Corneliani moves in to historic London tailor's

| Tue, 03/11/2008 - 05:04

Italian clothing company Corneliani has moved into London's oldest tailor's shop in the trendy shopping haven of New Bond Street.

Beale & Inman started life as tailors to London's Edwardian society in 1828 and counted the British, Greek and Dutch royal families, Charles Dickens, Winston Churchill and Pierce Brosnan among its clients.

Because of the shops's long history, government watchdog English Heritage have forbidden any changes to the building's original fittings, windows and decorations.

The new Corneliani store gives a modern twist to the shop's original character, creating a luxurious drawing room atmosphere with macassar ebony flooring decorated with fillets of stainless steel.

The 460-square-metre two-storey shop houses sportswear, accessories and the Trend Corneliani line on the ground floor and suits, sports jackets and formal wear in the basement.

A family business started in Milan in the 1930s, Corneliani is present in 30 countries worldwide and is also available in London at Harrod's in Knightsbridge.

Prices for a made-to-measure Corneliani suit start from £650.

Topic: Fashion