Behind the Scenes on Bond Street by Matt Morley
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It is hard to imagine for readers today, but the area that is now Old Bond Street was once nothing but swampland and Piccadilly a muddy lane running into it. Sir Thomas Bond was in charge of the finances of the household of Queen Henrietta Maria, wife of Charles I. He was also a man with grandiose plans to extend the centre of London northwards, from Piccadilly up to what is now known as Oxford Circus.
Sir Bond’s ambitious project proved to be more expensive than anticipated, meaning initial funding only paid for the construction of the street from Piccadilly up to Burlington Gardens. When building work recommenced in 1700, this first section was named ‘Old Bond Street’ in order to distinguish it from the second section, from Burlington Gardens northwards, to be known as ‘New Bond Street’.
Today there are around 150 stores in business on the street and it is home to the highest concentration of fine jewellers in the world. Fashion labels such as Corneliani, DKNY Jeans, Anya Hindmarch and the British shoe designer Georgina Goodman can all be found here as well, nestled in alongside a range of restaurants, bars and luxury hotels.
Be sure to set time aside to visit Bentley & Skinner, Graff, Chopard and Adler, all brands that represent the finest in traditional craftsmanship. For something a little more contemporary, visitors may choose to admire the jewellery on show at Harry Winston, Moussaieff and Leviev for example.
The sheer range and diversity of Bond Street’s shopping offer can be overwhelming at times, especially during peak holiday season. It may come as no surprise therefore that the street’s luxury brands are attempting to reach out to their best customers with a number of convenient alternatives that focus on privacy and exclusivity…
The Harry Winston salon holds intimate gatherings for special customers to view and try on their most stunning jewellery pieces within the privacy of a small group, while chatting over English tea.
Asprey, Bond Street’s oldest surviving store, occasionally invites selected customers to watch their team of skilled craftsmen making jewellery in the workshops within their magnificent Old Bond Street store, a rare insight behind the scenes at one of England’s most prestigious brands.
Smythson of Bond Street, stationer to the Royal Family, offer a popular bespoke service and also have a fascinating museum within the store itself that displays some of Queen Victoria’s original stationery alongside pages from Jackie O’s diary as well.
Many of the stores can not only provide ‘personal shoppers’ but also deliver your purchases directly back to your home or hotel suite, leaving you free to continue shopping without being weighed down by too many purchases.
For guests staying at the historic Ritz of course, the hotel’s bell boys are always on hand to pop up to any store on Bond Street to collect shopping bags and deposit them back in your room at a moment’s notice.
Finally, for those who prefer to come to London solely for the purposes of shopping, it is worth knowing that arrival by helicopter at Battersea heliport is the quickest way into town for those staying in the countryside. A chauffeur can then transport you directly to Bond Street in a matter of minutes. This approach also comes with a free history lesson: just look out of the chopper’s window and marvel at how far London has spread since the days of Sir Thomas Bond!
Take a walk around Bond Street and stay the night... check out our listings of luxury hotels in London.