British menswear, in its more formal sense, is one of the most copied forms of retailing across the Continent. Whether it’s Italy, France or Germany, slick men’s tailoring outlets tend to take their design cue from the UK.

This form of store design has been taken to the Russian cities of Moscow and Ekaterinburg by UK London consultancy Four IV. St James (the Brit clue’s in the name) is an upscale multi-brand menswear retailer.

It has, in fact, been in Russia for more than a decade, but these latest stores, located in new shopping malls and opened at the end of last month, are an attempt to create a “one stop men shop”, according to Four IV.

The store interiors are divided into four, with ready-to-wear at the front, followed by evening wear and with accessories and a VIP area at the back. The store interior is the outcome of a desire on the part of the retailer to update its generally dark and heavy interiors. This has been achieved using an upscale palette of materials including textured limestone flooring and perforated leather.

Both stores have a VIP fitting room, for made-to-measure customers, where there is an emphasis on “sumptuous domesticity” with suede walls and floor-standing lamps. The cash desk is also noteworthy, sitting within a cube of smoked glass. A membrane of stretched fabric allows lights to wash across the length of the ceiling.

St James is owned by brand distributor JamilCo, which operates in the luxury brand market, with brands including Hermes, Burberry, De Beers and John Lobb.

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