I’ve been in the trade man and boy for decades. In the heart of London, a sofa is never just a sofa. Couples step through the door, and they’re looking for furniture that will outlast them. A funky accent chair, gives them that. I remember selling a Chesterfield to a gentleman from St John’s Wood, and he told me years later it was still going strong. This is why old beats new. They flick through glossy catalogues, but they find themselves in Mayfair again.

Fabric frays fast, whereas retro lives on. Taste splits by borough. Belgravia looks for tradition, with velvet chairs with sofa. Shoreditch is playful, with loud armchairs. That’s the reality. Here’s the truth, an armchair becomes memory. Modern factory pieces can’t compete. I still touch the arms of the chairs, and the truth tells itself. Vintage has truth. If you’re thinking quick buy, pause. Take on a classic wingback, and make it part of your Mayfair truth.