The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No. 50Savile Row today and to the shop that has been in the same family for 5 generations, originally specialising in military uniforms including The Battle of Waterloo, made suits for Winston Churchill who bought his first suit from them over 100 years ago but also invented the Tuxedo.In 1860, Henry Poole made a short evening or smoking jacket for...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No. 71Really moving to the upper echelons of The Tower now. Fashion. Responsible for bringing Punk and new wave fashion into the mainstream. She made clothes for ‘SEX'; Malcolm McLaren’s shop on the King’s Road. She opened 4 further shops in London, eventually expanding to the rest of the UK and Worldwide. She is widely regarded as one of the most...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.31We’ve been languishing nearer the base of the Tower for a while now so I think it’s time for another trip up west and up to the top of The Tower. In celebration of the much lauded Savage Beauty exhibition let’s go to Sloane St ‘London’s premiere shopping avenue for the world’s most revered luxury brands” (according to the Sloane st website that...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.83Rising near the top again now and to one of the most distinctive Department Stores in London. Open since 1875 and known for its patterned fabrics and eclectic decorative furnishings. You may not know that the Tudor revival building was built in the 1920’s from the timbers of two ships: HMS Impregnable and HMS Hindustan. The frontage on Great...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day 134Continuing our celebration of London’s bike shops in homage to the Tour de France let’s go to No.8 Strype St, E1. One of the best road bike specialists in the capital, I’ve heard only good things about the people here too. By no means your everyday bike shop it’s pretty high up The Tower, if you’re feeling flush you can spend up to £15,000 on a...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.57Soho and Walthamstow, this is a new art gallery on Brewer Street and when I shot the shop there was an exhibition of recently deceased Chris Bracey – a legendary neon sign maker who’s workshop was in Walthamstow, East London. Chris Bracey’s neon artworks started as signs for Soho sex shops and came to be used in ‘Bladerunner’, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day 1011984 a very influential book for me, so since we are on 101 what is my greatest fear? Simply put – it’s not being able to go to Sloane St and buy my little darlings their clothes from this shop. I couldn’t bear to think of it. I’m sure George Orwell would have agreed…
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.44St.James today, established in 1676 this is the oldest hat shop in the world. It is run by James Lock’s descendants to this very day. It is where the bowler hat was invented. They have supplied headwear to many historical figures including Sir Winston Churchill, Charlie Chaplin and Admiral Lord Nelson.Worth a look on their website 400 years of...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.59Since we’re having such fun in Soho, we have been to an art gallery, we’ve bought some porn mags I think we ought to stay here, time to smarten up. This is a wonderful little shop on Newburgh St that runs parallel to Carnaby St. 6th generation tailors with over 200 years of collective family experience! Tailored Suits, Socks, Scarves, Hanks,...
The Tower of Babel – Shop of the Day No.42Easter Day and I’m sure lots of you will be gorging themselves on chocolate today and since I had a special request to go a bit more upmarket – how about this chocolatiers on Lowndes St, Belgravia. Swanky!
