The transformation scene in Richard Strauss’s Daphne, mentioned yesterday, is being played out in reality in my life.
As I immerse myself in James Lees-Milne’s life I am assuming some of his habits and tastes. We went to the same school, joined the same regiment, belong to the same club, use the same barber and bookshops, have the same hairstyle that J L-M describes as “empty bird’s nest”. For a while we were the same age, now in Holy Dread, he is thirteen years older than me. We share the same interest in art, architecture, opera, walking and he reads the Lyttelton/Hart-Davis letters as they are published. He visits Rupert Hart-Davis at his house in Swaledale, where I was on holiday last month.
On Friday an invisible thread drew me off Jermyn Street into Floris, where he shopped. He was told he smelt nice and thought to himself it’s not me, it’s Floris. I chose an eau de parfum enigmatically called 71/72. I will let Floris elucidate.
Floris perfumers have collaborated with English shirtmakers Turnbull & Asser to relaunch 71/72 Eau de Parfum. Named after Turnbull & Asser’s flagship location at 71/72 Jermyn Street, this fresh, woody and boldly aromatic fragrance has been created to draw on the unity shared by these two Jermyn Street institutions and the stylish, discerning customers that return to their shops in 21st century London. Jermyn Street, an area symbiotic with becalming culture and bespoke fashion, now has eruptions of creativity bursting from its streets, making the destination a key hub for the discerning and stylish gentleman.
I don’t like the sound of those eruptions in Jermyn Street but there are road works. I wonder if I am the sort of man they have in mind for this smell?
A fragrance for a man who is confident, while understated, elegant yet eccentric – a modern gentleman, no longer defined.
Equiped with 100 ml of this elixir I navigated through the tourists on Leicester Square, turned down Garrick Street and dived into the Garrick for lunch. My host was more than generous: champagne, a Premier Cru Saint- Aubin, a 2010 Margaux with dressed crab and delicious ham croquettes. J L-M often describes food as “filthy” even or perhaps especially at his club. He would have enjoyed my Garrick lunch and noticed how club food has improved.
It is well known that the Garrick has a remarkable collection of pictures and that AA Milne’s bequest has allowed them to augment this. It is less well known, but must be giving Pooh great pleasure, that they have bee hives. The honey is served in the club and is available for members to buy. The bees and their hives are looked after by Capital Bee. We rounded off lunch in an upstairs drawing room with port, white wine and gossip.