StyleMaven - London, Mayfair

For those who play the British version of Monopoly, Mayfair is famous for being the most expensive and dangerous site on the board – land on Mayfair and you could go broke. The most up-market of up-market areas, it swings in and out of fashion. Currently, though, a contemporary take on old-school English style has made it chic again in a James Bond-ish sort of way. Take Savile Row - this uncompromisingly traditional place to buy a bespoke gentleman’s suit has been shaken up by the arrival of Richard James, whose beautifully cut suits in off-beat fabrics, and pop-star clientele, have caused the stiff upper lips of rival Savile Row tailors to tremble in horror. Then there’s the Audley, the seductively furnished shop selling exquisitely made stilettos with film-star sex appeal. It’s this unique mixture of old-school English glamour and contemporary urban chic that makes Mayfair what it is.


			Bespoke Couture by Ozwald Boateng
			9 Vigo St, London England W1X1AL
			Financial disaster in 1998 (CORRECT) hasn't dampened Boateng's love of garish colours. Purple walls and bright yellow carpets vie for attention with dozens of vibrant suits in any colour you like as long as it's not black.
			Crichton
			7 Sackville St., London England W1 X1DD
			Run by a father and son team, Chrichton looks just how a gentleman's shirtmaker should. Pigeonholes filled with shirts line the tiny store, and any available wall space is taken up with ties and fabric swatches
			John Smedley
			24 Brook Street, London England W1Y 1AE
			The spotless glass facade and unfussy layout of John Smedley’s London store make it the perfect haven for shoppers looking for an escape from the bustle of Mayfair, or control freaks looking for interior-design tips.
			Kilgour French Stanbury
			8 Savile Row, London England W1 S3PE
			Is there a finer tailor than Kilgour French Stanbury? It's been a magnet for the style conscious for decades and, however shabbily you're dressed, you'll be treated as if you're on the verge of reaching into your pocket and blowing five grand.
			Paul Smith Sale Shop
			23 Avery Row, London England W1 9HX
			This place is one of London's most closely guarded secrets. Ignore the shabby exterior and climb up into Bargainland, two floors of cut-price menswear from England's unrivalled king of style.
			Richard James
			29 Savile Row, London England W1 S2EY
			Stand outside Richard James and you'll notice something peculiar: there are no window displays. That's because the shop itself is one massive display.