Savile Row tailor Richard James unveils £2m refurbishment of Clifford Street store

Savile Row tailoring brand Richard James has unveiled the £2 million refurbishment of its store at 19 Clifford Street, opposite its store at 29 Savile Row, reimagined as ‘The House of Richard James’ - "a three-storey temple to beautifully crafted ready-to-wear and bespoke tailoring".

The 2,500 sq ft store, which is in a Grade II listed Georgian townhouse, was previously home to Richard James Bespoke and the label’s made-to-measure tailoring at ground level. But the new vastly expanded space has been "elevated into an entire Richard James experience" with ready-to-wear, bespoke, special projects, exclusive limited-editions and one-offs only available in-store.

‘Relaxed luxury’ is the theme behind the store design, delivered via bold use of colour, texture and pattern, which are direct references to the brand's approach to tailoring.

The design has been overseen by celebrated international interior designer David Thomas, who delved into the Richard James archives with the brand’s Creative Director, Toby Lamb.

Brand references appear throughout, including the polka dot carpet leading to the first floor, striped curtains echoing silk ties and custom rugs inspired by pocket square designs.

Sean Dixon, Co-founder and Managing Director of Richard James, said: "We’re seeing a real renaissance of the suit and it’s important our clients feel at home as soon as they step inside.

"It should be a very relaxing experience and should not be intimidating – our aim is to make it like a spa experience for men."

Accentuating Richard James’ long-standing connection with the art world, the walls in the store feature limited-edition prints by artists including Marc Quinn, Howard Hodgkin and Albert Irwin.

The basement of the store contains the house’s state-of-the-art workshop space, and all floors are connected via a tailor made lift featuring an array of framed magazine covers that "feature the great and the good wearing the brand" from the 1990s onwards.

Underneath a vintage 1970s Murano chandelier is a wall of the biggest selection of fabrics ever offered in luxury menswear, from global greats including Loro Piana, Scabal and Vitale Barberis Canonico to British classics such as Fox Brothers, Harrisons and Dugdale Bros & Co.

Additionally, in an effort to make the house a destination for discovery and a place where clients and the brand can converge, Richard James plans to also utilise the first floor space to connect with its community through a programme of events and talks.

The original Richard James London store opened on Savile Row in 1992, before relocating to its existing Savile Row space in 2000. The Clifford Street store was added in 2007. It has been closed for six months for the refurbishment.

A new concept is also currently being developed for the Savile Row store, which will be announced later this year.