“
stroll away from
the throng of tourists on
Wenceslas Square and you’ll find the perfect
male oasis in a nearby side street. Not one of
Prague’s smoky basement drinking dens, but
Thomas’s Barbershop, an old-school shaving
parlour [
16
Návrátilova; thomasbarbershop.cz
].
“
I’ve been a regular at Thomas’s for a few
years. He keeps my five-o’clock shadow at bay
and I tailor his suits. I’m passionate about style –
I own a menswear boutique, Le Premier [
23
Pánská
Pasáž, 23 Na Příkopě; lepremier.cz
] –
so personal
grooming is important to me.
“
I love the way the parlour combines
retro cosiness with an unashamedly
masculine atmosphere: you watch
sport, have a cigar or a whisky,
and chat about your love life –
all while reclining in a swivel
chair and getting the works.
“
A traditional wet shave is an experience every
man should have. There’s nothing like the hot
towel on your face, the lathering on of the foam or
the final whiff of cologne to completely suck the
stress out of you. I find it so relaxing that on a few
occasions I’ve almost fallen asleep!
“
Thomas is more than just a barber: he’s a bit
of a folk narrator as we say, so you’re guaranteed
tall tales. I sometimes tease him, as he does tend
to recycle his yarns, although each time you hear
them there’s a new embellishment or twist.
“
My favourite treatment is the paraffin hand
wrap. It might seem a little weird –
I wouldn’t normally plunge my
hands into hot wax – but in this
gentlemen’s lair, donning those
funny gloves seems perfectly
normal and it does leave your
hands super smooth.”
AS TOLD TO
LISETTE ALLEN
PHOTO
MICHAL NOVOTNY
A traditional wet
shave is an experience
every man should have.
There’s nothing like the hot
towel on your face
Jakub Lohniský
The Prague-based fashion retailer keeps his natty
look with visits to Thomas’s Barbershop
0 1 4
R E G U L A R S
