Truefitt & Hill
EVERY SO OFTEN, I encounter a blowhard who claims to be opposed to the very idea of ‘male grooming’. For him, I have only pity. He’s obviously never been to Truefitt & Hill Founded in 1805, on the very day of the Battle of Trafalgar, Truefitt (which annexed ‘Hill’ in 1935) has shorn, shaved, scented and sharpened generations of discerning gentlemen from every walk of life. Name-checked in the works of Dickens and Thackeray, this most illustrious establishment has led the field in the development of first-rate grooming products. These include the still-procurable ‘C.A.R.’ lotion, originally formulated in 1900 to ensure that the motorist’s hair would never be disarrayed. A Truefitt jar has even been retrieved from the wreck of the Titanic.
To surrender oneself to the expert ministrations of the Truefitt team is to enter a world of the most spoiling self-maintenance. Each of the resident barbers must have chalked up at least a decade of experience before he can think of applying for a position. As a result, there’s little he can’t or won’t do to leave one looking and feeling one’s best. Comprising shampoo, haircut, hot towel wet shave, facial and manicure, the 90 minute ‘Ultimate Grooming’ package is the most blissful experience one can have in London while remaining on the right side of the law.
See also: Floris, D.R. Harris, Geo F Trumper
