Your Guide to Savile Row

The name Savile Row is synonymous with fine tailoring and the very best in bespoke men’s fashion. One of London’s most famous areas, Savile Row lies in Mayfair, London, and is known for, as well as world-renowned suit-making, being the home of famous clubs, societies and record labels. It attracts visitors who are looking for a unique piece of London’s history as much as a unique item of clothing.

For those looking for a memorable stay in the nation’s capital, the very best boutique hotels London UK has to offer can be found within a stone’s throw of Savile Row.

Georgian architecture

Just a quick 20 minute walk from the Montcalm Hotel Marble Arch, a jaunt to Savile Row will take you past some of London’s most exquisite architecture. Built during the reign of George II, the area was an extension to the grand Burlington estate, and was initially intended to house military officers and their families.

The ‘Burlingtonian’ architecture is as well recognisable as the shops it now plays host to and is so-called due to the influence its patron had upon the architects who built it. British architects of the day who had a hand in designing the area were Colen Campbell, Henry Flitcroft and Daniel Garrett; while William Kent – famous for bringing Palladine architecture to Britain – designed 1 and 22–23 Savile Row. Some of the most stately and magnificent houses in England were designed by William Kent, and his palatial influence is still present in the buildings today.

The home of Bespoke Tailoring

By the mid 1800s the street was full of the greatest tailors of the day, including the great Henry Poole, who is renowned for his creation of the Dinner Jacket, otherwise known as the ‘Tuxedo’.

Referred to as the “Golden Mile of Tailoring”, the term ‘bespoke’ was coined here by the tailors who would make each suit completely by hand to fit each individual customer’s tastes. Famous patrons of Savile Row include Lord Nelson, Winston Churchill and Prince Charles as well as many famous names in pop culture.

In 2004, the tailors of Savile Row founded the Savile Row Bespoke Association in order to preserve the history and high quality of the bespoke garments on offer in the street.

World Famous Residents

Now the home of world renowned dress makers, surrounded by luxuriant shops, restaurants and the very best boutique hotels London UK has to offer, the earliest residents of Savile Row were politicians, playwrights and the highest of British society. Other famous residents included the Headquarters of the Royal Geographical Society, who led expeditions to explore the globe from the buildings of Savile Row.

As well as this, 3 Savile Row has been the home of the Beatles’ Apple Corps since they moved in in 1968 – a vital stop on any music fan’s tour of London. At this base in Savile Row the Beatles recorded one of their best-selling albums, Let It Be, and would play their last ever live performance, known as the “rooftop concert” there on 30 January 1969.