Officine Générale

Officine Générale chose Beak Street for its first shop outside France, bringing the Paris label's quietly considered tailoring to Soho. Founded in 2012 by Pierre Mahéo and based in Saint-Germain-des-Pres, the brand built its name on wardrobe staples cut from carefully chosen French, British and Italian cloth, and the London store is its calling card in a city that has long bought into that understated look.

For anyone after well-made French fashion in Soho, it is a considered stop. The boutique carries both men's and women's collections alongside the label's Daily Classics line, with tailoring, knitwear, outerwear, leather goods, shoes and fragrance. Maheo designed the space himself, keeping the 1825 building's original oak floors and walls and adding brushed-brass rails and modernist vintage furniture for a sober, masculine feel.

What to expect from this French fashion boutique in Soho

Expect edited rather than sprawling: jackets, shirts, trousers, knitwear and outerwear built to last, plus accessories and scent. The focus is on fabric and cut over logos, which fits the brand's Left Bank roots. The olive-toned corner shopfront and preserved period interior make it as much a room to browse as a shop to buy from.

The label and the building

Officine Générale's arrival on Beak Street reflected the way Soho's side streets have drawn smaller, design-led labels away from the big thoroughfares. It sits among the street's fashion names, close to British tailoring at Paul Smith, with more of the area's stores in our Soho shops listings.

How a visit works

The Beak Street boutique opens Monday to Saturday from 10.30am to 7.30pm and is closed on Sunday. It is a walk-in store for browsing and buying across the men's, women's and Daily Classics ranges. Collections and details are on the brand's official site, and the London opening was covered by WWD.