After several months of planning (and stress) I'm pleased to say that we finally announce the launch of the first Permanent Style pop-up shop.
It will be held in a rather special location - numbers 34 and 35 Savile Row (shown above, the old Gary Anderson shop).
It's a big, double-front unit with room for plenty of stock and brands upstairs, and a bespoke fitting area downstairs.
It will feature several of your favourite brands - focusing on those that are either only online or not in the UK, and that therefore you cannot normally see and feel in person.
Some of our favourite tailors and shoemakers will hold their trunk shows during the period, adding to the focus on craft and bespoke. And there will be a Permanent Style area featuring our polo shirts, books, accessories, plus a couple of new launches.
The shop will be open from February 24th to March 11th - two weeks with three weekends.
For those not in London, start planning your travel now. And if you can make it to the opening party, which will be on Friday February 24th, all the better.
Thanks to one and all (particularly the reader that suggested something like this only yesterday!) for your continuous support. You make it happen.
OK!
This is the radical change from journalism and blogging to pure business with professional Advertising, marketing and promotion!
Thanks. I should clarify however that the writing will always be my prime focus. There is not enough of it about, certainly not independent, non-sponsored, knowledgeable journalism.
Simon,
You moved away some time away from Independent journalism. It’s been evident fora while that a lot of this is puff for your mates brands. However, wish you all the best with the shop
No, it is not. And what’s more the vast majority of readers know it is not.
In an age when every single brand and PR asks what price they need to pay for content, and I have to tell every single one of them that they can’t. And when every other blog takes money for content (to the extent that they quote the price of a review on their site) it is lovely that so many readers know the values behind this site, and know that no one can pay for anything.
Simon, so you pay full-price for all the products you review? Never a freebie or discount on the product for an independent review? If you can confirm, it will be much appreciated.
Steve, I’ve written about this many times before. I suggest you look it up.
I don’t understand such a reply, when you can simply clarify in one simple sentence. Cannot find a clear response from the search function of your website. To be honest, I believe Nick is correct.
Try the ‘Are you for sale’ post as a starting point
There’s really no need for comments like that Nick. Perhaps better to ‘vote with your feet’ and not visit the site if you’re unimpressed with its direction, instead of logging on specifically to insult the integrity of the author.
Simon, this sounds like an excellent idea and I’ll certainly be paying the shop a visit. I’ve been wrestling with the temptation to purchase some Luca Faloni knitwear, so I hope it’ll make an appearance. I look forward to seeing the full list of brands once it’s published.
They will indeed, good guess!
Completely disagree, bit of a shame to bring out a slur like that. However, Simon, it would be great if you could continue to keep up trying new brands and reviewing outside the box. The bespoke world, especially the one that is ‘in’ at the moment, is a small one. We don’t want you to get trapped in a Pitti / Trunk / SR bubble!!
Thanks, and absolutely, taken on board
I have to agree. There is no place for such snide and accusatory comments here. As Dan says, if you don’t like it then just go away.
Simon, I wish you the v best on this venture, and certainly don’t feel there is any basis for a slur on the quality and independence of PS. I have always felt one should indeed vote with ones feet (or wallet!) and this is one such occasion! While I suspect my current bank balance won’t allow me to acquire all I would like from the wares on show, I hope to learn more about brands I otherwise wouldn’t ever have come across. Thank you and sincere v best wishes D
Will be visiting London during your first weekend so will try to drop by, but VBW for a good launch if I can’t make it.
Cheers Nick
Congratulations, cant wait to see it.
I am really not sure when you find the time sometimes.
Me neither
Hi Simon,
Terrific news! May I ask if you will be carrying anything from Enzo Bonafè?
No, sorry. Brands will be confirmed next week.
Wow – congratulations. Will certainly look to visit at some point over the two weeks.
Mind me asking what time the shop will be open until on weekdays?
Cheers, please do, and please bring your friends. It’s a bit of a scary venture, so all support deeply appreciated!
It will generally be open until 6pm, going on experience from other shops in the area, who find they get almost no extra traffic when they open until 7pm. However, on days when there are trunk shows, it will inevitably be open later, until 7 or 8.
