Paul Thompson, Founder of Wilde & Harte / British Made Razors

Over dinner at The Wolseley, in London's Piccadilly, two friends — a product designer and a men's shaving accessory purchaser — discuss the uninspired task of regular wet shaving and identify a lack of genuine quality razors and shaving brushes to make shaving once again, the exciting self-indulgent ritual it should be. The days of lathering up a badger hair shaving brush with a delicate, scented shaving cream, loading a double edge blade into a 3-piece safety razor and applauding hand-crafted shaving implements seem all but forgotten in the efficient-driven age of electric shavers and disposable multi-blade razors. There and then, a brand name was conceived. Derived from two favoured drinking establishments in London's bustling West End — The Oscar Wilde bar at the Café Royal, Mayfair and The White Harte in Drury Lane. Wilde & Harte draw on an extensive knowledge of British men’s style and of the timeless quality which identifies a unique luxury British brand. Their inspiration is derived from contemporary and classic design, coupled with a passion for creating exquisite men's grooming products of the highest quality. Each wet shaving razor and shaving brush is manufactured from stainless steel and hand finished at the home of the British steel industry in Sheffield before being despatched to their London HQ for distribution. 

In this episode of the MenswearStyle Podcast we interview Paul Thompson, Founder of Wilde & Harte about his background in web design and the story of how his shaving brand was launched. The idea was to create uniquely designed stainless steel razors that were more modern and contemporary compared to the plastic offering commonplace on the supermarket shelves.  Our host Peter Brooker and Paul also talk about the meaning behind product names, why he champions British manufacturing, the difference between badger hair and synthetic shaving brushes, and turning a hobby into career.

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