A Gentleman's London, Episode Ten: Dunhill

At 2 Davies Street, the Dunhill flagship store beckons with its stately Georgian exterior. This is where Tom Chamberlin discovers how the brand has transitioned from pioneering automotive outfitters in 1893 to curators of modern British luxury under Simon Holloway's creative direction today.
Videography: Hash Rifai, Public Members Club
For more:
therake.com
/ therake

[@Finny14754]

When I was an apprentice electrician ( 34 years ago ) feel old now . The company I did my apprenticeship with J Wesley’s electrical, Hitchin , we used to do loads of the Tailors and Dunhill . I used to love working in these buildings and iconic English establishments.

[@glenoh88]

You feel older! You can never feel old, because no one has a reference until we invent time machines 😆

[@Eurovision324]

Dunhill very elegant style even the cigarettes and the pack they were in . Best wishes and new years to you all . Ttieste Italy

[@Kennybooy9]

Story time…. In 1982, many many years ago I was given a Dunhill cigarette lighter from my new employer Carreras Rothmans. It was beautiful. Solid gold and burgundy Onyx. I took this lighter into Dunhill to be engraved with my name. They quoted me £46. Shocked at the cost, I commented that I could have this engraving done for under £5 at a jeweler close by. The assistant replied… Sir. Here we engrave… there they scratch…. 😂😂😂😂

[@fokkerfilms560]

😂👍

[@nicolasb.henry294]

Just discover this channel and absolutely love it as I love London for its classic Taylor shops and this so British elegance.

[@scottscottsdale7868]

I saw a Dunhill exhibition at Harrods around 1993. It was enthralling. Love the shop in Manhattan. Love this video.

[@brookminx5837]

Love this series!

[@jasonchadwell5257]

Very glad to see a dispatch from Dunhill's tailoring division, but would love to see a post on their iconic lighters.

[@silasmoser301]

Thank you. I love this series.

[@barrywa39]

Another wonderful video in the series Tom. Hoping that Terry doesn't get cross when he sees you getting measured by another tailor.

[@jeffhreid]

Hell hath no fury as a tailor scorned…

[@arslongavitabrevis5136]

@@jeffhreid LOL

[@i.o.3563]

This one is a particularly good one. I'd like to see this house even in more details. Remarkable place for such an amazing brand. If I'm remember correctly, they have spa and barbers there too.

[@richardichard4237]

And cinema....

[@Ecojock]

@@richardichard4237 Thank you for another entertaining video. Do you know if Dunhill will ever reissue their Dunhill 2003 fragrance. It was such a standout fragrance.

[@gregsaveallgreen]

Very good, I've not seen any other content on Dunhill so this is very interesting.

[@rolandtraynor]

Love this channel ...

[@zwpm]

what a great channel....love it.

[@williamfahey6066]

Nice video. I look forward to the next one. Jeff

[@downingbethune8758]

Another outstanding video. Thanks, Tom.

[@DavidS-iy8bb]

Excited to see the jacket completed - what's the timescale?

[@aleksandarbrzic8351]

Great video! Good to see Dunhill active again, great stuff!

[@Kelvin71]

Congratulations Mr Adams and best regards. Long time cutter at Kilgour.

[@haraldsulzmann3893]

Always a pleasure!

[@monochromebluess]

Look forward to part 2. Normally a dinner jacket would have a shawl collar. Given that it’s a DB I doubt you went down that route …… but the tailor did look at you with more than a quizzical glance at your thoughts !

[@DavidS-iy8bb]

DB works great with shawl collar

[@stevenwalker3486]

Love your videos

[@rodsalvador3608]

Cool! Have a closet full of MTM, one day hope to go bespoke. Process seems so intimidating.

[@TheEldarGuy]

Just one more step...

[@iandugdale6366]

I feel very fogyish but I do wince at the term “tuxedo”. Perhaps it’s a generational thing but dinner suit / dinner jacket has always been my norm

[@the.dirty.pigeon]

It sounds right in the USA but I’d go with “dinner jacket” if I were in London.

[@markrushton1516]

A lot of their products were made by other brands. Zegna made their clothing (or some of it). Pens by eg Japanese maker Pilot. Everything beautiful though

[@dfgndfghdfghdfgh]

Richemont own Dunhill so I suppose Richemont work with a lot of brands

[@justjacqueline2004]

The secret of Dunhills are definitely their staff and strangely their customers. One of my bosses,who made some serious money (according to the inland revenue anyway) recently, is horrendously shy and retiring. So I tried to persuade him to a few tailors where he got as far as the front doors.Whilst the same scenario was playing out at Dunhills one of their customers struck up a conversation with him as he lingered at the door and walked him into the ready wear,where the wonderful staff took over and rigged him out from shockingly slobbish to utterly unrecognisable ,haircut shaved the lot. He got lucky with the customer and great staff now he is a painful acolyte .

[@DJL78]

You are consistently cringy. Every comment on every video. Total cringe.

[@charleswhinney3008]

I get the feeling this has been cut short.

[@DJL78]

There are seven hours of Tom rambling incessantly that the editor cut out.

[@taffdavies35]

First thing I noticed was a very well fitting blazer with really bright buttons.

[@BalmforthGG]

Yes but not regimental or naval. Better than faux regimental but still naked.

[@mrpeel3239]

May I ask who tailored Tom's blazer?