Really exciting news, congratulations Simon! Here’s hoping its rip-roaring success merits a transatlantic expansion in the not too distant future…
Also, interesting to hear about the opening hours; it’s always baffled me why shops in England close so early when you’d expect after-work hours would be a prime time for people to go shopping.
What a surprise!
It will be a a great success, I’m sure. Looking forward which artisans will be represented.
I wish you the best!
Dear Simon
Congratulations on the new venture, hope all goes well.
Regards
Gohar
I wasn’t expecting this, what a pleasant surprise. As someone whose interest in the sartorial has arrived somewhat later in life, I relish the chance to have a look at some of these craft and bespoke items. Thank you for producing such an informtive and well crafted site.
Cheers Daryl, looking forward to seeing you
I am curious to know if you will be inviting bespoke tailors to ‘pop up’ on this shop who are not from Savile Row, but from other countries? If so, are you not courting outrage from the tailors in Savile Row? I feel they would be insulted to have ‘non Savile Row’ competition on their Row! It would be de-valuing Savile Row. There could be some very sore toes……and a backlash?…..Good luck.
Interesting point Bruce, though the presence of off-Row brands and artisans might just ignite a healthy competitive spirit instead of a possessive one, spurring each of them to surpass their own current abilities. If I recall correctly from a piece about Mr. Joe Morgan and Mssr. Lorenzo Cifonelli, it is quite possible for craftsmen from totally different places and backgrounds to be civil, friendly even. Their shared love for what they do may just take greater precedence than any sense of territorial protectiveness. The opportunity to see and hold items of great quality from other makers would almost certainly be a welcome prospect. Of course, I could be wrong about this. But I’d still rather hope I’m right.
Besides, being on the Row for only two weeks would hardly qualify as long-term competition. Worrying about that would also be somewhat moot, especially considering that (I’m willing to bet) some of the tailoring houses who will be doing trunk shows already travel regularly to the Row for local client bases that they’d built up prior. So there might be little cause for worry in any case, and that means more room for excitement and joy!
This is a beautiful initiative Simon, congratulations. Cheers, everyone.
Thanks.
On the competition, I’d also make the point that every younger tailor I know on the Row positively embraces it, and has already learnt a lot from observing, talking to and even visiting the French and Italians. Eg Davide Taub, Ben Clarke, Michael Browne, Oliver Trenchard and many others
Indeed. The concept of competition is returning to what it originally was before pride and insecurity became the norm. People are engaging in it more and more as a valid avenue for improvement, realising that the problem with competition is not competition itself but the reluctance to do something to surpass it. And our younger generation seems to be leading the way.
How terribly exciting. I hope there is a suitable range of prices so that you don’t price out your younger / less affluent readers.
Hi Simon
Have you ever tried these shirts? I have seen a friends RTW one and they seem very good quality, with interesting design… I have tried to do a bit of research and I think the chap in question used to work at / with C&M…
http://www.harrymundy.co.uk/
Yes, and I know him. Good quality, though the designs aren’t generally to my taste
Fantastic Simon. I can’t wait to see what I know will be a fantastic and incredibly well curated effort. Particularly pleased to be able to try Luca Faloni.
I find the (I think its fair to say) rude comments about the extent to which your posts constitute puff pieces to be quite staggering. I echo another commentator who suggests these people simply vote with their feet (fingers?) and leave (having paid nothing for your years of content, we might add).
As you say, your policy on all things advertising and paid content-related has been clear for the longest time. I personally do not feel that any of your pieces come across as puff (and we have all read the very “frank” and honest reviews of sub-par free products which you have posted on a regular basis). Personally I wold far rather have access to a carefully chosen selection of your personal recommendations than only to be able to read abstract musings about bespoke and other commissions from tailors which I’m unlikely to have the chance to visit (though those are good too!).
Best of luck with the project.
Seems like a great idea to me and wish you every success with it Simon. Hope to pay a visit.
Ay-eff-ell-arrrr! That’s grand news. More power to you Sirs
Congratulations!
