Hornets Kensington
We visited Hornets Kensington, a renowned shop with over 40 years of history specialising in men's traditional, classic, and designer apparel, making it the oldest classic men's vintage clothing shop in the country. During our visit, we had a conversation with Bill Hornets, whose insights are shared in the interview below.
Find Hornets Kensington at 2 Kensington Church Walk, London W8 4NB, or online here.
Photography by Paul Smith
Meet Bill, the owner of Hornets Kensington.
Loom: What got you into vintage clothing?
Bill Hornets: I became an actor when I left RADA at 19, and I quickly realised that looking good makes you feel good. I soon got a reputation for being smartly dressed. What you wear says just as much about you as how you behave—your clothes should be a part of you.
I’d just finished a television series I’d been working on for six months and got offered another one almost immediately. The money was the best I’d ever been offered. I was sitting on the terrace of my flat in Athens, about to head to the islands, looking out at a spectacular view of the Acropolis with a glass of very good wine in my hand, and I thought: No. I want to join the world—have some real adventures, not imaginary ones. I’ll find something else to do. Something that fascinates me.
What is your background?
My background? My background is life. I’d always been involved in other enterprises when I was acting—so that’s my background: living a very full life.
When did you set up Hornets Kensington?
I fell into Hornets just over 40 years ago.
How do you edit your buys? Are there any particular pieces that feel very 'Hornets Kensington'?
Anything with style—it has to have style and quality. That’s Hornets’ motto.
Do you specialise in any particular period or type of vintage? What are you best known for on the vintage market?
We don’t specialise in any particular period of vintage clothing. It’s anything that’s old, interesting, and has quality and style.
How do you find your pieces? Do you go to markets or do people come to you?
A lot comes from the public, and we have regular suppliers in the trade. They know our style, which is unique, and so they buy for us everywhere.
Who shops with you?
Anybody who wants a stylish bargain—from a 16-year-old with his mum looking for his first dinner suit or morning wear, to a wealthy 70-year-old wanting something unusual—and everyone in between. We’ve had artists, famous singers, musicians, actors, and what I call the chic elite. They’re the ones who used to be called “society”—a nice, friendly bunch who know exactly what they want and love Hornets.
Everybody is our customer if they’re looking for style—style and quality. Young people with little money, just starting out in life and their careers, they need to look good to feel good. We often get enquiries like, “I’ve never bought a suit. I need some good advice—can you help?” Of course we do.
Chat amongst friends and dinner party talk is important. We’ve got customers from all over the world, and they talk about us everywhere. Unlike other clothes dealers, we never post pictures of our famous clients—of which we have many. They come to Hornets to relax, to buy clothing, and to have a chat. They just mix in. We treat them, and the 16-year-old boy with his mum buying his first suit, with the same courtesy, respect, and friendliness.
Anyway, we’re not in the business of promoting ourselves through celebrities. We promote ourselves through what we sell—that’s our reputation. Nearly all the big international designers know Hornets and have visited us—and still do, along with their teams. We have many top stylists and famous photographers as customers. It all adds up to this: you never know who you’re going to see sitting on our wall opposite the shop, chatting with some kid who’s just bought his first morning suit.
Is there a particular piece that you would never sell?
Many of them are in our archive.
What piece would be your dream find?
My dream find? A warehouse full of 1940s demob suits, overcoats, jackets, and collarless shirts—or a collector’s lifetime collection.
Favourite place to find vintage on your travels?
A trade secret.
Strangest place that you’ve bought pieces from?
Not the strangest place—but the strangest person: a king. We were asked to be discreet (we always are when buying privately). On any bespoke clothing, we mark out the customer’s name on the tailor’s label. A few of the pieces had his coat of arms woven into the garments, including his Barbour jacket. We kept those pieces for personal use. No—it’s not our dear Monarch.
At a junk market in Paris, I bought a very old Barbour—the only one of its kind left.
