Private White V.C., Mayfair
The historical British brand opens its second store in London
Manchester-made British brand Private White V.C. (named after WWI hero Private Jack White) has expanded its reach in the south with a second London store, selling the label’s military and motorcycle racing-inspired clothes. The new shop is located on the elegant Duke Street in Mayfair, London, and complements Private White’s existing store on Lambs Conduit Street. It’s a stylish, modern space with a more “premium and considered design,” says James Eden, brand owner and great grandson of Private White.
“There is nowhere in the world like Mayfair, an area synonymous with quality, provenance, luxury, tradition, and British heritage—all characteristics that typify Private White V.C. As our luxury British maker’s label continues to expand, we needed to upgrade our second home (our first home will always be in Manchester at our factory) and there is nowhere else we would like to be other than the heart of Mayfair,” he adds.
Eden co-designed the store together with Creative Director Nick Ashley to create a space that would suit the prestigious zipcode, whilst remaining loyal to the label’s northern industrial roots. The result is an inviting, airy store beautifully lit by a track style system of clamp lighting that the brand has used in previous projects, and which references its Manchester factory. The store also features brick finishes and a bespoke timber staircase, leading down into the showroom, as well as reclaimed timber details.
“The design concept came from conversations about displaying garments as pieces of art, so we used gallery-inspired fixtures and fittings which essentially are all one tone so the garments stand out. Copper detailing taken from the clothes can be seen throughout the store from the lighting to the railing and counter top. We used an eclectic mix of furniture in the space together with vintage pieces for the counter and display to give a sense that this is Private White’s living room,” Eden says.
The Mayfair store will sell the entire Private White V.C. collection, starting with menswear and introducing ladies’ wear in the coming weeks. Shoppers will also find products from the brand’s collaborations, including the three-piece workwear suit that the brand designed with Lord March of Goodwood. Flying the British flag high, Private White also just collaborated with MINI to promote the car brand’s launch of its new iconic five-door British-made car.
Images by Cajsa Carlson
