Written by Bec Loades in Stockists on the 29th January 2018

Seven Dials in West End London is situated just next to Covent Garden and has rapidly become a unique hub of menswear and luxury beauty brands in the city. Physically it has dramatically changed since its historic poverty-stricken days during the 19th century and it is now fulfilling its original role becoming a hugely popular area; full of attractive shop fronts enticing local Londoners and visiting tourists. MenswearStyle were invited down to Seven Dials to have a look around some key shops which perfectly coincided with London’s largest light festival, Lumiere London.

This year Seven Dials was one of the focal areas for the festival in West London and featured an incredible piece of art by Benetto Bufalino and Benoit Deseille who turned an iconic London telephone box into an aquarium! The artwork was situated perfectly in Seven Dials as it was in walking distance of not only the 95 shops but some fantastic restaurants, bars, pubs and theatres which the area is now well-known for. The narrow-cobbled streets are certainly worth exploring as there is plenty to do and see here. Below are just a few of the examples of the cool stores available in Seven Dials.

Le Labo 

This New York-based perfumery is certainly high-end. Their scents are unique and so is the style of their international stores and products. They are well-known for their intense and 'soulful' perfumes; however, they have branched out further into men's grooming products such as beard oil and aftershave balm. Their Monmouth Street store makes a great place to buy a gift for someone as they also sell home fragrances and candles. If you are looking for one of their famous perfumes, you'll see them hand blended in store and you can even start a collection by purchasing their limited-edition London bottle, Poivre 23.

Sonos 

Sonos speakers are so highly regarded that they are even used in Abbey Road Studios. Recently launched on the corner of Earlham Street, this is their first European concept store and it certainly stands proud in Seven Dials with its bold design. In the 16 years Sonos has been in the industry, they have only brought out eight speakers and this is due to their incredible technology where each speaker can be updated via WiFi; all you need is the Sonos app and you are good to go. Visiting the store, you can sit in listening booths where assistants will prove just how great their audio systems are. They have just launched their first Amazon Alexa voice-controlled technology with the 'One' smart speaker. Not only is this a retail space but they also have a fantastic area downstairs which is used for exhibitions (most recently for The Face magazine) and also just a general relaxing area to listen to music and test out their products.

Beast 

This is quite possibly one of the best men’s beauty stores London has on offer. Beast, also situated on Earlham Street, is like a concept store for beauty as they provide an extremely well curated selection of products for men from some of the best beauty brands in the industry. It's clear they understand their male customer and in order to provide them with the finest products, the staff quite often do a trial run to make sure the products do what it says on the tin. They even have an event space downstairs where they organise beauty workshops. You can find international brands Sachajuan, L:A Bruket, Perricone MD and Bad Norwegian here, all sat alongside English brands such as the traditional D.R Harris and the unique and more modern Haeckels.

B1866 

If you're an avid cyclist, then you must know about Brooks England. B1866 is the only place in the world were you can buy the whole of the Brooks England collection. Walking in you are instantly drawn to the array of beautiful leather saddles neatly displayed on their exposed brick walls, accompanying striking cycling images and photos of the founders. This is the place to come and choose your cycling accessories and make any enquiries with staff about your cycling needs. They have recently released their new season of bags which includes their classic backpacks as well as a 'commuters' range; perfect for transporting your work and laptop securely across the city whilst attached to your bike.

Duke and Dexter 

Any fan of the slipper shoe trend or loafer will love Duke and Dexter. This British shoe company has completely taken off in the fashion world, particularly after a pair were seen on the feet of Eddie Redmayne whilst collecting his Oscar in 2015; just a year after they launched in 2014. Each shoe is handmade in Sheffield using a variety of high quality materials such a velvet, suede and linen. The Seven Dials flagship store is extremely welcoming, and they encourage you to sit back and relax whilst trying on your chosen shoes. Their loafers can be made exactly to your chosen design at their bespoke bar where you can decide on colour, material and embroidery. There is a lot more in the pipeline to come from this brand and certainly one to keep an eye on.

Monmouth Kitchen 

If you are looking for somewhere to eat in Seven Dials, you really are spoilt for choice. One restaurant that stands out is the Monmouth Kitchen which is connected to the Radisson Blu Edwardian and offers a menu of Italian and Peruvian tapas. Highlights on the menu are their delicious miniature tacos which can be followed by a variety of ceviche, sharing-sized pizzas and the amazing beef tenderloin anticucho. If you save enough room there are some intriguing desserts, and you certainly can’t visit without trying one their signature cocktails. This would be a perfect place to join colleagues after work or to recharge after a busy day shopping in the area.

Farah 

Farah offers a brilliant selection of casualwear for the modern man. This solely menswear brand is ideal if you are looking for everyday essentials for your wardrobe, such as classic fitting shirts, T-shirts and denim. Each design is kept minimal apart from their iconic embroidered golden 'F' logo. This store may be small in size but there is plenty to choose from here and with their history stemming back to the 1920s, there is no wonder Farah has a loyal fan-base who return each season. Their Spring 2018 collection offers hoodies in attractive pastel shades which work well with their pale chinos and printed T-shirts. For a smarter option, you can also find some great blazers and suit jackets here too.

We feature Sonos on Earlham Street and Le Labo on Monmouth Street in our guide to London’s Seven Dials conducted during Lumiere London Festival.