When you wear Nicholas Jermyn you step into Britain’s esteemed tailoring legacy dating back more than three-and-a-half centuries.
The name Nicholas Jermyn hails from Jermyn Street, a name synonymous for prestige British shirtmaking. This quintessential London one-way retail street is located just south of Picadilly Circus in the heart of London’s premiere shopping district.
It started life in 1664, developed by namesake Henry Jermyn, the 1st Earl of St Albans, who developed the now upmarket St James area, and with it began the tradition of classic British gentlemen’s tailoring.
Today, Jermyn St is a fashionable address peppered with luxury clothiers interspersed with London gems. This includes dapper British men’s milliner Bates boasting Panama trilbies, flat caps, fedoras and bowlers; London’s smallest West End Theatre, the Jermyn Street Theatre, which is home to just 70 seats and staging classics like Chekhov and Tennessee Williams, and contemporary playwrights; the finest oyster and champagne dining at Wiltons, a restaurant with origins dating back to 1742 when George William Wilton sold oysters, cockles and shrimp on the site; and the exclusive, members-only club, Tramp, with notable members Michael Caine, Mick Jagger and Rod Stewart.
How Jermyn Street tailors contributed to today’s classic British style
Jermyn Street tailoring boasts an enviable heritage refined over centuries, having attracted only the country’s most skilled master tailors. Historically, its customers were gentlemen seeking a timeless, refined elegant dress - what draws people to the street still today.Prior to the advent of sewing machines in 1790, gentlemen’s shirts were sewn by hand in the dim candle light using a complex pattern-making and cutting process requiring multiple fittings of the clientele. The intricate designs and ability to fit so close to the form were closely guarded trade secrets - not even shared with apprentices.
The final garments employed masterful stitching, resulting in an impeccable fit.
As the 19th century rolled around, English gentlemen's style and British textiles were regarded among the highest quality in the world and considered the height of elegant fashion. And the Jermyn Street tailors prospered.
The Jermyn Street shirtmakers became known for using only the finest materials they could procure to produce the highest possible quality shirts, a theme which continues today in the prestigious street’s menswear labels.
Today, the British heritage style that dominated from the 18th century to the early 20th century continues. Its stand-out craftsmanship using traditional techniques in both bespoke, made to measure, and ready to wear is still in practice today, with some garments still hand-cut and made on site on Jermyn Street.
The street’s many eminent tailors have dressed notables such as Clark Gable, Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Lord Mountbatten, the Duke of Windsor, and more than a few James Bonds.
At Nicholas Jermyn we know that we stand on the shoulders of giants. We honour our name by being committed guardians of tailored shirtmaking, acknowledging the time-honoured traditions developed by Jermyn Street’s gifted artisans. When you wear Nicholas Jermyn, it is an ode to this legacy.