Interview with Lazaros Tyrekidis from the United Kingdom

I come from a small village in northern Greece. As a kid, I’d observe grown-ups dress up for important occasions and this instilled in me a sense that we should take pride in what we wear.

I did well at school and studied Software Engineering at university before focusing on digital marketing and working for large corporates. I always liked suits but could never find just what I had in mind, so I decided to create my own signature brand. That’s how Aristocracy London was born six years ago.

I think there are two aspects to design: the aesthetic and the functional.

Everything around us could benefit from good design, to make sure it looks beautiful while meeting the users’ needs. And obviously we’re now all much more aware of the importance of factoring in sustainability and accessibility in our ideation process. The convenience of ALL users and the impact our decisions have on the planet are really important.

The packaging was designed by our in-house team. We created a luxury box that alludes to our suits but also gives customer a sense of occasion when they open it. We didn’t want something they would open and discard quickly because it wouldn’t align to our principles around slow fashion.

Our flagship showroom is fairly new. It opened in September 2023 and we worked closely with award-winning architect, Andreas Skourtis and our design team to create a space that represents us.

In our meeting with the architect and design team, we began with a strong foundation: our showroom is situated in a stunning Grade II listed building, boasting an iconic location in London directly across from the Natural History Museum. The Victorian heritage of the building served as our initial inspiration. From there, we meticulously planned the user journey.

We wanted customers to feel a sense of “home”. Rather than rushing from reception to their stylist appointment and then payment, we wanted them to take their time and enjoy the experience. So, we created a space that’s inspired by the luxurious relaxed atmosphere of London’s member clubs with art deco patterns in the brand’s gold and navy colours.

Our main challenge was that we were working within a listed building so there were a lot of limitations but, rather than viewing them as challenges, we saw them as opportunities to think creatively.

I love the industry and its people. If I had to pick three things that stand out for me, I’d say it’s creative, collaborative and very responsive to society’s priorities. The latter has become very apparent in the last few years with the switch to slow fashion and the imperative to buy less but buy better.

I’ve always been fascinated with what we’d call “the Renaissance person”. People like Leonardo da Vinci who possessed a variety of talents and pursued excellence in different fields. I appreciate that it’s very difficult to be a polymath today and specialisation is essential, especially in science, but I feel our brains need different types of stimulation.

Talent is great but it’ll only get you so far. Hard work and perseverance are key to success.

I’d say that my adopted country, the United Kingdom, has influenced both our suit designs and our showroom interiors. Our suits are inspired by British military and royal tradition and our showroom’s interior design evokes the comfort, peace and luxury of London’s member’s clubs.