The new Thom Sweeney townhouse is more than just a shop
Step inside the British brand’s new menswear haven in the heart of Mayfair
Words: Zoe Dickens
If you’ve ever had a bespoke suit made you’ll know that, along with the impeccable finished product, part of the joy of custom-made clothing is the experience. The hours spent in the serene members club-style space of a Savile Row workshop, sipping on a single malt and admiring the fine fabrics surrounding you.
But why should this experience be only for those with a few thousand to drop on a suit? That’s exactly what British tailoring brand Thom Sweeney asked when it set about designing its new Mayfair townhouse. Set to open this month, the new store spans four-storeys and 3,100 square feet in an elegant townhouse on Old Burlington Street, bringing the brand’s two existing West End boutiques under one highly luxurious roof.
“The townhouse marks the start of an exciting chapter for Thom Sweeney,” says co-founder, Thom Whiddett. “We’re excited to be moving onto Old Burlington Street, bringing fresh energy to neighbouring Savile Row – an address that’s synonymous with Great British tailoring. We’re also looking forward to presenting a modern vision for a tailor’s shop, with space to unwind as well as to meet our team and browse the collection. This new store is as much a home (away) from home for our customers, as it is a hub for bespoke tailoring.”
Entering through the townhouse’s grand frontage, clients will first be presented with a ground floor space dedicated to the brand’s ready-to-wear collections. Open plan and sharing a courtyard with the neighbouring Bucks Club, a custom-made pool table and drinks bar have been added to transform this space into an events venue with ease.
Up one level and shoppers will be offered further ready-to-wear collections as well as a cosy consultation room for bespoke and made-to-measure clients, kitted out with volume after volume of fabric swatches and Sweeney’s custom mannequins. Ascend another staircase, lined with art from nearby Mayfair galleries, to find a top floor dedicated to the finer things in life. Decked out in dark woods, clients are invited to sink into a Chesterfield sofa or pull up a stool at the copper cocktail bar in this relaxed lounge area and let the world pass by for a while.
It is all the way back down in the basement, however, that the real action happens. Home to the Thom Sweeney workshops, it is here that a team of cutters and coatmakers will gather around its large cutting boards, sewing machines and steam irons to bring custom designs to life. In another thoughtful touch, a pair of sliding glass doors connects the workshop to the fitting room so clients are able to watch their suit take shape while tailors make quick adjustments.
Finally, a vaulted chamber at the rear of the basement has been converted into a sophisticated Pankhurst London barbershop. Kitted out with two Bentley barber’s chairs, a full suite of haircuts, wet shaves and grooming services will be on offer so you can emerge from this tranquil space refreshed and looking better than ever.
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