Dunhill (luxury goods)

Alfred Dunhill

Type	Ltd.
Industry	Men's Luxury Retail
Founded	London, England (1893)
Founder(s)	Alfred Dunhill
Headquarters	London, England
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Fabrizio Cardinali (CEO)[1]
Products	Men's Apparel Accessories Leather Goods Fragrances
Parent	Richemont
Website	http://www.dunhill.com

Alfred Dunhill, Ltd. is a British luxury goods brand, specialising in ready-to-wear, custom and bespoke menswear, leather goods, and accessories. The company is based in London, where it also owns and operates a leather workshop. The company is currently owned by Richemont.

History

The Early Years

The business was developed by Alfred Dunhill after he inherited his father's saddlery business on London's Euston Road at the age of 21 in 1893. Alfred Dunhill, responding to the growing demand for automobiles at this time, developed a line of accessories called "Dunhill's Motorities". This first collection included car horns and lamps, leather overcoats, goggles, picnic sets and timepieces, which provided the company with an strap line of “Everything But The Motor”.

Within a few years the business moved towards the luxury market with the opening of the two dunhill's Motorities stores in Mayfair. By this time, dunhill's had become known not only for motoring accessories but also for motoring attire. The Dunhill Motorities catalogue featured over 1,300 items that were available.

20th Century

The launch of the Dunhill pipe was a logical step from Motorities; in 1904 Alfred had patented a “Windshield Pipe” to help a driver combat the effects of wind and weather in his open top car. Alfred’s first tobacconist and pipe shop opened in 1907 on Duke Street. Its proximity to the clubs of St. James’s and Pall Mall helped to ensure instant success, with a loyal and distinguished customer base. After the First World War dunhill expanded nationally opening an office in New York in 1921, at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street followed by the first continental European store opened in 1924 at 15, Rue de la Paix in central Paris.

Though Alfred retired from the business in the 1920’s, his family continued it on. In the position of Managing Director and President were his brother Alfred-Henry, then daughter Mary and finally his grandson Richard and with the interests of the dunhill family at heart, the business continued to embody the attributes and characteristics of Alfred’s personality.

Alfred summarised his retail philosophy in an article written in the summer in 1923. “My experience in the motorists’ trade has convinced me that, if one can exactly meet the desires of a good class of public, time alone is necessary to make it profitable. Compared with quality, price is relatively important.”

A long-time employee, Carter, from the Duke Street store, delivered George VI’s tobacco to Buckingham Palace during the Second World War. He was also known to keep Churchill regularly supplied with his favourite cigars.^[2] Carter received the MBE after the war for these actions and worked for Alfred for 50 years.

By the late 1970s however dunhill was offering a range of 3,500 luxury products in more than 20 stores round the world. The brand had expanded into offering a full range of men’s ready to wear clothing.

In the 90s Alfred Dunhill's store on Jermyn Street was renovated to evoke the atmosphere of a private club, complete with a marble-floored humidor and a barber’s shop.

The Homes of Alfred Dunhill

Alfred Dunhill have built a series of retail emporiums for men around the world, referred to as the Homes of Alfred Dunhill. These Homes aim to represent the experience of luxury, allowing the customer to live the brand. The retail environment is distinguished by a range of services – which include a bespoke tailoring service, barber’s shop, fine wine cellars, bar or restaurant, screening room, and spa. The Homes are in London, Shanghai and Tokyo, and Hong Kong.

Recently the London home, Bourdon House was mentioned as one of Georgia Barretta-Whiteley's (Head of Design at Saatchi & Saatchi) top retail experiences, "Committed to advancing the pursuit of male indulgence’, Alfred Dunhill has here presented us with a unique global concept that embraces an ultimate in masculine luxury and retail lifestyle – the Homes of Alfred Dunhil." ^[3]

Sponsorship

Alfred Dunhill sponsors golf tournaments, including the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (formerly the Alfred Dunhill Cup). Played over three of the most famous links golf courses – the Old Course at St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns in Scotland – the championship gathers celebrities from the worlds of sports and screen to play alongside the world’s leading professional golf players.

Portraits of Achievement and Film

To date there are 3 films in the Portraits of Achievement films, the first, For The Love released in 2012, was a short film capturing a year in the life of businessman and amateur jockey Sam Waley-Cohen as he aimed to retain the Cheltenham Gold Cup, after becoming the first amateur in 30 years to win the gold ribboned event in 2011. For The Love was part of Alfred Dunhill's communications strategy aimed at celebrating men of great achievement. The film was aired on Channel 4 in Britain on 24 November 2012.

‘Man At Sea’, the second film, added the first commercial element to the series through an exclusive launch with Mr Porter, where the film was promoted alongside a capsule collection from the SS13 RTW collection. “The beautifully, and lavishly, shot movie is inspiring to watch, and Mr Percy's explanation of the challenges that face a yachtsman every time he sets sail will make a deep impression on even the most lily-livered landlubber.”^[4] Mr Porter.

