When Elizabeth Burrows, was stuck behind her school desk learning to sew, she had no idea that this would be the moment which would start her life long career. 47 years later she is still sat behind her desk, still with her precious sewing machine but this time, she’s in her very own vintage store, 331. Located in Earlsfield, the store is filled with clutter, character and culture. Taking the tailoring skills learnt from her childhood, Elizabeth has built her profession on altering, recycling and recreating vintage clothing. And with her exploration of raw materials and multi-cultural sewing techniques she has become the bespoke tailor of South West London. No client is left without their desired one-of-a-kind garment.  

​

Born in London but raised in a small city, Famagusta, on the east coast of Cyprus, Elizabeth was first introduced to fashion and textile clothing in her early school years . Back in those days, sewing was a compulsory subject for girls, and so she was able to learn the foundation of her skills from an early age. “You couldn’t get anything fashionable in Famagusta, hence why we used to sew and make our own clothes. So, I guess that is what started probing me off into clothing and fashion industry,” she says. 

​

Returning to London in 1971, when she was 18 years old, Elizabeth became a bilingual secretary. However being cooped up in her stuffy office five days a week was not what she had planned, not exactly the ideal setting for a young women who was used to spending most of her time outdoors in sunny Cyprus. Feeling imprisoned, Elizabeth decided to go back to what she loved. Clothing. Soon after meeting her long-term partner, Matthew, who shared the same passion, the two began selling their own garments around London’s famous market stalls. From recycling jeans and creating a range of new denim jackets to making waistcoats out of old brocade curtains, nothing was off limits Whatever the couple could get their hands on, would be used to create something completely new.  

​

“Oh gosh, we made loads and loads of things but the main thing was that we always recycled,” Elizabeth explained. Traveling from Kensington market to Greenwich and Camden market, the newlyweds decided to open a little shop in Putney, by converting Richmond Road’s local butchers into a vintage clothing store. During her time at the Putney store Elizabeth had to juggle her work between the shop and markets.  

​

That being said, they were never too busy to make the most of Britain’s many festivals.Every summer without a doubt the couple would take their son and tour the UK’s festivals selling their handmade garments all around the country. “Even when our son was tiny we used to drag him along and around the festivals all summer, the poor boy! We did the likes of Glastonbury, and the little festival in Norfolk, Suffolk and down on the beaches in Cornwall.” reminisces Elizabeth. Piling up their van with tents, camp chairs, plenty of food and anything else they could fit in, off they went for the entire summer.  

​

As busy as they were, it still wasn’t enough for Elizabeth. So in 1986, wanting to expand to a larger store, Elizabeth decided to relocate her family from Putney to Earlsfield to open up store 331. And 32 years on the couple are still living above their cherished store. Thanks to the combination of her and her husband’s hard work and free living lifestyle, Elizabeth is able to keep working and doing what she loves, even when faced with difficult and unfortunate obstacles.“Unfortunately, now my partner is very ill so I have decided to work the shop and just do one weekend event in Marylebone, called Cabbages and Frocks,” explains Elizabeth. Committed to her job and customers she has found a way to become a full time carer for her husband and still keep the core of her career going.  

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Despite her need to work, Elizabeth enjoys what she does. Keeping her life active and social she refuses to let her work go. “I am still learning at my age, so why shouldn’t I keep working and pursuing what I love,” she says, going on to describe how it is the physical side of the job which comes with the job which allows her to keep pursuing her work. Seeing her vintage re-designs and handmade clothing on each customer, brings great pleasure to the designer. “Another thing which is lovely is helping my customers figure out what would go and suit their personality,” she goes on to say.  

​

Transposing her tailoring and sewing skills Elizabeth began to venture into a more intricate part of the business, offering her customers a repair and refining service, creating one-off designs for each client. Elizabeth creates a personal atmosphere in store 331, by interacting and creating relationships with each of her clients, turning her work into a social activity and her clients into close friends. Her friendly manner allows Elizabeth to understand each customer in their unique way,  and this enables her to take each of her clients favourite but over worn garment and recreate it to their taste. Cutting no corners, she allows each client to choose their preferred lining, material and trimmings, providing both Elizabeth and her customers a way work together to reinvent an exclusive garment.  

​

Unique, personal and intimate are just some of the words described by Elizabeth’s happy customers. “This is the part of my job which is fun and rewarding. People become more imaginative and daring with their clothes,” she says. “I actually just made a jacket recently for someone in an olive Napa colour. It was so beautiful and his girlfriend loved it so much, she wanted one too.”  

​

Many of her customers want that special something which will stand out from the crowd but still want it to represent a part of their lives, they also turn to Elizabeth to seek design advice. After hundreds of designs and years of garment making, there was one item which stood above the rest. Last Christmas Elizabeth saw her best design yet come to life. Turning her client’s personality into a wearable garment, the talented tailor created a coat of many faces. The outside of the coat was demure and classic, but when opened, the piece was filled with a turquoise and pink three dimensional flower embellished lining, portraying the client’s inner personality. “It looked very classic, very calm from the outside and then she opened up and it was like WOW,” she says. 

​

Dressing in her very own designs, Elizabeth swirls round in her Scottish-inspired, multi-layered, tartan skirt explaining how each person becomes a part of creating their clothes, as does she. The tartan skirts are just one of many culturally inspired garments available in her store. Hawaiian rayon shirts, Polynesian patterned blouses and multi wear silk cardigans imported from Bali are also some of 331’s staple garments. Nevertheless, like all of Elizabeth’s items, they are limited edition. Only creating three items in three different sizes, her designs are guaranteed to stay one of a kind, avoiding mainstream fashions. 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

“My main objective is to create all these patterns and prints using various skills. I particularly love the African prints because they are batik,” explains Elizabeth.

 

Attending many events, including the Lambeth show, she gains inspiration from the mix of people she meets, as well as the music and cultures she encounters. Another perk to her job. However, it does not come without its difficulties. The physicality of running the shop and attending the markets has become tiring and strenuous on her personal life, unwillingly Elizabeth has begun to cut down where she can. “I prefer going to the market compared to running the shop. Although we are in a cosmopolitan environment, which we are, it is more interesting when you are out meeting people from all over the world,” she concludes.