The Best of British · 2026

British luxury, and where to find it.

Savile Row tailoring, heritage houses, and the London addresses that have dressed royalty for centuries — a visitor's guide to the real thing.

An independent guide. Some retailer links may earn a referral fee — it never affects what we include.
The Cornerstone

Savile Row: the home of bespoke

The word "bespoke" was coined here — cloth "spoken for" by a customer. At just 270 metres, this Mayfair street is the world's number-one destination for a hand-made suit, with houses that have dressed royalty and, famously, James Bond.

Est. 1771 · No. 1 Savile Row

Gieves & Hawkes

Military roots and royal warrants, at No. 1 since 1912. Quiet luxury that connects heritage with progressive ready-to-wear.

Est. 1849

Huntsman

Equestrian tailoring heritage, dressing European aristocracy since 1849. Renowned for a precise cut — and one of the Row's most forward-looking houses.

Est. 1806

Henry Poole & Co

Credited with creating the dinner jacket. The oldest name on the Row, and still setting the standard for classic English tailoring.

What to expect: a genuine bespoke Savile Row suit starts around £5,000 and rises with the cloth — the craftsmanship, longevity and multiple fittings are the point. Book a fitting well ahead; the best houses work by appointment.
The Houses

British brands worth crossing town for

British luxury isn't loud — it trades on provenance and craft. These are the heritage names that define it, most with London flagships and all carried at Harrods, Selfridges and Liberty.

Burberry

The heritage trench and the check — reinvented under Daniel Lee with sculptural leather and equestrian tailoring
Outerwear

Mulberry

Started in Somerset in 1971 with £500 and a kitchen table — the Bayswater became the British luxury handbag
Handbags

Alexander McQueen

Founded 1992 · Savile Row-trained tailoring taken somewhere the Row would not follow — the skull scarf since 2003
Fashion

Barbour

Waxed-cotton country heritage, modernised with luxury finishes — rural chic that lasts generations
Country

Globe-Trotter

Handcrafted British luggage since 1897 — the heritage cases still made by hand in Hertfordshire
Luggage
Where to find them all under one roof: Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge, Selfridges and Liberty in the West End. For flagship boutiques, head to Bond Street, Mount Street and Sloane Street.
The Pieces

The icons worth knowing

The classic buy

The Burberry trench

The single most recognisable piece of British fashion. If you buy one British thing, this is the safe, timeless choice.

The handbag

The Mulberry Bayswater

Britain's answer to the luxury handbag — understated, beautifully made, and less conspicuous than its continental rivals.

The heirloom

A Savile Row commission

Not a souvenir but an investment — a suit built to last decades, made to your exact measurements. The ultimate British luxury.

Shopping Mayfair in a day

Bond Street, Savile Row and Mount Street are walkable, but arriving with your bags handled makes the day. Our partner RushXO runs fixed-price transfers across London.

Book a transfer with RushXO →
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