Inside the Shop I: Daks Jermyn Street

Welcome to the first of a series of features on menswear stores which, to my mind, excel in the marketplace - providing exceptional service, a handsome environment and which are selling beautiful menswear. 

When I first walked into Daks' Jermyn Street store a few weeks ago (having never been in before) I could just sense that both the new Autumn/Winter Collection, and the shop, overseen by its passionate Manager and menswear aficionado Jon Paul King, really is delivering a product and retail experience of refreshing quality.

Having arranged to return for a tour of the collection, I walk in and I am met by Mr. King with a welcoming smile, and a sense of ease and elegance which reflects both his understanding of Daks and his reassurance that I'll be impressed with the quality of the new collection. He takes me down stairs into the luxurious tailoring parlour, where Daks's formal wear is displayed. I am provided with a drink, a luxurious armchair to rest in and a booklet entitled 'Daks London: A History' - this is customer service as it should be. Furthermore, the very fact that Daks is channeling the company's extraordinary history, and showing an understanding of it, is marvelous. Proudly displayed on the wall above my head, are Daks's three Royal Warrants, the company being one of only fifteen (out of some nine hundred and six warrant holders) to be granted all three.

Jon Paul himself has been in luxury menswear for many years. "I've been at Daks since the beginning of the year, but before that I spent six years at Aquascutum, and also had six years at Ralph Lauren". Once you've had half an hour to take in the new collection, especially when accompanied by Jon Paul's insight, you truly get the sense that for Daks, its all about investment in quality on every level; of cloth, construction, fit and style. I have no qualms in saying that this is one of the finest off the peg collections I've seen in years, and the degree of both thought and design behind it is exceptional. 

A big part of Daks' fresh approach to quality, according to Jon Paul, is the way the firm has capitalised on positive trends in the high-end menswear market in recent years. Increasingly, sartorially savvy men are prepared to pay a little more for true quality, and more and more men are looking to invest in a durable, classically tailored wardrobe - even those young professionals aiming to cut a dash as they embark on their chosen career paths for the first time. 

"More and more gentlemen are now realising that we are one of few places left where you can come into the store and actually buy a truly good suit".

There are two elements to this, firstly the product itself. Daks produce a full range of tailored menswear, as beautiful Fox Flannel Prince of Wales check business suits sit alongside handsome tweed, flannel or even cashmere and pure silk jackets or sharp, understated lounge suits cut on the firm's new 'Kieran' slimmer block. For me, the most delightful thing about the collection is the individuality of every single piece. Many off the peg retailers stick to one or two blocks, with no deviation in detail, resulting in an entire collection of two buttoned, notched lapelled uniformity. Daks add exclusivity to their collection by varying such details, suits boast different lapels and pocket shapes, as well as differing silhouettes, and there's even more variation in the jacketing collection. With a mixture of full and half linings, structured and unstructured shapes, ticket pockets, some Norfolk jacket designs with bellows pockets, half-belts and pleated shoulders, you get the sense that every single piece in the collection has been designed from scratch; there's no compromise or sense of mass-production or budgeting in its design.

Also exquisite is the quality of finishing. Top stitched lapels and linings, exclusively designed buttons, a handsome fitted silhouette which is really well balanced, cloth patterns matched across seams and pockets, unfinished trousers as standard, I could go on. According to Jon Paul a lot of thought has gone into making Daks' products with a soft, comfortable and light yet structured shape, and it really shows. The chest canvass and shoulder structure is light and soft but holds shape, cloths drape beautifully and the jacket sleeve head is the most precise piece of tailoring I've found off-the-peg.

Also tangible is Jon Paul (and his team's) excitement about what the future holds for Daks. "Its taken us several years to reach this point, we've been building our business, providing modern, yet elegant tailoring to appeal to both young and older customers alike". This modern image is something that the firm wants to continue to promote, and its participation in the Milanese fashion shows last month illustrates just how fashion-forward the company can be.

According to Jon Paul, "customers perception of value for money is changing and true quality is being better appreciated". I couldn't agree more, and the fact that luxury tailoring is growing in popularity is an extremely exciting prospect for any man who pays attention to his dress. What's even more exciting is to find a modern menswear company that truly appreciates this. For any off the peg tailoring, Daks really should be your first port of call this Autumn.

www.daks.com