Gentlemen prefer Dunhill
HONG KONG — Women have had it too good for too long. It’s about time we got some attention.” So says Robert Mancini, managing director of Dunhill London in Asia Pacific, admittedly with a soft chuckle. But we know exactly what he means: women have long enjoyed shopping emporiums — palaces, really, devoted to catering to their every (well, not every) sensorial, sartorial or beauty need. They have luxury brand stores with spas built in, beauty parlors a few tiny paces away, every manner of gewgaw and froufrou available to tickle their fancy.
And what do men have?
Well, they have Alfred Dunhill, the quietly stalwart brand of English masculinity and style, and its many Home branches around Asia and the world.
A “home store” for men? Isn’t “cocooning” way beyond the natural domain of the male? Well, at Homes of Alfred Dunhill, it’s not surprising that every man ends up wanting to spend more time at home — or at least at the store branch that just opened on the corner of the well-established Prince’s Building in Central, Hong Kong. With three floors offering a refined mix of bespoke tailoring, men’s fashion and accessories, a hip eatery called Alfie’s and a peerless reserve wine service, it’s no wonder that Mancini calls this place a man’s “home away from home.”
“There’s always been gentlemen’s clubs, and locations where a gentleman can purchase goods,” he continues. “I think this is the first time we’ve incorporated everything into one emporium. A friend of the brand can come in and hang out, knows the staff very well, the service levels are always impeccable — but then he wants a drink, wants coffee, wants something to eat, wants to read a magazine, wants to get his hair cut, wants to collect his wine from his wine bin downstairs, and buy a jacket at the same time. You know: not much reason for him to go home.”
If Ian Fleming’s James Bond didn’t have MI6 to attend to his gadgetry and gentlemanly needs, he would surely spend his off hours at Alfred Dunhill Homes. Across its 7,500 square feet, the Hong Kong branch is decked out with eye-catching antiques — aviator goggles, cockpit control panels, rare maps and globes, model planes and racing cars — sourced from the estate of Dunhill, a travel enthusiast who, 117 years ago, sought to create fashion for the then-new pursuit of motoring. (Dunhill’s original racing goggles and “driving gauntlets” are on display, among other curios.) “Alfred Dunhill was, I believe, the first motorist ever to receive a speeding ticket,” notes Mancini. Because of this, “he designed what we call Bobby Finders — basically binoculars, but he stuck them on driving goggles to locate bobbies” or UK police.
It’s this kind of quirky, English wit that can be found throughout Alfred Dunhill Hong Kong Home. Mancini points out a line of clever shagreen pens designed with a built-in flashlight and a flint on top that can be used to start a campfire; an alternate version has a 4GB memory card on one end. James Bond’s Q would no doubt approve.
This attention to detail is something Mancini believes appeals to today’s gentleman — the man who understands the priceless value of a bespoke suit, the ineffable quality and satisfaction that comes with owning an item such as a Dunhill lighter, a set of bulldog cufflinks, or a moon phase watch.
“For us, as a brand, a gentleman is somebody who appreciates the finer things in life,” Mancini adds. “Possibly it’s items that he wants rather than things he needs; someone who finds amusement in the quirky things that we’ve spent a lifetime designing.”
Beyond the secret-agent panels and hidden treasures, Alfred Dunhill Homes create an environment where men can enjoy their masculine side. Some branches feature a barbershop; others offer a pool table or a dartboard to while away the time; the Hong Kong branch offers a special section for Berry Bros. & Rudd reserve wines, the 300-year-old brand that has supplied kings and royalty for centuries. There you can order an excellent Margaux, or enjoy a pricy Pétrus (at HK$13,350, or about P76,670, per bottle) just as Erap reportedly did while in office.
Next to Berrys’ Fine Wine Reserve is Alfie’s, a hip eatery with large picture windows overlooking Central’s bustling streets. With its black marble, mirrored glass, suede and red leather interiors, “it’s quite a masculine environment, and a cool place to hang out and have a drink or dine with friends after work,” Mancini says.
