn’t technically that new, as its doors flung open in late 2021, it’s still worth putting on your to-visit list. Sat opposite the iconic Chiltern Firehouse, this outpost is angled as a spot in which new products – mainly loungewear and casual tailoring – can be tested on a neighbourhood that’s known for its creative, boutique and easygoing spirit. “Our Chiltern Street store is all about curation and focus,” says Freddie Briance, CEO of the company. “We kept elements of our broader collections, but designed the space to feel fresh as a launchpad for some of our newer concepts”. Additionally, a barbers service and in-store styling appointments round-out the experience.

14 Chiltern Street, London W1U 7PY

Hailing from Bristol, Benedict Raven has always prioritised quality over quantity, with all garments crafted in limited numbers and drawing upon only the finest fabrics from around the world. Its chunky-knit ‘Richmond’ jumper, for example, is made from 100 per cent wool sourced from Yorkshire; lush, pure cotton is used for the‘Timeless’ navy t-shirt; and its ‘Clifton’ jeans are known for retaining their shape, wash after wash.

Opened in late 2022, the company planted its new flagship store on the storied Jermyn Street, making its debut in the capital. In blending with the area’s style, it is a light, bright, shiny-slick affair, with high-gloss white flooring and garments displayed on glass shelves as though they were sculptural objects. At the far end of the ground floor, a motto reminds the customer: “Fashion is over in a moment, style is timeless.”

18-19 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6HP

Ever since its founding in 2014, Bennett Winch has made a name for producing beautifully designed, expertly made accessories and luggage for the man of today, from holdalls to backpacks, briefcases to watch rolls, all of which draw heads for their fine detailing and use of premium materials. The ‘Commuter’ holdall, for example, whether in olive, sand, chocolate or navy, has been a favourite of ours for years, thanks to its timeless appeal and waterproof-cotton canvas.

Last year, the firm became the first luggage brand to appear on Savile Row, an apt move given its singular approach to craft. “We are hugely respectful to the traditions of Savile Row and the exceptional tailors who have become our neighbours,” says co-founder Robin Bennett. “The nods we’ve given to tailoring, through our store design, is a mark of this”. Set at the centre of the street, it’s anchored by a cutting-table-inspired workbench, a nod to craft and a piece of furniture on which accessories are spotlighted by the vintage lamps above. A 1920s tailor’s mirror, midcentury fixtures and a green-tiled wall (which is an homage to the exteriors of old-school London boozers) inject further texture and character.

34 Savile Row, London W1S 3PX

Want more fashion news? These are the six menswear trends to take note of in 2023…

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