This is awesome.
Will you be there each day, or on special occasions only?
Not every day, but at the start and on the weekends, yes. It will be managed day-to-day by my friend James Girdwood, ex-Drakes
Well done. I can imagine that took a lot of very hard work.
Fab location – opposite Huntsman? I shall look forward to popping in at least to see if there is anything that takes my fancy.
Congrats on bringing this to fruition
Brilliant Simon. Look forward to seeing it.
Oh cynics, must you? Please.
I view this pop-up endeavor as a bigger step within the natural progression of the growth of a website/blog. I also see it as a service to the readers of this blog. An opportunity to see, touch and experience the things we read and talk about here. Also a terrific opportunity to meet some of the artisans.
Simon, if this is a success, do you think this will be a regular event? Perhaps pop-ups in other cities ? (hint-hint—Chicago).
Looking forward to the follow up on this great idea. Good luck with it and I am sure it’ll be a success.
It could certainly become regular, yes. And perhaps even abroad, though not yet
^ Here, here! Leffot has been a wonderful addition – alongside Optimo and Despos – but I think that there would be at least some interest in the second-city if you were to come by, Simon.
All the best!
Interesting…
If successful, will it put you in a bit of a bind, as to whether or not to continue with a retail location?
If you have no intention to continue on in retail, could you enlighten us on what you have as goals for the shop experience, bot for customers, as well as yourself/Permanent Style?
What do you want to learn from this?
There are no plans to have a permanent location, no. The aim of the shop is to bring brands that readers haven’t seen in person to them, in order to feel, try on, meet the owners of etc.
Sadly I can’t be in London those days, so I just can send my congrats to you from hometown Madrid. Please keep showing us your independent point of view about upscale brands, international bespoke and many more interesting topics. As a frequent follower I do know (as most readers said before) that there are no paid posts here on PS (Please Nick could you show us a single one?): You praise craftsmanship when you think it’s worth the praise, but on the other hand you don’t hesitate to criticize the same makers when they don’t do good enough in a following commission. More than 99,99% of PS readers know this, so please keep writing the way you use to (We know you will).
Congratulations! I wish one day you would bring your pop-up to San Francisco.
Excellent news and good luck! I wish I was able to drop by…
Just a funny thing… PERMANENT Style… POP UP store…!
All the best!
Bravo … not sure if I can pop over to pop in … all the best. Looking forward to a similar PS effort in the States at some time in the future.
Simon, excellent initiative. I will be in London during those dates and am already looking forward to visiting.
Brilliant idea Simon. an Empire in the making….See you soon.
Fantastic idea Simon, looking forward to it and hoping you might have Saint Crispins.
Must have been an awful lot of work indeed don’t listen to the naysayers.
+ 1 for Luca Faloni – have been looking at the website for a while following your review.
Any chance of getting the Teba jackets from Last of England (or somewhere else?)
Looking forward to it.
Great idea – I’ll be there one of the weekends for sure
Hi Simon
This is excellent news.
I have been reading your posts since 2008, at no time have I felt that you have not been totally independent with your reviews. In fact it’s your honesty and thoroughness in reviewing products and services that has brought me back time and time again. I really have learned a lot, thank you.
Not related but I have just read this article.
https://www.permanentstyle.com/2015/04/the-versatility-of-a-gilet.html
The contents are useful. However, suede seems to be the most common leather gilet. Are there any differences in style between suede gilet and lambskin/goatskin?
Suede is more casual and tends to be easier to wear for that reason. Leathers risk looking a little like a jerkin
Excellent news Simon. Don’t be put-off with the single negative – the vast majority of comments are very positive. Long term readers know your honesty which is proven every time you review a commission. As with Jeff from Chicago I see this as a the next logical step for PS. If an entity does not grow and evolve it stagnates and ultimately dies. As I commented the other day many will support further efforts around annual PS events that involve readers and the wider public. Good luck with the project and the opening – will you be ticketing the opening or is it open to the public?
