Beauty
March 12, 2015
Truefitt and Hill | Kiichi Hashimoto (Editor-in-Chief, Shogakukan 'Men's Precious') London Flagship Store Experience (Part 1)
Truefitt & Hill Monitor Report
Kiichi Hashimoto (Editor-in-Chief, Shogakukan's 'Men's Precious') - London Flagship Store Experience (Part 1)
Purveyor to the Royal Household and the World's Oldest Barbershop
I remember watching a TV drama as a child, set in a Tokyo barbershop after the Meiji Restoration. In it, a retired Kaishu Katsu would visit daily, just to have his beard shaved, and chat with the townsfolk. Watching that, I thought, 'Going to a barbershop just to get a shave is incredibly luxurious!' It felt like I was glimpsing the mysterious world of adults. Back then, there were probably many gentlemen in Tokyo and Nishijin, Kyoto, who would visit barbershops solely for a shave. On London's St. James's Street, a hub for gentlemen's clubs, there are still men who come just for a shave, and I heard there's a barbershop frequented by such dandies, so I decided to visit.
Photos and text by Kiichi Hashimoto
Let's Step Inside
The address is precisely 71 St. James's Street, in the heart of London, a district exuding an aristocratic air, lined with numerous prestigious gentlemen's clubs. Opposite stands the flagship store of John Lobb, and it's a locale brimming with many Royal Warrant holders. Doesn't this alone feel like the opening of the 'path to becoming a gentleman'?
Cosmetics sold in Japan are also on display
The Barbers' Counter
The name of the barbershop is 'Truefitt & Hill.' Founded in 1805, it is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's oldest barbershop.
1805 was the year of the famous Battle of Trafalgar in Britain. In Japan, it was during the Bunka-Bunsei era, about 30 years before Atsuhime was born. The history of this shop, spanning over 200 years, boasts a clientele that reads like a 'history textbook!': Emperor Nicholas, the Duke of Wellington, and Winston Churchill. Cary Grant, Oscar Wilde, and Frank Sinatra were also patrons.
Let's step inside. Opening the dignified blue door, which hints at the Royal Warrant it holds, one is first greeted by a sales area for grooming kits and men's cosmetics, bustling with tourists from Italy and France. It's clear that this is a special place for European men, and also a tourist attraction. The barbering space for haircuts and shaves is further inside. Just before it, the renowned 'Royal Warrant' gleams resplendently.
Regardless of Social Standing, All Customers Are Treated Equally
The barbering space is not ostentatious, but rather chic and calm, decorated with mahogany-toned wood. There are four chairs for haircuts and shaves. What's most striking is the array of portraits and photographs adorning the walls. In a Japanese establishment, portraits and photos might just be decorations, but here, they are of historical figures and celebrities who actually frequented this shop – a truly humbling thought. The individuals depicted, such as George V, Prince Philip, and Churchill, are remarkably imposing. One receives a shave while being looked down upon by these great figures.
According to Graham Barber (his real name, not a stage name!), the shop's public relations manager, Truefitt & Hill's unwavering policy is: 'Regardless of social standing, all customers are treated as equals. Except for one specific individual, all wealthy and important people come here for their haircuts and shaves.'
In a country where it's not uncommon for celebrities to have hairdressers come to their homes, it's nothing short of miraculous that the most prestigious barbershop upholds this policy.
Numerous portraits displayed inside the shop
I asked, 'Even so, with government officials visiting, surely they wouldn't sit next to ordinary customers like us for a haircut, would they?'
Graham replied without changing his expression, 'In the case of an ex-Prime Minister, the security detail would first enter and check the premises, and then the individual would come in. As there isn't a special room, they would sit right here, just like everyone else.'
'What! So, the same chair I sat in for my shave might have been occupied by a Prime Minister of this country!?'
'Yes.' Graham's answer was curt, but that only made it more believable.
'Then, Churchill might have sat in the chair I used too!?'
My voice rose to a near shout.
'No, we carried out some renovations 15 years ago, so I don't believe that would be the case.'
Darn it! But the thought that I might have shared a chair with Blair only heightened my anticipation for the shave at the Royal Warrant-holding, world's oldest barbershop.
Truefitt & Hill Monitor Report
Kiichi Hashimoto (Editor-in-Chief, Shogakukan's 'Men's Precious')_Vol.2To be continued
Kiichi Hashimoto (Editor-in-Chief, Shogakukan's 'Men's Precious')_Vol.2To be continued