[@mikewinston8709]

I wonder if Tom Chamberlin was in Tidworth in 1989 when his father was in the 3 and 8’s? …….🇬🇧

[@tfchamberlin]

Alas no, he’d left by then.

[@mikewinston8709]

@@tfchamberlin Thank you.

[@estellamarisserva1731]

chanced upon this series. truly aristocratic britons. but i love how they consider the talent of artisan men and women. celebrating hard work behind luxury

[@maxine2798]

the video is great but the thought of a wedding with a dresscode that insists on a waistcoat isnt.

[@jeffhreid]

Good video Tom

[@TheRacso2552]

Double breasted, three pieces are not uncommon for vintage lounge suits but for a dinner suits I’ve never heard of it! Interesting idea though!

[@richardichard4237]

Thanks for this. A few constructive comments; your videos are not long enough. " the tuxedo needs be midnight blue or black...! " ok well I'll have Aston Martin racing green then....no negotiation. Would love to see Dunhill's bespoke leather goods atelier....please...!! Racing green....you know I'm right....!

[@Ecojock]

Sorry for the late response and long response. The reason why you have tuxedos made in midnight blue or black is because under artificial light (tuxes are to be worn, ideally at night) is that midnight blue appears 'black' and that black appears 'midnight blue'. I hope this helps. PS: Oddly enough, the reason why we have British 'racing green' is because in the early history of automobile racing each country was assigned or assumed a colour. Britain adopted green in 1903 and not the national colours of Union Jack - red, white, or blue because they had already been used by the USA, France, and Germany in previous years.

[@Popunkwillneverdie]

I think my grandfather is upset 😂

[@paulmcgee1867]

Today they appear more Italian than English. Plus they have closed in Paris and Duke Street, so sad

[@BunnyWatson-k1w]

Henry Poole claims they invented the tuxedo.

[@TheEldarGuy]

Henry Poole was the King's tailor.

[@paulmcgee1867]

They made what was suggested to them

[@TheEldarGuy]

@paulmcgee1867 Sort of. There's a relationship with the tailor that is taken into account. A seasoned tailor takes what the customer is after to design the product. The King probably asked for a less formal outfit that sits between business and white tie formal that hencan wear to dinner. Followed by, "...by the way I need a second one made up for my guest." It's at this point we have a defined 'black tie' structure.

[@charleswhinney3008]

Sorry just noticed part 2 to follow.

[@Popunkwillneverdie]

He looks furious

Their RTW is made in italy!!!!

[@syrah96]

years past, I pulled a double breasted tux out of a second hand shop in Seattle. sadly it no longer fits me

[@ernestwong221]

Dunhill used to have a Dunhill home in Shanghai.

[@ShotsMerkzAll]

Did it close down?

[@ernestwong221]

Closed

[@crustyzimmerman3324]

I spot a soft Birmingham accent..

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

With your ensemble, Mr. Chamberlin, I find it difficult not to address you as "Commander Bond." ☺️

[@DJL78]

Get a life.

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

@@DJL78 I've had several, try one some time in lieu of jejune commentary.

[@secondhorizon]

I like this, because, well ~ you really wouldn't understand ~ but, you should.

[@abhirupdeb132]

You'll be debuting it in America? Where? Streets of Hollywood?

[@tfchamberlin]

Oddly enough, yes

[@abhirupdeb132]

@@tfchamberlin very well!! You'll look quite the thing in it!!🌹 I accept defeat on that back-fired piece of wit😂

[@CaptainWillard830]

Beautiful content

[@Popunkwillneverdie]

What can I say 😂

[@iainsanders4775]

I think he looks a bit like a younger Kier Starmer without the glasses. Advice - Don't ever wear them.

[@Bad_Gnasher]

That tailor needs to change his barber.

[@CaptainWillard830]

How old are you? Son, one day when you grow up into a mature, confident, young man, you will not make such immature comments

[@V.M.1991]

And you need to change your brain...

[@lolollolol5654]

i dont get it, whats wrong with it?

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

Somewhat reminiscent of 1930s Germany. Merely an observation not a criticism.

[@jeffhreid]

Why have a waistcoat with a DB dinner suit? Perhaps to take the coat off as needed?

[@DJL78]

Tom talks too much and says nothing.

[@tfchamberlin]

Mum?

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

@@tfchamberlin 🤣🤣🤣 parry riposte MR. Chamberlin, bravo!

[@christianellopm]

@@tfchamberlin hahaha

[@aalexjohna]

Tom comes out of the same establishment factory as Boris Johnson. A premium version, but an arse nonetheless.

[@downingbethune8758]

Does someone have a gun to your head forcing to watch something you clearly don't enjoy?

[@robertbishop2732]

And yet…here you are watching.

[@sitbone3]

I was going to write a nasty comment about smoking, but I won't.

[@waleed8530]

good because no one will care.

[@w.adammandelbaum1805]

You might have made an ash out of yourself.😋

[@sitbone3]

@@waleed8530 ...people dying of lung cancer might, ass hole.,

[@sitbone3]

@@waleed8530 ...yea they will.

[@princedakkar2251]

The Scottish chap who runs the humidor at Dunhill is a total snob, completely ignored me in the humidor and showed total contempt for me likely because I wasn’t wearing a suit - I bought a fairly expensive stick and even then he was a bit of a prat.