‘I spent years making 1 thing for the late Queen – it was a pleasure’

The small store serves Royals, politicians and film stars

Tucked away on a small street in Fitzrovia is an unsuspecting shop selling one thing to Queens, Prime Ministers and film stars. Maureen Rose has owned Taylors Buttons for over 50 years – a small haberdashery filled to the brim with buttons.

Inside its humble exterior are rows of shelves stacked with small brown boxes. Each of these contains a variety of buttons or buckle fasteners, which Maureen has committed to memory.

“It fascinates a lot of people, people ask if it’s a museum. It’s basically a history of buttons. I’m the only one in London now that’s independent,” says Maureen.

Maureen is visited by customers all day long, as she sits behind a counter in the centre of the 100-year-old shop floor. The building which houses Taylors Buttons was also once home to Charles Dickens, she tells me, who lived at the site from 1815-1816 and 1828-1831. It is located just a few doors down from what was once a Victorian workhouse on the same road, noted by a blue plaque which has been put up outside the haberdashery.

Despite its rich history, Taylors Buttons has managed to stand strong against the background of a dying high street, attracting tourists and button collectors from all over the world. This is thanks to their particular speciality – handmade covered buttons made to order.

One of Maureen’s most special memories is making buttons for the late Queen, through the famous couture houses Norman Hartnell and Hardy Amies. She also made buttons for clothing items worn by Margaret Thatcher.

“The girls used to come in the morning to get their orders and on the top of the order it would say HMQ – Her Majesty the Queen. So, that’s how I knew who I was making it for,” she says.

Maureen, who is a big supporter of the Royal Family, designed the buttons which the late Queen Elizabeth wore to celebrate the turn of the millennium at the Millennium Dome in 2000. The coral and grey buttons can be seen on the famous photo of the stony-faced late Queen holding hands with then-Prime Minister Tony Blair.

“[The Royal Family] has had their ups and downs like everyone. Since the Queen died there’s a different feeling because everyone grew up with her for years,” she adds.

Taylors Buttons still continues to be a favourite with the Royal Family, including Queen Camila and King Charles. The haberdashery is also a popular place for London’s art and fashion students to purchase handmade buttons for specialised designs. One time, Maureen was asked to make a set of buttons out of paper for an art student.

The family acquired the shop around 50 years ago. Maureen and her husband Leon ran the place together, until he passed away in 2004. Now, she runs the shop with the help of her son Marc, who will inherit the store from her one day.

While Taylors Buttons remains popular, it has not always been easy to keep the store going. During the pandemic, the store was forced to close, which resulted in an accumulation of £17,000 in unpaid rent. Thankfully, the public has always appreciated Taylors Buttons for its rich history and extraordinary buttons, donating over £19,000 to their Crowdfunder to help keep the doors open.

“I used to be open every day, but since Covid it’s not worth it. For what it costs to come in and park the car it isn’t worth it because of the congestion charge,” she says.

Taylors Buttons is located at 22 Cleveland Street, W1T 4JB and open Tuesday and Wednesday from 11am-3.30pm.

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