Immense; British Racing Green; The Modern Myth
By Jo Phillips
A dark and masculine hue, ‘British Racing Green’ was first believed to be an omen in the early days of racing, but is now considered an icon of the automotive world.
Similar to colours such as ‘Brunswick Green’ and ‘Forest Green’, ‘British Racing Green’ is a modern myth, and although the colour has never been officially defined, we always know it when we see it!
Photograph: Jaguar C-Type Replica, © Dave_7
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The provenance of this hue can be traced back to June 1902 when England’s Selwyn Edge altered the course of the British automotive industry by winning first place in the annual Gordon Bennett Cup (formally titled the III Coupe Internationale).
With entries limited to three contestants per country, each car was required to be made in the country they were representing and painted in the official race colours of that country. Due to Edge’s victory in 1902, England was due to host the race in the following year, but as no automobile was legally allowed to exceed 12mph, organisers had no choice but to switch the location to Ireland. It has been suggested that as a gesture to Ireland, Edge replaced his olive toned to a darker ‘Shamrock Green’, and subsequently came to be known as ‘British Racing Green.’
This iconoclastic colour came to adorn Bentley’s in the Le Mans 24-hour races during the late 1920’s and early 30’s, but most notoriously became synonymous with cars built by British manufacturers such as Jaguar, Aston Martin, and MG.
The world of Dunhill has been intertwined with the history of motoring since its establishment in 1893 when Alfred Dunhill inherited his father’s harness manufacturing business. Responding to the new-found craze for motoring, Dunhill began to develop a line of accessories and outerwear for motoring enthusiasts and moved towards the luxury market with the opening of two Dunhill stores in Mayfair.
The latest addition to the mens Dunhill London ICON Fragrance Collection, takes inspiration from the thrilling adventure of driving through the British landscape in a racing green, open-top sports car.
A fragrance which propels the notion speed, masculinity and freedom, Dunhill London ICON Racing distils energy and masculine sophistication in every bottle.
With Italian Bergamot, Grapefruit and Cardamom enhancing authentic notes of black pepper and lavender ICON Racing embodies a fresh aroma for men on the move.The drumbeat of Guaiac Wood, Vetiver and Musk deliver warm and masculine base notes.
Finished in the classic ‘British Racing Green’ hue, the ICON Racing bottles are inspired by the technique of engine turning which creates a geometric textured pattern which was first used on Dunhill metal lighters in 1924.
To relive the glorious victories won on the circuits of the world by daring drivers, Dunhill London ICON Racing is launching exclusively with Harrods on 17th September and then nationwide 2nd October 2017.
