outfits as needed, but it is the exper-
tise when it comes to top hats – which
are very hard to find in other shops
– that is particularly appreciated.
"We're the leading independent sup-
plier of top hats out there," Ferner
Robson reveals. "The original black
silk top hats are no longer made, and
haven't been for around 50 years, but
we can source or restore them, or we
can make an imitation version that
looks similar to an antique one, us-
ing wool instead. But the older ones
have more of a shine; they really are
an item of beauty.
"You can spend anything from £500-
£5,000 on a top hat, depending on the
size of your head. It's funny because
our heads have got bigger over time,
so the larger sizes of the antique hats
are rare, and they come with quite a
price tag. We actually have people on
the lookout all over Europe for orig-
inal silk top hats, and they are very
popular with our American clients, as
you couldn't get anything more En-
glish if you tried."
It was the purchase of an antique
top hat from a second-hand shop on
London's Portobello Road during his
teens that ignited Ferner Robson's
interest in racing attire. "My father
was very much involved in racing, so
it's something I've been around all
my life," he reveals. "In fact, I've just
invested in a horse myself, through
Chelsea Thoroughbreds [a Lon-
don-based company that organizes
