Browns's legendary shop front on South Molton Street

Joan Burstein, once described by the late Jean Muir as “a courageous retailer with a sense of discernment and a good nose for fashion”, founded Browns in London with her husband, Sidney, in 1970.

Since its establishment, Browns has developed and expanded to include the five interconnecting Browns shops in South Molton Street, where it first began. Recognised as one of London’s most famous fashion emporiums, the key to the success of Browns, according to Mrs. B, (as she’s affectionately known to the cognoscenti), stems from a total understanding of what fashion hungry customers want and need.

Browns has no strict fashion philosophy other than the ruthless editing of the world’s best womenswear and menswear collections. They know and understand their customers and, provide a personal, friendly, informed service – a distinct point of difference in the fierce retail environment of the British capital.

Browns has nurtured many design talents over the years including John Galliano (whose entire Central St. Martin’s MA collection Mrs. B invested in), Giorgio Armani, Sonia Rykiel, Jil Sander, Azzedine Alaia and Comme des Garçons, not to mention US designers such as Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Donna Karan, who she introduced to the UK.

Mrs. B has an intuitive eye for innovative design direction and has been known to snap up new prospects before most of her competitors had noticed their existence – for example, Browns’ support of British designers including Matthew Williamson, Hussein Chalayan and Julian Macdonald. And in the last couple of seasons, the boutique has kick-started the careers and been the first to buy into the hot new generation of British designers, including Christopher Kane, Gareth Pugh and Marios Schwab.

Though Mrs. B has always loved clothes, it was her husband Sidney who was the fashion entrepreneur and in 1946, two years after the couple got married, they started selling underwear in Ridley Road Market in London’s East End. By the 1950s, they owned a string of shops in the West End, but the business went bust and they lost everything. Resolving to carry on, the couple opened a boutique called Feathers on affluent High Street Kensington, which employed, among others, a young Manolo Blahnik. The South Molton Street shop soon followed in 1970 – the property was purchased from Sir William Piggott-Brown, after whom it was named. They also opened in Sloane Street after a call from Vidal Sassoon offering them the front of his shop.

Some 40 years ago Browns was the only multi-label boutique to be found in London, however since then independent boutiques stocking a variety of brands have sprung up around the city, competing with the numerous department stores. Browns were tested in the economic climate, but through the sheer determination from Mrs. B and her family, who are all a part of the Browns history, the Browns story continued. Mrs. B’s daughter, Caroline, is a key member in the family business and most recently her son Simon has moved back from Paris to head up the company as CEO.

In 2006, Mrs. B was honoured as CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list. She was acknowledged for her magnificent work in making Browns the global fashion emporium it is today and her efforts towards the British fashion industry as a whole.

This year, the company is celebrating its 40th anniversary with the Future Collectibles project, which has 40 designers reissuing their most iconic pieces – each item has a special “Browns 40th Anniversary” label, and stock is available in limited numbers. The collection is available in Browns and in a series of pop-up shops around the world, including Grieder in Zurich, BonGenie in Geneva and Quartier 206 in Berlin. The selection includes items from newer designers such as the charming ‘Atlas’ skater dress from Acne and a metal tube-embellished dress by David Koma, alongside pieces from established brands, such as Hussein Chalayan’s perspex panelled dress and Christian Louboutin’s ‘Fifi’ metallic court shoes.

Collectible frocks from Koma and Chalayan

A unique exhibition showcased fashion innovation in London over the last four decades through the eyes of Browns, centering on the store’s recognition for discovering ‘new talent’, with forty iconic portraits of Browns ambassadors on show. Legendary fashion photographer Paolo Roversi captured each individual in one of Browns specially selected designer looks. The curation and set for the exhibition was designed by Simon Costin, the acclaimed set designer who has worked on Alexander McQueen’s shows in the past.

In addition to the celebrations, Browns has created a limited edition book to complement the exhibition. Browns – 40 Years of Fashion is a beautiful keepsake, including fashion images that have never been seen before, interviews and stunning archive pictures. The book was edited by Isaac Lock (deputy editor of LOVE magazine) and the foreword is by Ralph Lauren – contributions come from a starry cast including John Galliano and Sonia Rykiel.

Today, Browns is still located on South Molton Street, with a smaller scale version of the boutique on Sloane Street. There is also a Labels For Less shop, carrying last season’s reduced stock and a bridal boutique. Brown Focus was launched in 1997 to cater for a younger, hipper clientele and the most recent venture is a stand alone shoe store, Browns Shoes, which opened in 2008.

In the cut-throat world of fashion, the history of Browns is endearing. It is a family enterprise with a genuine ethos based on the discovery of new design talent, reflecting the stylistic demands of the time. Undoubtedly the future of Browns is set to be as glorious as is its past.

More information on Browns can be found on the boutique’s website and for the latest news, see the Miss B blog.