Tucked onto Avenida Larco in Lima's Miraflores district sits a tailoring house with an unexpected backstory. London House, a made-to-measure boutique, traces its roots to 1963, when Marco Ghio Mazzone's grandfather — an Italian who grew up in Venezuela around tailor's workshops — moved to Peru with his Peruvian wife and opened a fabric shop called Casimires Mazzone.
The family business eventually grew to 11 stores across Lima before Peru's violent internal conflict years forced a rethink. For safety, the family adopted the name London House, borrowed from an established tailor, and later consolidated back to a single location. In 2018 came another reset: a smaller, more intimate boutique. Some clients had found the old shop intimidating or assumed made-to-measure was out of their price range, so the new space was designed to feel open and approachable.
Today Marco runs the shop, but the craft remains with experienced artisans. After measurements, a cutter draws the pattern that shapes the garment's structure — and as Marco points out, a single cutting error can ripple through the whole process.
The made-to-measure service runs in five steps: fabric and style consultation, measurements, two fittings, then delivery. A suit, coat or overcoat takes roughly two weeks; shirts and trousers are ready in about three days and skip the first fitting. The boutique also makes waistcoats, alters garments from any brand, and assembles complete wedding looks with accessories for grooms. Most cloth comes from England and Italy, though shirts can use Peruvian cotton.
Marco's fabric advice is refreshingly practical for travellers. Don't fixate on the 'Super' number — for everyday wear he suggests Super 100 to 120, then weighing fabric weight against climate and use. Frequent travellers should pick a solid neutral jacket that works across multiple occasions, ideally with a touch of stretch. And a quick shirt-fit check: the shoulder seam should sit right where the shoulder bone begins to slope.
For visitors to Lima, this is a genuinely useful stop. Two weeks is long enough to commission a suit during an extended Peru trip — or to drop in for alterations and shirts before flying home. Appointments can be arranged via WhatsApp or email.
