Rites of Passage Exhibition

Sweet, exhilarating and at times painfully awkward; transitions from childhood to adulthood are marked by a broad range of emotions as well as ceremonious events, forever etched in our memories.

To mark the month of Father’s Day, in the year of the Platinum Jubilee, we have brought together a small exhibition at the MÜHLE London Store exploring the joy of shaving; it is, after all, part and parcel of the ascension to the throne of adulthood.

Rites of Passage – The MÜHLE Story

A manufacturer of shaving and grooming goods since 1945 MÜHLE has been on a mission for 77 years and counting to make shaving and grooming rituals something to treasure. Founded by Otto J. Müller, then passed down to his son Hans-Jürgen and currently owner-managed by grandsons Christian and Andreas, this exhibition features images of the familial bond and dedication in growing the company for the best part of century.

From Father to Son - The First Shave

The first time we sit behind a wheel of a car, go on a date, attend an interview, and get a job. But there are the smaller transition moments too: buying a suit, learning how to style our hair, and indeed, shave. For young men this moment can be truly pivotal to self-identity, even if that first shave is only to remove a bit of peach fuzz. The ritual in and of itself has an air of breathless intimacy; lining up precious tools, the sound of a running tap, the whirl of a brush, followed by rhythmic strokes of a razor. A new face emerges in the ever-changing-reflection that stares back at us. The act of self-care is confidence building, a ritual often passed down from father to son.

From Son to Father – A Gift to Treasure

A gift that elevates everyday rituals, there’s a poignancy in gifting a beautiful shaving set to the person who perhaps first taught you to shave. Practical yet personal, MÜHLE shaving sets are displayed alongside vintage advertisements and pieces of shaving hardware, illustrating the long-standing relationship between Shaving and Father’s Day.