A Hidden British Gem in DC

The popularity of Doctor Who in the US is no more evident to me than when I hear people ask if we can get our hands on a Tardis to help them travel to the UK. I recently found out that there is actually a Tardis (of sorts) in Georgetown in the form of a small shop called Sterling & Burke. I had noticed the British flags outside but it wasn’t until recently that I ventured inside.

What struck me was the fantastic collection of high-end British products. On the walls, vintage 19th-century American flags are framed next to lithographs from British artists. One of the posters features an original British military recruitment poster by artist Guy Lipscombe. Scents of jasmine and amber linger around a wall that is stocked full with fragrances from Penhaligon’s, a 144 year-old perfume house that holds two Royal Warrants. Another wall holds assorted mugs from Halcyon Days, a company that holds five decades of three Royal Warrants for British luxury gifts. At the corner, there is a selection of Swaine Adeney Brigg umbrellas made from various materials such as chestnut and plated gold handles.  The company was the first umbrella maker to be issued a Royal Warrant and some of their umbrellas can cost up to $2000, so maybe a good idea to use on a windy day!

The shop has had so much demand for British goods from Washingtonians that it now produces its own line of English-made leather goods in addition to having a collection of other English and American-made products.

Earlier this month, the shop hosted an event for Benson & Clegg, a London-based tailoring company that holds a Royal warrant from the Prince of Wales. The company has been part of the bespoke tailoring heritage for over 75 years and has since expanded from hand-made suits to a line of ties, cufflinks, buttons, and badges. Each suit is meticulously hand-made and two British tailors travel to the U.S. three times a year for new orders and fittings. Selections of wool and cashmere fabric swatches are laid out on a table for customers to peruse. This is high-end British fashion at its best. Too pricey for me but very popular for some in DC.

I was upset not to have gone to the event as it had a fine selection of Scottish whisky such as Edradour, Ardberg, Glenmorangie and Monkey Shoulder. I am told, by reliable sources, it helped to keep guests warm despite the raging snow storm that night and that some people pleaded to take the bottles home with them. It the attendees had been lucky enough to be given the whiskey, they could have taken it home in one of the leather travel bags from brands such as Trafalgar and Globe-Trotter and topped off the look with a leather address book by Charing Cross.

It sounded like a great night and Kenneth Austin, the Managing Director of Benson & Clegg confirmed my view of how magical the shop is to people seeking British high end products: “From the outside, no-one would think that this shop has three floors that are full of exceptional English products. I like the idea of going into a shop and discovering all of its little secrets.”

The popularity of UK’s high end fashion should not be underestimated, I bet few people realise it’s currently worth around £2.9 billion to the UK economy. This is a trend that is expected to continue, as I hope the demand for designer British goods in DC will.