sidecar

To many, Alfred Dunhill is nothing more than a tobacco brand that also happens to make very nice lighters to light those dynamite sticks of theirs. Others think of Dunhill as a driving accessories company which is how it actually got it’s start when Alfred took over his fathers saddlery business back in 1893 due to the rising popularity of the automobile. Today, Dunhill is so much more.

Currently owned by the South African luxury goods conglomerate, Richemont, Dunhill, in the past few decades, has moved into the business of writing instruments, clothing, timepieces, and even fragrances. And although their product range as grown significantly over the years, their core image has not changed – Dunhill is still the quintessential brand of the classic English gentleman. The brand represents everything a sophisticated and refined man of wisdom and taste should have and use. Everything from their classic Rollagas lighters, to their Sentryman and Sidecar pens, to their watches (which now run on Jaeger-LeCoultre movements), and to their impeccably tailored clothing are accoutrements to the life of a modern, successful man. And these things take time to make (a Dunhill Tradition Double Document briefcase takes dozens of steps and two days to assemble).

Furthermore, Dunhill offers up their flagship retail locations as more of a gentleman’s club. More accurately, they’re called the Dunhill “Homes”. There are currently four Dunhill Homes around the world: London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. One can walk into one to purchase a shirt and tie, get fitted for a bespoke suit, get a haircut, or even watch a classic film in their screening room while sipping on a fine scotch whisky. Yes, the homes come equipped with a spa for men, screening room, and a full service bar. This is not exactly a new retail concept for Dunhill either. This is merely the Dunhill way of life – believing in the idea that the finer things in life must be enjoyed in order for them to be consider luxuries. In today’s world where technology is every evolving, and the speeding up of people’s lives have been a direct result of it, Dunhill strives to slow things back down just a tad. Not to be counter progressive in any way, but to constantly remind us that great things in life take time to develop, and traditions are a reminder of our past and our roots.