The rich history of London has always been intertwined with Truefitt’s story and has long been a source of inspiration for the firm. On the very day that our founder, William Francis Truefitt opened his shop on Long Acre in 1805, the Battle of Trafalgar raged on faraway seas. The historical figures, whose patronage Truefitt enjoyed, are often those who have shaped Britain and its culture; from King George III to Sir Winston Churchill, Lord Palmerston to Queen Victoria. Our very address on St James’s Street is at the very heart of gentlemanly Mayfair, where the proximity to the royal palaces transformed the area into a hub for outfitters and purveyors of the finest goods to generations of queens and kings, princes and princesses.
But it was another important London landmark, a small distance west of St James’s that inspired the creation of our Apsley Cologne in 2016. The great and the good of the British aristocracy have long beaten a path to our doors, and Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, victor at the Battle of Waterloo and former Prime Minister, was no different. In his honour, the Apsley cologne was created and the name taken from his Apsley House neoclassical abode on Hyde Park Corner. Rumour has it that if one were to post a letter to its historic address ‘Apsley House, 1 London’, it would still arrive, as the site was an iconic London landmark even in the 1700 and 1800s; the house was the ‘first’ home after the Knightsbridge toll gates which divided London from the countryside and marked the ‘start’ of the capital, hence the address.
And so the stately home and its heroic inhabitant inspired one of our most celebrated and popular fragrances, which seamlessly blends the intriguing base notes of smouldering woods with delicately balanced undertones of light grapefruit, pepper, lemon, lavender and cedarwood. And now, we begin a new chapter with the Apsley Bath & Shower Cream. Designed by our artisans, this richly formulated product employs the finest botanical oils as well as coconut oil derived ingredients to create a smooth, moisturising lather and leave skin gently cleansed, pleasantly moisturised and delicately scented. The packaging follows in the vein of stately elegance that’s a hallmark of the Apsley range, with handsome cocoa bean tones against glistening gold lettering and bottle top. It has long been requested by our patrons, and now it adds to the Apsley suite of products - from unique Apsley Cologne, to shaving soaps, shaving creams and balms.
As the rich tapestry of Truefitt & Hill’s history is so often connected to figures who have made Britain great, we recognise that the generations past and present owe an insurmountable debt to men like the Duke of Wellington and those who followed and fought for their country in its darkest hours. Which is why we made the decision to donate Truefitt & Hill products to the Royal Hospital Chelsea to mark the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. The Chelsea Pensioners, in their Scarlet Secrets uniforms and tricorn hats, are quiet icons of the city and we consider it an honour to be able to supplement their daily grooming regime and to continue to do so in that - well fragranced - tradition. The Chelsea Pensioner Jim Lycett