Fancy a Royal Haircut? Try Truefitt and Hill for one

At the outset, a disclaimer—the missus works with a franchisee salon of a leading beauty and hair brand. It’s not that she hasn’t nagged me enough to go there for a haircut/shave. But on the only occasion I gave in, I found myself trapped in a chair for over an hour, with all kinds of gooey unguents coming into play.

Its noisy and hot. And the banter between the barbers at the four chairs, competing over the raucous TV blaring Bhojpuri numbers, doesn’t make it pleasant. But I’m out in a jiffy—15 minutes for a haircut, 20 for a beard trim. So when opportunity presented itself to try out Truefitt & Hill (T&H), 'the finest traditional gentlemen's barber and perfumer in London for over two centuries,' which now has an amchi Mumbai presence, one was as excited about the prospect as a picnic on a wet afternoon.

The pedigree intrigued me though. Established in 1805, the Guinness Book of Records says T&H is the world's oldest barbershop. They are also barbers and Royal Warrant Holders to His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh.

And for that last reason, I felt resolute as I marched into the T & H’s Lokhandwala outlet in Andheri. Since pop patriotism is the flavour of the season, I had loftily drummed it into myself that what I set out to do was laden with symbolism. Of an Indian storming a British bastion! 

Past the royal blue doors of, the rosewood furniture, the Elizabethan lamps and the light blue wallpaper engraved in white—all as British as they come, this seemed like a place Sherlock Holmes would go to with his co-conspirator partner Dr John Watson, for a hair cut. “You have a grand gift for silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion,” he would say, sitting in one of the two chairs. Unfortunately I didn’t have the suave detective for company, but a builder’s side-kick whose phone kept blaring: Pori zara zapun danda dhar (Hey girl, hold my staff with care). Taking a man out of a sewer is always easier than the converse, I remind myself and shut my eyes, letting the liveried barber Mukhtar take over for the ‘Royal Haircut (₹2,200)’ and ‘Royal Beard Trim (₹1,900)’. There are the 'Classic' versions too, approximately `600 lesser. His blinding white shirt with humongous cufflinks, ivory buttons on his waistcoat and shiny pointed leather shoes were a stark contrast to my tee, shorts and flip-flops avatar.

To say I was in the lap of luxury would be an understatement. Mukhtar’s manicured hands put me through a two-and-a-half-hour hair wash, cut, beard trim, head massage, another hair wash and finally the unguents and sprays, with several variants of the latter. I chose sandalwood. 

The noisy phonewala was done and I noticed the tip itself was ten times what I pay for my hair cut at my regular barber. So if your pocket and watch allow you to indulge in some self-pampering, go to T&H to elevate men’s grooming to a sophisticated art.  There's manicures, pedicures and facials too for those who want it. While at it, do remember to pick up their best-in-the-world grooming products at best-in-the-world prices.