Cigar Smoke

I must say, there just is something special about Jermyn Street. Anyone who has been to one of our two shops on the street will agree, and although tricky to actually diagnose, there is an undeniable charm to this place. As the morning sunlight warms up the shop fronts, most days I think to myself how much, and in fact how little, this wonderful corner of London has changed.

As a child I vividly remember coming to see my Father Jeff Harvie in our shop. Exquisitely turned out gentlemen towered over me with a distinctive smell of cigars seemingly everywhere. Over 40 years later much has changed in St James although Harvie and Hudson still stands proudly as the sole remaining family owned shirtmaker on Jermyn Street. It’s fair to say that the street has become considerably more commercialised, and with this we too have had to ensure we didn’t get left behind. However, the ethos that my Grandfather established the business on is still the backbone of what we do here. Although the cigar smoke has cleared, the fresh scent of cotton and furniture polish has taken its place. The friendly ambience that my Father and Grandfather prided themselves on is ever present. You'll find no music in our shops, simply the sound of enjoyable conversation between shirt fitter and customer or between a Harvie and a Hudson about a new cloth.

Today’s customers are still exceptionally dressed, but collars are certainly more cut-away and the demand for neck-band shirts is tragically rare. Some things never change though. Here at 77 Jermyn Street the cutters can still be found cutting your shirts at the back, there is still a Harvie and a Hudson standing behind the counter, and of course we still maintain the highest standards in shirtmaking.

For those of you who haven’t visited us on Jermyn Street please do pop in and say hello. The collars may be slightly different, but the last names certainly haven’t changed.

I look forward very much to seeing you,

With best wishes,

Richard

Photo accredited to Joseph Fisher