London Calling

THE ROYAL ROOTS OF ERIC:BARBIER

Anyone looking for the origins of Eric:Barbier must travel to the metropolis on the Thames: during an adventurous visit to London some 20 years ago, Anthony and founder Erik gathered inspiration for their home salon – and discovered the unmistakable style that would set royal standards.

Let’s jump back to the year 2000: master barber Anthony and Erik wanted to raise the salon in the Hanseatic city to a level previously unknown in Germany: “We realised back then that there was no high-end classic barber’s shop in Hamburg that also offered shaves,” recalls Anthony. But where were the much-needed ideas to come from, when there was no role model to be found far and wide?

Aimlessly in London

“We thought about which nation traditionally excels at services. And when it comes to barbershops in particular, that’s the English,” explains Anthony. From that moment on, the business partners had at least a rough idea of where to go: they were heading to London, the epicentre of classic style and polished manners – at least as long as you don’t block the outer lane of a roundabout the whole time.

To avoid getting into this predicament in the first place, they left the car behind and flew to the British capital for their visit to London. But where to go first? Anthony laughs today when he recounts the experience: “We had no specific destination and had no idea where to go. So we asked around to find out where we could find the most traditional barber.” In London, the answer can only be Truefitt & Hill – a veritable institution and a popular haunt for men since 1805. In the salon, a ten-minute walk from Buckingham Palace, time seems to have stood still over the last two centuries.

Today a king

No wonder that, alongside “mere mortals”, the royal family also feels at home here. To this day, the salon on St James’s Street bears the coveted logo as a Royal Warrant holder, appointed by the Duke of Edinburgh. To avoid spoiling the first impression, the pair didn’t give themselves out as barbers, but went incognito at first – and were immediately taken with the place. “It was very classic in style and we were given a very, very warm welcome,” says Anthony.

Anyone expecting stereotypes covered in tattoos from head to toe behind the barber’s chair is in the wrong place: in what the “Guinness Book of Records” claims is the world’s oldest barbershop, there is a stylish dress code for the staff. But it wasn’t just the appearance that impressed; the quality of the craftsmanship also left a lasting impression. The meticulous preparation with hot compresses and oil before the shave, as well as the freshly whipped shaving foam, delighted Anthony and Erik and became standard procedure in Hamburg from that point on. The extensive range of Truefitt & Hill grooming products was also available at Eric:Barbier for a long time. “We took a lot of it home with us straight away,” explains the current managing director.

A special kind of visit to London

Once he had identified himself, Anthony was allowed to work in the salon for half a day to get to know the procedures in more detail. Following this successful start, the pair visited three more salons in London over the next few days to gather as many impressions as possible. No sooner were they back home than their knowledge and techniques were put into immediate practice – and they continue to shape the development of Eric:Barbier to this day, even after Erik’s far too early death. Anthony still visits various barbershops on every holiday to build on the experiences he gained in London, and has already gained new perspectives on his profession in Dubai, Turkey and the USA.