Being the only ‘luxury barbershop’ in the whole of India, Truefitt & Hill has much to offer for the new age classy gentlemen. Here are the reviews from two of my favorite lads in town-
In our modern age where Salons are a haven for women and their grooming routines, most of the places around town are catered especially for women. On the flip side, men are expected to learn vicariously to take care of their grooming with procedures mostly designed for the opposite sex.
In an attempt to find a place where I can get good service that has grooming treatments designed for the male gender, I bumped into Truefitt and Hill, a barbershop that has been refining the artisan craft of male grooming, so they say. Hence, their true value lies in the one grooming routine that separates the men from the ladies i.e. the shave. When passing by, it can deceive the superficial look of a window shopper as an exclusive emporium dedicated to the “art of shaving”, the guild-like logo portrays an appearances of regal exclusivity.
Boasting a longstanding tradition of male grooming since 1805 (in London), the place simulates the feeling that one is walking into a rustic, yet majestic place with history. Dark wood paneling along the walls that blend in to their work stations, gothic wall lights, mirrors with carved wooden frames, an organized workstation with the lineup of Truefitt and Hill’s products with an underlying purpose of functionality in a process workflow. A nice leather chair with its leather patterned textures, which I will now refer to as the “Throne”.
Once you are on the Throne, you will experience a regal excess of the modern age, during the time spent on your treatment. Safe to say that once you sit it, the level of opulence is completely experienced without getting back on your feet. A Couch potato’s wet dream- with Wi-Fi, food and beverages.
I experienced to 2 services here on the day, named ‘The Royal Shave’ and ‘The Royal Hair Cut’. Looking at the price tag, I thought that this better be the same routine that Prince Charles has with his personal groomer (anyone have his number?). Before you start any procedure, a concierge interviews what you want to achieve from the service and then translates and supervises the treatment. Describing the calculated process they have with words is not going to do justice to it because I cannot even comprehend the detail gone into this, but safe to say that there is a lot of care taken into your grooming routine.
Either way, this gentleman’s club understands that their services cannot be replicated in the convenience of your own home, they provide the opportunity to do so by displaying their various tools, balms, fragrances, soaps and kits on sale. If you are too lazy or do not have the patience to do it yourself, they do have a one-time yearly membership charge where the number of services that can be availed on premises are unlimited. So if you are trying to look at the top of your game always and you are particular about good service, drop in there and take a look for yourself.
About Nirvigna-
An influencer in the health and wellness industry, Nirvigna, now 29, started his career in venture capital firms involved in creating and evangelizing the best practices in self-education of one’s own well-being. He is also an avid practitioner of a Japanese Martial Art and incorporates it’s philosophies into sustainable business models in various industries like healthcare, energy solutions and shares his musings with people for counseling on their personal development.
“Barbers rush in where Stylists fear to tread;
This is what separates the Men from the Boys. “
– Gautam Kris Shankar
Sitting pretty in blue on the ever busting 12th main in Indiranagar, this barbershop is easily noticeable with its rustic appeal on the outside. There is an enchanting aura once you walk inside the doors as the little bells ring, regal insignia in bold on the walls along with picturesque wall art and decor to look at. The staff and management, dapper in attire, were extremely courteous and from the moment I stepped foot inside, the hospitality was second to none. All their services are clearly displayed on print, with every attention to detail. They even have all of their exclusive hair and body product line available for purchase.
I was booked for ‘The Royal Hair Spa’, ‘The Royal Facial’, ‘The Royal Manicure & pedicure’. Once I was prepped for my hair spa in the Duke’s Den- an exclusive room inside the barbershop, the fun had begun. I was offered a brochure with a host of complimentary services- an iPad – fully spec’d out, hot and cold refreshments, free WiFi and a power bank. The barber assigned to knowledgeable and engaged in a lot of friendly conversation throughout the process, there was little use for the iPad! The products used were rich in quality, easy on the hair and delightfully aromatic. 30 mins later, my fingers ran through my hair as smoothly as the bristles on the fine brushes they used.
My tanned/sunburnt skin was crying for help and the facial was the salvation to my woes. It was a range of application processes involving skin pigmentation, whitening, exfoliation, blackhead removal and followed by a 15 minute massage that almost knocked me out cold because of how soothing it was. This exquisite barbershop was now as good a massage parlour as any of the finest, who would have thought. The Royal manicure/pedicure was on par with the facial in terms of end result and deep relaxation, with the use of exceptional products to note.
Exclusivity is what separates this barbershop from any other salon in the city with its Victorian- era royal ambience to its highly polished straight-edged razor shaves. The money and time spent for something as regally imperial and hospitable at Truefitt & Hill should never seem like a crunch, it’ll have you coming back for more- after all you are treated like the King here.
About Gautam-
Born in Bangalore, having brought up in Dubai, the 21 year old is an avid athlete and cricketer by career, undergrad in finance academically and has an intrinsic desire for all things avant-garde. He also has a keen eye for the latest trend on the fashion runway. Among other interests, he enjoys literature, writing and now- reviewing services.
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