Stephen Webster Share's His Little Black Book Of London
Stephen Webster portrait
Stephen WebsterRenowned British jeweler Stephen Webster is known for his designs that combine traditional craftsmanship, contemporary artistry, and a little bit of attitude, redefining the fine jewelry realm for the last 40 years.
Wallflowers need not apply as Webster’s collections are nothing short of legendary, and he has a customer base to match, think Madonna, Elton John, Rihanna, Beyoncé, Kate Moss, Angelina Jolie, Johnny Depp, and Dua Lipa who are all drawn to his audacious aesthetic.
SEX&DRUGS&ROCK&ROLL RING
Stephen WebsterInspired by nature, music and pop culture, his signature collections include the holographic Crystal Haze, the Thorn Embrace that symbolizes strength and beauty, and the Love Me, Love Me Not that line that plays with themes of fate and desire, offering Webster’s rebellious take on floral jewelry.
Then there’s his signature Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll collection, a masterclass in intricate metalwork, following the success of the Rock Star Ring, which debuted in 1999. Adding to his rebellious legacy, the London jeweler teamed up with rapper and long-time wearer Machine Gun Kelly to introduce the eighth deadly sin: Gossip, a limited-edition collection.
Expect the hardest of hardware, flex-worthy diamonds, bold silhouettes, intricate metalwork, and unapologetic glamour, crafted the Webster way. His designs, defined by a rebellious spirit, speak to heroines, frontmen, and all of those who are daring, riotous, and eternally stylish.
Stephen Webster portrait
Stephen WebsterAdd a little bit of mischief into your London itinerary, as Stephen Webster shares his favorite London haunts, from the soon-to-be No Regrets Lounge to the hidden spots in Soho, Mayfair, and beyond.
This is a bit cheeky because it’s my soon-to-be favorite bar: The No Regrets Lounge Mayfair. Which opens in May 2025. I know it will be my favorite because the sister, No Regrets Nashville, is half the reason I go to Nashville. The other is of course the music. The bar has a live music area and the bar specialises in the best of the best American Whiskeys and Bourbon all served and made using unique Stephen Webster glass and barware.
Look out for the house special in the new No Regrets: a flight of Martinis, the holy trinity of Dirty, Espresso and Thorn Star, offered in half measure, making sure you can still make it out of Mayfair.
My family are all foodies and they like to point out that I’m not. I profusely disagree. I love all types of food, especially spicy dishes. My favorite is Thai food, we have a small gemstone cutting factory in Bangkok and I have visited many many times, for over 30 years. Speedboat Soho has a take on Thai food that is completely unique to London. Make sure you order the tower of beer to accompany your meal, you will need it.
Nicky has groomed my barnet (hair) for many years. He knows if someone else has dared go near it. He really is a brilliant hair dresser even though sometimes after seeing him my wife will say “I thought you were seeing Nicky.” She thinks he stands behind me making scissor noises, while we drink margaritas. She is half right. I used to go to his salon on Carols Place, as it was around the corner from our boutique on Mount Street, but this has since closed, so I am now lucky enough to go to his house for my ‘special treatment’.
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 27: (L to R) Stephen Webster, Kelly SImpkin and Nicky Clarke attend An Audience With Nicky Clarke at the Nicky Clarke Mayfair salon on July 27, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
gettyHome house is a boutique hotel and private members club on Portman Square Marylebone. For many years we lived on one side and my very first shop was a street away on the other. The building used to house the Courtauld Institute of Art and be home to the Queen’ss art curator Sir Anthony Blunt. Toward the twilight of Sir Blunt’s life he was found out to have been a Russian spy in the 1930s. Unable to face the disgrace, he took his life. With little evidence of the tainted past, Home House is a perfect place for overseas guests to stay in a proper London mansion at a significantly lower rate than most of London’s iconic hotels. We often had a Campari in the beautiful walled rear garden.
Jay the owner is a truly visionary gallerist and represents some amazing artists, including one of my oldest friends, artist Dame Tracey Emin. Plus, the gallery is in Bermondsey which is a great area of London.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 18: Tracey Emin attends a private view of 'I Followed You To The End' by Tracey Emin at White Cube Bermondsey on September 18, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Dave Benett/Getty ImagesWe are regular theatre goers. So fortunate that London has the best theatre in the world. We love the intimacy of productions at the Donmar Warehouse, but also the history in the stalls and circles of the many West End theatres and the brutal magnificence of the South Bank.
Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London. (Photo by Sion Touhig/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesIt’s been a very long relationship between myself and the Varvatos shops, New York first, then L.A., then London and Miami. I have an aging rockstar aesthetic and Mr Varvatos delivers that strip.
As a child my parent took my brother and I to London with some regularity and we loved museums. Probably the most memorable exhibition was the Tutankhamun exhibition at the British museum, but our favorite was always the Natural History Museum. Nowadays, I take clients on guided tours of the Mineral Halls. I love the building and everything it represents to me about my childhood and living in the world’s greatest city.
LONDON, ENGLAND - A blue whale skeleton forms the main exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London, England. The 126-year-old skeleton, named "Hope", replaces "Dippy" the Diplodocus dinosaur as the museum's main exhibit. (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesWe try to go to the cinema every Sunday. It’s a chill out thing. Some Sundays there is literally nothing on but we can’t break with tradition even if it is Bridget Jones Diary. I actually go to the Everyman Cinema in Canterbury, but seeing as this is a London Guide, Everyman Kings Cross would be my second choice.
A couple of years ago, just to make life a little easier, I invested in a completely hand built e-mountain bike from a niche bike builders Sven Cycles, located in Dorset. I mainly cycle on trails and paths in the Kent countryside but my favorite bike route in London is along the Grand Union Canal. Starting from Paddington, where I live, all the way to Limehouse in the East End. The route journeys along a waterside London life that is unique and a secret to those who are not familiar with it. The abundance of pubs, cafes and restaurants means some due diligence is required. I end with a pint of something refreshing at the Grapes, a historic pub before making the return sojourn.
Just a short trip outside London on the fast train from St. Pancras International, there is something that affects people when they stand on those iconic white formations. And when you are flying over them (for me) on the way back home. So much history, so powerful as structures and so ridiculously white. Apart from the snow-capped Matterhorn or Fuji mountains, there is nothing I can think of that is more recognizable or defined by its anaemic tone. I feel very much at home there.
Address: Kent
White cliffs of Beachy Head, East Sussex, UK. (Photo by Andrew Holt/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesKeep an eye out for the upcoming Stephen Webster flagship boutique at 12 and 13 Burlington Arcade, opening this May.