TRUEFITT & HILL THE MEN'S BARBERSHOP OPENS IN KL

KEE@FSWMAG.COM
WHO ELSE BETTER TO OPEN TRUEFITT & HILL, THE BASTION OF MEN'S GROOMING THAN TUNKU NAQUIYUDDIN, THE EPITOME OF GENTLEMANLY GRACE, ELEGANCE AND STYLE!

Tunku Laksama Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar with Joanne Broughton (owner of Truefitt & Hill) and Antoine Bakhache (Malaysian franchise holder of Truefitt & Hill) and Fouad Ghandour


The ribbon is cut and the first Truefitt & Hill store is opened by YAM Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar! 

As a token of appreciation, Tunku Naquiyuddin is given a pair of golden scissors and free haircut for the rest of his life at Truefitt & Hill in Bangsar Shopping Centre and in London! How nice! Wish someone would do that for me in a Cartier shop! Just pick what I like for the rest of my cotton picking life!

Katie and mum Joanna Broughton, owner of Truefitt & Hill, they look like sisters!

Truefitt & Hill holds a Royal Warrant from the husband of Queen Elizabeth II

THE WORLD’S OLDEST BARBERSHOP IS OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED IN  KUALA LUMPUR

The Kuala Lumpur location of Truefitt & Hill, the oldest barbershop in the world as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in April 2000, was officially launched by YAM Tunku Laksamana Tunku Dato’ Seri Utama Naquiyuddin on 22 October 2012.  The launch sees the first Truefitt & Hill outlet not only in Malaysia but also the very first in South East Asia.

“We are ever grateful and honoured that YAM Tunku Laksamana so graciously agreed to launch Truefitt & Hill here in KL.  Tunku epitomises the Truefitt & Hill image

of being the perfectly groomed gentleman” Antoine Bakhache, Managing Director of Bakhache Luxuries Sdn Bhd explained.

In 1805, William Francis Truefitt opened his first location at No. 2 Cross Lane, Long Acre (in London) and established himself as a fine barber and wigmaker as well as a perfumer and went on to formulate exclusively prepared colognes, pomades and hair tonics on the premises.

Truefitt’s reputation soon grew and it was not long before he was designated Court Wigmaker to HM King George III.  Together with his brother, Peter, the duo built a successful enterprise and by 1850, a number of outlets were located in both Old and New Bond Street, Hanover Street, Long Acre and in the Burlington Arcade.  Other branches were found in Brighton, Aldershot and Sandhurst – the latter two servicing the needs of the British Officers Corps. In 1935, the company acquired the hairdressing business of Edwin S Hill & Co, forming Truefitt & Hill – the name that the company uses to this day.

Throughout Truefitt’s history, the company has had the honour of serving the Monarchs of Great Britain throughout nine consecutive reigns and over the last 195 years, the company has held many Royal Warrants.  The company’s appointment books is like reading entries from ‘Who is Who’ and the names of those who shaped the world’s history are recorded as regular patrons.

These were most of the male members of the British Royal Family, royals of European Courts such as Tsar Nicholas of Russia, King Michael of Romania as well as many famous politicians and supreme commanders such as W.Gladstone, the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill. Legendary figures from the literary world as well as the world of the arts and entertainment to enjoy Truefitt’s services include Charles Dickens, Oscar Wilde, Lord Byron, Alfred Hitchcock and Lord Lawrence Olivier as well as celebrities John Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Stewart Granger, Fred Astaire and Cary Grant.

Recognised as the finest traditional gentlemen’s barber and perfumer in London, the first KL outlet will provide only the best in grooming products and services, giving the discerning gentleman an opportunity to look and feel his very best. Services will not only include haircuts and shaves by experienced foreign barbers but also manicure, pedicure and complimentary shoe-shining facilities as well as a complimentary beverage service.  The barbershop also offers the Cigar Lounge where clients can unwind, catch up with their reading or chat with their friends while enjoying their favourite cigar.    A full range of skincare items (as well as shaving brushes and kits) will be available for purchase.

Located on the second floor of the Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC), the outlet depicting a typical English gentleman’s type of barbershop is warmly decorated in mahogany and walnut with traditional leather barbershop chairs and exudes the feeling of a ‘men’s only’ club-like environment.

The Truefitt & Hill brand for Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia has been brought in exclusively by Bakhache Luxuries Sdn Bhd, a company that specialises in luxury brands.  Other brands managed by the company are Mouawad, Christofle Paris and Facets.

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Fouad Ghandour, Joanna Broughton, Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar and Antoine Bakhache 

Dato Salim sharing a joke with Guest of Honour Tunku Naquiyuddin

Joanna Lumley, oops Broughton and Antoine Bakhache join in the merriment

Tunku Naquiyuddin holdindg court

Ivan Isa Abdullah and friend

Guest, Kee Hua Chee and Ivan Isa Abdullah

Guest, Kee Hua Chee and Ivan Isa Abdullah

Katie and mum Joanna Broughton who owns Truefitt & Hill

2 English roses in full bloom

These English ladies Katie and Joanna Broughton are super tall as they tower over Azizan Ariffin

Katie Broughton in front of the Truefitt & Hill store in Bangsar Shopping Centre

A clone of the Truefitt & Hill store in St James, London! 
A trained barber fixing the hair of this gentleman who was getting married later that night!

The perfect finishing touch for his wedding night!

Foot spa chair in a private room

Cathal Eoin Lenihan and Sarah Broughton inside the Truefitt & Hill store

Kee Hua Chee

Kee Hua Chee inside the store

Gentlemanly goodies

The Duke's Parlour; entry is RM 100 but you get 2 stiff drinks!

Truefitt & Hill is the Official Hairdresser to the Duke of Edinburgh

Azizan Ariffin, Antoine Bakhache, William Atyeo and Dr Rodwin Bahadur

Kee Hua Chee ups the glamour stakes with his clothes, croc head bag and painted shoes

David Hew, CK Lim and Terence Lim

Truefitt & Hill is at Bangsar Shopping Centre on 2nd floor

Perfumes by Truefitt & Hill at RM 280 each

Ideal Christmas gift for the man in your life

Everything for a gentleman

Ultimate shaving brushes

Ultimate shavers for men (and women, why not!)

Lathering the old fashioned way

Cologne for men

Class act
THE OPENING CEREMONY AND RIBBON CUTTING

Antoine Bakhache welcoming his guests




Joanna Broughton, owner of Truefitt & Hill wags a forefinger at Antoine Bakhache as he cracks a joke, saying even Joanna was not born when Truefitt & Hill was founded in 1805




All ready to cut the ribbon! Joanna Broughton, Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar, Antoine Bakhache and Fouad Ghandour



The ribbon is cut

And the first Truefitt & Hill store in Malaysia is opened by YM Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar!

Antoine Bakhache springs a surprise for Tunku Naquiyuddin

Joanna Broughton declares Tunku Naquiyuddin will get free hair cut for the rest of his life in KL and London!

Tunku Naquiyuddin Tuanku Jaafar just need to bring his own special pair of golden scissors to the store for hie complimentary hair cut!

Signing the agreement

"Your very own golden scissors," beams host with most Antoine Bakhache

Plus a goodie hamper of Truefitt & Hill goodies

Bouquet of flowers from Antoine Bakhache to Joanna Broughton who flew in all the way from London

A private tour conducted by Antoine Bakhache for his VIP guests


Inside the Duke's Parlour



Dato Salim joins in

Reading materials include Kama Sutra the art of sexual positions, all 69 of them! Or maybe more as I am a virgin 

Truefitt & Hill's team of barbers from Iran and Syria!