P Johnson opened a new shop on Old Burlington Street in London recently, and it’s a very cool space. I’d even go as fas as to say that it brings a touch of sexiness to this often conservative part of town.

Hang on a minute – I hear you say – that sounds like the kind of thing you’d hear from a mainstream fashion magazine. Why do I care whether it’s a cool space or not? 

Well, because most brands with a view on clothes design also have a view on store design. The two usually reflect something about each other, even if it’s a lack a of design – a focus on simple functionality.

In P Johnson’s case, the top image of their new fitting room says it all: padded velvet walls, leopard-print carpet, golden drapes. This is meant to be a bit indulgent, a bit fun.  

I asked Patrick Johnson if he thought the vibe had changed much since we first covered them back in 2017:

“Dramatically. I think we’re more mature now, and the brand feels much more resolved and confident. Comfort and ease are really at the centre of what we do, and I guess that often comes across as sexier. There’ll always be a backbone of classicism and craft in what we offer, but I think we’ve evolved to let things breathe a little more.”

The aesthetic of the space is reflected in the clothes, so thankfully my point holds. Not that they feature velvet or zebra skin, but there is a preponderance of materials such as silk, and a lot of dark, tonal colour.

The shirt above, for example, is made from a 65/35 cotton/silk – a good proportion for getting the feel of silk without its heaviness or delicacy. It feels light and silky on the skin, a real evening vibe that most brands we cover don’t do much. 

It’s also in a grey/green colour that feels rather Armani-like – there’s a lot of this type of colour around the shop: greige, olive, a dark navy and brown check (below).

(It would probably be fairer to say that it feels late 80s/90s rather than just Armani, although some of the PJ styling does seem specifically Armani-inspired, such as the first model shot shown lower down.) 

The other unusual shirt material PJ has is a pure-silk oxford, which is heavier but whose unusual use of an oxford weave gives it body (above).

The materials available for tailoring are also interesting – and I know this is an area that will be of particular interest to readers. 

Most tailors use the same cloth books as each other, while some develop exclusives, keep vintage bolts, or buy rolls of cloth in order to offer something different. Savile Row tailors like Huntsman or A&S often do small custom selections; Anglo-Italian develops its own complete bunches; The Anthology buys one or two exclusives, like the cord I used recently. 

P Johnson has some unusual and exclusive cloths in this regard, including the silk/wool mix pictured below. This is from Serica in Cuomo and has a matte finish not unlike the popular Art du Lin from Solbiati. (MTM starts at £880 for half canvas and £1030 for full canvas – but these more expensive cloths push the price up – to £1470 and £1620 with this wool/silk.)

While I loved the colour and materials of lots of the PJ shirts, most of the styles didn’t work  for me. The collars were a little too small to work under my tailoring, or the fits a little too blousy (some more than others).

However, most of the shirts are available made to measure, and indeed some only available that way (one reason you don’t see some of them online).

This is the second big thing I would highlight about P Johnson. Having so much available custom really opens up the offering – it means those fabrics are available to a much bigger crowd, both in terms of style and of body shape. 

The company has always partly run this way, and when they first started in London there was little on display or in stock. The range of clothing is much bigger now, however, and most people walking into the store would not necessarily assume most of it was available MTM. There’s a tailoring area at the back with various bunches, but in any other store like this, the rest of the clothes on display would all be ready-to-wear. 

The custom is also quite inexpensive and broad in scope. For example, that olive silk shirt I mentioned costs £285 ready made and £290 custom. The biggest uplift among the shirts is £25. 

A custom version would allow me to alter the simple proportions (waist, length, sleeve), change design points like the pockets, and alter the collar. You have to stick to their standard shapes, but there are 40 different collars and six different pocket shapes.

This is the first thing I will try from PJ, I think, and can cover when it’s ready. There are several other nice things in the range, but I think these unusual fabrics and having things MTM are the most interesting things to explore. 

The other nice things include: a lot of different styles of lightweight coat – full length and three quarters, mostly in dark colours of waterproof synthetics; some belts with exchangeable buckles (though the exotic versions of these are only available in Australia); and quality slippers and soft loafers.

Most of the knits styles didn’t work as well for me, either being scooped quite low in the neckline or having a fairly small collar (much as I always want that style of integrated collar to work). 

Finally, the elephant in the room: back when we first reviewed P Johnson, there was a bit of a furore in the comments from Australian readers who said the company hadn’t been honest with them about where the tailoring was made. 

Now, I can’t comment on any honesty then or now, but the staff in the PJ shop today are very open about the things that are made in China, and make the point I’ve always agreed with: that China and other Asian markets such as Korea often make a better product than Italy or Portugal. Focusing on country of origin doesn’t get you very far. 

When we asked Patrick, he said: “We learned a lot through that time, mostly around how we communicate our production story. There was never any intent to mislead, but it did push us to be clearer and more transparent, which was a good thing. Our Pronto workshop, just south of Shanghai, sits at the centre of what we do, and the quality and value coming out of there are exceptional.

I wish the PJ team well for their expansion in London. It certainly brings a freshness and sense of fun to the menswear here. 

pjt.com
25-28 Old Burlington St, London