John Lobb

In the shadow of the St James’s Palace gate tower, this is a fitting site for one of the finest bespoke shoemakers in the world. The original John Lobb made his name as a cobbler during the reign of Queen Victoria, when he shod the feet of the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII. Today, the company currently holds two royal warrants and has a fabulous range of classic shoes, boots, slippers and wellies. A pair of made-to-measure leather shoes will cost over £2,000, but this might be considered money well spent if you consider the craftmanship involved and that the product is likely to last a lifetime. What’s more, some of the traditional loafer styles commonly asked for here have come around again, and are now positively trendy.