Opening to the public, the more the merrier. And of course the more that come support the brands we feature, to make it more feasible for the future
Great news. I will be in London (from Japan) around that time so will definitely pop in for a gander.
Fantastic news Simon, congratulations! I’ve been pining for the Friday polos for a while, having missed the opportunity to get one the last time. Will the full range (sizes, colours) be available?
I’m a bit unclear about the bespoke side. No doubt you’ll clear up some of our doubts over time. Are you planning in having visiting tailors such as napolitans like Caliendo or Solito for example?
All the best!
As a London resident I’m already looking forward to visiting your pop up store!
Hey. The Friday Polos will actually be available again from next week online, and then yes a full range of sizes and colours will be in the shop.
Yes, the plan is to have some of our friends like Solito and Caliendo visit for their normal trunk shows.
Brilliant news, Simon!
I can’t think of anyone more deserving, or who has done more for modern, quality menswear, to have the chance to move in this direction.
Pretty sure we’ll be in Europe around then, but I doubt we’ll have the chance to get over to London. Such a shame.
All the best for the opening and following weeks. No doubt it’ll be a huge success.
Sounds fun. What time is the opening party Simon?
Not confirmed yet… it’ll be evening though, I guess 7ish
Looks really interesting. Good luck with it, Simon.
I hope to be able to come on the 24th.
Mazeltov Simon, hope all goes well. I look forward to popping in
Stephe
Simon, congratulations! Your site has been inspirational and I wish you the best of luck in this. It takes nerve to try out something new, especially on this scale.
Congratulations!!That’s a great idea and an excellent initiative!
People like you Simon are really needed to help small bespoke tailors and artisans to have a voice among this sea of made-to-mesure businesses as it become more and more harder to compete against them.
So keep up the good work ?
We wish you good luck!
Hi Simon,
This is an excellent initiative! But as you are well aware of, a great deal of work is still lies ahead to really turn the current tide.
It’s not at all so surprising that there are still guys who question the rationale behind such an endeavour despite what they know about the state of today’s menswear.
I think the great majority of bloggers clearly lack the type of vision required to be real game changers in this field as we expect them to be.
John
I wonder how this differs from the infamous Abercrombie’s childrenswear shop? Both are not tailoring workshops, both trying to cash on the name and location.
Oh dear Andrey, really?
We are giving crafted, traditional menswear brands that can’t normally afford retail space the opportunity to sell on the Row. Quality on a par with the tailors, supported by many of the tailors already, and part of a programme by the landlords to try and bring more craft back to the street. We are replacing Gary Anderson, one of several suit brands on that side of the Row that are definitely not up to the standards you seem to hope for.
You misses the point.
Row is unique due to presence of cutting and tailoring workshops. You (and Abercrombie, and Gaziano & Girling, and others) are replacing this with retail space. This has nothing to do with quality of goods you are selling. Why these brands are so keen to sell specifically on the Row? — especially if it’s oh so expensive? Simple, to cash on the name and reputation.
Your vision of the Row is very out of day I’m afraid Andrey. There haven’t been a majority of tailor workshops on the Row for over 50 years.
And if most people could choose what to have in the other spaces, I think they’d opt for G&G and things like my pop-up, rather than Lanvin and Abercrombie.
Andrey, these craftsmen may be keen to sell on the Row because it makes sense to group apples with apples and such, if you will. Makes it easier for enthusiasts to find the things they want and need instead of having them hop from one place to another. They intuitively go to the Row because that’s where they’ve gone for quality menswear and tailoring all their lives. Why disrupt that when it promotes convenience for consumers?
Sorry for the assumption Simon, I just believe that accessibility can be a huge factor to patronage as well.
All that free gear clearly influences your writing Simon. And unfortunately when you sell stuff your objectivity is unquestionably compromised.
No, it does not. And I’ve yet to hear anyone provide any evidence either – they merely resort to saying it ‘clearly’ does, or ‘must’ do. Well it mustn’t and it doesn’t. I don’t need any more, no matter what the price.
It’s even more absurd to bring it up on things I sell. I certainly don’t get those for free – I have to buy them the same way as anyone else!