London: Tea Time in Wonderland

This refined boutique only need a few words on its business card to impress: they are London’s oldest taylors still open.

320 years of pure tradition – behind those wooden walls are cut and sewn the legal robes worn by judges and barristers at the Royal Court.

Have a closer look at the shop windows. They also are one of the last makers of wigs. The shortest are for daily attendance, the longest would be worn for ceremonies. You can imagine the work behing those precise curls, still handmade from… horse hair.

Did you know black was originally used? They then had to be powdered and perfumed but of course the ointments would damage the expensive clothes. Edes & Ravenscroft were the first to patent a wig made with white horse hair – the texture is different and had to be managed, which took 10 years to master – which is still the one you see in court these days.

Ede and Ravenscroft
93 Chancery Lane
London WC2A 1DU

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