A $500 Razor? Meet the Avant Tower

The grooming world now has its unicorn: a razor that doesn’t just sit on the counter, it stands upright on its own. Baltimore’s Imperium Shaving has unveiled the Avant Tower, a $500 shave set that looks more like art than a bathroom accessory.

Yes, five hundred dollars for a shave set. And yes, it’s worth talking about.

One Wood, One Story

What makes the Avant especially unusual is its unity. The razor handle and the tower base are carved from the very same block of wood—whether Rosewood, Ebony, or Tigerwood. That continuity gives the set a sculptural quality, as if the razor grew directly out of the stand. It’s grooming gear with the DNA of fine furniture.

Why It Feels Different

Luxury is often about the small moments that surprise you. Here, it’s the instant you place the razor back in its tower and see it standing tall, perfectly upright. No props, no clutter—just clean lines and a sense that even shaving can be reimagined as ritual.

Each piece is handcrafted in Imperium’s Raleigh studio and takes about four days to complete. And though it looks like art, the Avant still works with everyday Gillette Fusion, Mach3 and Safety blades.

The reason it's $500, the WOW factor

Here’s where it stops being ordinary. Place the razor back on the tower, and it doesn’t slump into a cradle or lean against a hook. It stands unsupported, straight up, on its own. A razor turned into a showpiece—like a magic trick you never get tired of watching.

The Bigger Picture

Plenty of brands make shaving tools. Very few turn them into heirlooms. The Avant Tower is part sculpture, part instrument, and part provocation: what if the most ordinary routines deserved extraordinary design?

It’s indulgent. It’s unnecessary. It's magical.