John Simons – The Ivy look

Ok, first things, first. Confession time. I am a graphic designer who likes jazz and Swiss graphic design from the 60s. I also like the Ivy League look. The neat clean lines. The jazz. The look. The all work for me and if they work for you too you need to head to John Simons for your fix every now and then.

John Simons, the man (not the shop) is a legend. Vice magazine called him ‘one of the unsung heroes of British post-war fashion’. This is the man who has been selling the Ivy look since 1964. The man who first imported Filson, Pendleton and Brooks Brothers. The man who influenced and sold to the original London mods and who is still selling to the urban modernist now.

The shop itself (which is not far from Marylebone High Street), represents all that is good about John Simons and the Ivy look. It brings together art, design, jazz and quality menswear. This is the shop if you want to buy Bass Weejuns or Sebago or Florsheim or Brooks Brothers or Baracuta… Simply put, this is the shop you go to if you want to be Steve McQueen.

If I had the money I’d suit myself head-to-toe with clothes from John Simons, but I can’t, so I settle for the occasional visit and wait patiently for the twice yearly sale (Winter and Summer). Sign up for the mailing list to know exactly when they begin.