A QUINTESSENTIALLY ENGLISH DAY OUT AT CONCOURS ON SAVILE ROW
May 2024
It's not every day that Savile Row in Mayfair gets taken over by a host of classic and super cars. But when it does you must take full advantage of it!
Concours Savile Row is hosted annually and is the epitome of a quintessentially English day out. Snuggled into between the cobbles of the finest tailors in the world, including Hackett, Henry Poole & Co and Gieves and Hawkes, Concours offers a two day car show steeped in history.
The best part? It's completely free! I headed down to see what it was all about...
The Cars
On arrival, the street had glamorously rolled out the red carpet, quite literally, and the cars were strategically placed throughout Savile Row. Some of the classics included John Lennon's Rolls Royce Phantom V, which he aptly wrote Strawberry Fields in, Charlie Watts of Rolling Stones and his 1937 Lagonda LG45 Rapide and even David Gandy’s Jaguar XK20 made an appearance.
Many of the cars were Italian-made, with plenty of information beside them and talks on the central stage for car buffs and enthusiasts.
If you like different style cars, including elite classics and the more loud supercars then you will find an abundance of choice, plus there are plenty of photo ops to be had!
The Atmosphere
My friend and I were pleasantly surprised that mingling with a cool glass of Pimms and champagne was the norm on Concours Savile Row. People were very friendly and chatty and even directed my friend and me towards the best tailoring houses so that we could see inside.
Many of these houses have Royal appointments so teamed with the cars made the perfect elegant backdrop to chat in. Oh. and there were canapes!
The Aperitifs
While we attended before lunch, the alcoholic beverages were flowing in the different shops and we even got invited behind the scenes at Hackett which was hosting a drinks soiree in their cocktail lounge, which they transformed from its normal residency of a bespoke fitting room. I tried the David Gandy Savile Row Gin (he's a busy man!) and even went to his store later on while many of the guests were wearing bespoke or vintage attire.
In a Nutshell
I witnessed some of the greatest cars ever made with Savile Row closed off for 2 days for an early summer soiree. I loved that this was open to the public as it meant people could experience it first-hand and learn something new. Even if you are not a car enthusiast, the atmosphere and historical buildings around Savile Row will be enough to enjoy the day.
I delighted in the chance to get dressed up, meet new people, see some fascinating history, and of course, have a glass of champagne! A perfectly joyful summer's day.