Voice ad campaign

The Voice campaign was launched by Alfred Dunhill to celebrate British men who have achieved extraordinary things in their life. The cast of each campaign is always varied in age and background and presented in a series of black & white portraits, shot by the photographer David Sims, and filmed interviews.

The following is the list cast members from each campaign:

Spring Summer 2011
- Broadcaster, Sir David Frost
- Artist, Harland Miller
- Violinist, Charlie Siem
Autumn Winter 2011
- Explorer, Sir Ranulph Fiennes
- Theatre Director, Michael Grandage
- Ballet Dancer, Rupert Pennefather
Spring Summer 2012
- Olympic Rower, Sir Matthew Pinsent
- Olympic Sailor, Iain Percy
- Olympic Gymnast, Louis Smith
Autumn Winter 2012
- Actor, John Hurt
- Film Director, James Marsh
- Architect, David Adjaye
- Illustrator, Jamie Hewlett
Spring Summer 2013
- Musician, Brian Eno
- Photographer, Don McCullin
- Mountaineer, Geordie Stewart

Alfred Dunhill in the movies

Alfred Dunhill has also occasionally provided various accessories for the cinematic James Bond throughout the series. The association first in 1962 began when the production team requested a gunmetal cigarette lighter for Sean Connery's introduction in Dr. No.

Fragrances

Alfred Dunhill Limited has licensed Inter Parfums, Inc. to produce and distribute fragrances under the Dunhill brand. The ten-year, worldwide agreement replaces Dunhill’s contract with Procter & Gamble, which ends in April, 2013.

Rollagas lighters

Developed in the mid-1950s, Dunhill produced one of the first butane gas lighters. This iconic design has remained relatively unchanged since and was regularly used by James Bond in both print and on the screen.

Abridged timeline

A sterling silver Dunhill Unique lighter bearing a coat of arms

• 1893 – Aged 21, Alfred Dunhill takes over his father’s saddlery business and converts it into Dunhill’s Motorities, providing ‘Everything for the car but the motor’.
• 1903 – Alfred Dunhill’s first dashboard clock marks their entry into the timepiece arena.
• 1905 – Alfred Dunhill patents his Windshield Pipe, designed to allow comfortable smoking while driving or cycling.
• 1907 – Having retired from running the Motorities business, Alfred Dunhill opens a pipe, cigar and tobacco store among the men’s clubs of Duke Street, St. James’s, London SW1.
• 1910 – Alfred Dunhill opens a pipe factory near the store.
• 1915 – The trademark White Spot marking is added to Alfred Dunhill’s pipes.
• 1921 – Store opens in New York; Paris store opens three years later.
• 1927 – Alfred Dunhill launches the revolutionary Unique lighter, the first to be operated using just one hand.
• 1928 – Alfred Dunhill begins distributing the Namiki pen company’s maki-e lacquered pens.
• 1936 – The iconic Facet timepiece, based on Alfred Dunhill’s car head-lamp designs, is launched.
• 1941 – Alfred Dunhill’s Duke Street store is bombed during World War II; it was extended and rebuilt in the 1950s and recently renovated.
• 1956 – The Rollagas butane lighter is launched.
• 1963 – Manufacture of Dunhill brand cigarettes starts.
• 1985 – First annual Dunhill Cup golf tournament.
• 2001 – Alfred Dunhill Links Championship supersedes Alfred Dunhill Cup.
• 2005 - Savile Row tailor Richard James, watchmaker Tom Bolt, casual-wear designer Nick Ashley and leather-smith Bill Amberg are brought on board to help revitalise the brand.
• 2007 - First Home of Alfred Dunhill opens in Tokyo, Japan.
• 2008 -
  • Alfred Dunhill announces the appointment of menswear designer Kim Jones as Creative Director, a role Alfred Dunhill has not offered before.
  • Second Home of Alfred Dunhill opens in London, UK, in Bourdon House.
  • Third Home of Alfred Dunhill opens in Shanghai, China, in The Twin Villas.
• 2010 - Fourth Home of Alfred Dunhill' opens in Hong Kong, China, in Prince's Landmark.
• 2011 - First Voice campaign launched.
• 2012 -
  • Trafalgar by Alfred Dunhill is presented in Shanghai, China.
  • For The Love film is released.

See also

• List of pen types, brands and companies

Notes and references

Bibliography

• Foulkes, Nick. Dunhill By Design: A Very English Story (2006) ISBN 2-08-030495-X
• Barker, Christian. "High Gear". August Man magazine (Dec 2006)
• "A History of Dunhill Lighters". John Flores Graphics. Retrieved 2 January 2012.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alfred Dunhill, Limited.

• Official website