The retail space inside Prince’s Building has actually been occupied by Alfred Dunhill for the past 44 years; the interiors got a serious overhaul to welcome in Alfred Dunhill Homes. As with similar branches in Shanghai, Tokyo and throughout China, the design was carefully integrated with the local architecture and environment (not that Dunhill could ever be capable of sticking out like a sore thumb).
But it’s really the clothing that has made Alfred Dunhill a destination for those seeking a definitive sartorial experience. Mancini explains how full bespoke differs from custom tailoring — both services offered at the Hong Kong store. “As far as menswear goes, bespoke is the pinnacle. You won’t get any better. It is a totally personalized experience; if you come in and you have a slightly sloping left shoulder, or if you’re hitting your 40s and are slightly portly, those types of things can be taken care of because it’s customized to you.” Whereas with a custom suit, he notes, you can pick the fabric and style of the suit — two-button, three-button, peak lapel, notch lapel, double-breasted — but the silhouette of the suit is modeled off an Alfred Dunhill style.
“Our tailor Jonathan is Savile Row-trained, with 27 years of experience there. He comes over to do our custom business four times a year, and another four times for bespoke service. That’s plenty, because it can take eight to 10 weeks from your first measurements to having your first cutting of fabric and for him to construct the suit before you need to try it on again.” The initial fitting takes about three to four hours. “We recommend meeting three times with the tailor; just like anything that’s personal, he has to get to know the client, his preference, requirements and tastes.” The full bespoke experience can be yours for HK$40,000 to $80,000 (US$5,200 to $10,400) or more, depending on the cloth. A custom suit will run you from HK$17,000 to $36,000 (around US$2,190 to $4,630). Custom and bespoke shirts are also available.
Alfred Dunhill has long had a presence in the Philippines through its local partner, Stores Specialists Inc. “We have a great relationship with them, and we’re just now opening a store in Cebu,” says Mancini. Admittedly, the offerings to Manila shoppers are more limited in scope, given the smaller retail space, but “in terms of the retail concept and the product mix, it’s the same as the Philippines… What we are able to transport to the Philippines in terms of the space available to us and our partners, we put there; the service, the quality of the product are there.”
On the other hand, Pinoy gentlemen have long been popping over to the Hong Kong Alfred Dunhill shop to meet their sartorial needs. “We already have a big Filipino clientele here. Being an hour flight away, it’s almost like a local extension of the Philippines.”
One recognizable face in Dunhill’s advertising has been actor Jude Law, a brand ambassador for four years. But celebrity endorsement is not something Dunhill actively courts. “If you see the Oscars or what have you, we don’t choose them; those actors choose to wear Alfred Dunhill for the Oscars,” Mancini clarifies. “We haven’t looked for that support; obviously, we greatly appreciate it, but it’s their decision.” On the other hand, actors, gentlemen and royalty have long been associated with the brand: a Dunhill lighter was raised by Sean Connery in Dr. No; the James Bond connection continues on with Daniel Craig as another active endorser. “If you go to London, our Bourdon House store, there’s a ledger there of our customers and it’s full of kings, princes, maharajahs, film stars, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Donald Campbell (Coniston Waters speed record champion), King Edward — and they all leave nice messages in this ledger on display,” notes Mancini. “But we haven’t actively chased that, no.”
Thus over 117 years, Alfred Dunhill has not felt compelled to “update” itself to changing times; rather, it prizes innovation hidden in classical design. “We’re not flashy. I guess what has changed is people’s appreciation of things that last, quality, the style of products that they feel comfortable carrying, wearing or having on their person.” People have just gradually evolved in their tastes, perhaps. And Alfred Dunhill is glad to include them in his world. And like they say, there’s no place like home.
* * *
In the Philippines, Alfred Dunhill is exclusively distributed through Stores Specialists Inc. and is available at Rustan’s Makati and Shangri-La Plaza.
