fragrance shopping in london
from traditional to contemporary
There’s something profoundly satisfying about shopping for something specific in a new city. It creates purpose in discovery, guidelines for exploration, a sense of focus to keep from too much distraction while navigating streets full of shops. I love fragrance shopping while traveling. Particularly at shops dedicated to niche perfumeries, immersing in brand stories and histories in a tactical way. In London, I had a one track mind and a collection of bookmarks on my map for fragrance shopping.
Where fragrance shopping in Seoul was a series of contemporary brands ranging from minimalist to avant garde, London delivered on breadth. From historic and regal to sleek and refined to fresh and experimental. Visually, olfactorily, tactically, it was a delight. Each brand felt distinct, with a specific perspective on scent stories. From the logo designs to the retail displays to the bottles and packaging, each was unique, intentional, a holistic brand experience.
Four perfume shops. All within a few blocks of each other. A pleasant, sensory 20 minute loop.Â
floris
The history alone makes Floris a shop worth visiting. The storied perfumerie has occupied its footprint at 89 Jermyn Street since 1730 and is beautifully restored to capture the old world charm. Remarkably, Floris is still for the most part, a small, family-run business, 9 generations later. Over three centuries, Floris has been interwoven with British history, from creating combs for King George IV to nosegays for Florence Nightingale, to selling fragrances to Winston Churchill and Ian Fleming, to launching “Royal Arms – Diamond Edition” in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.
The shop is a precious relic of London history with Spanish mahogany cabinets and glasswork from the 1851 Great Exhibition, and a little museum in the back displaying archive items. The collection spans perfumes, soaps, bath and body care, candles, diffusers and grooming products. Every item feels beautifully crafted, with the artistry and care of expertise passed down generation after generation. The fragrances in their collection cover the full wheel of aromas, through the centuries, they’ve created a little something for everyone. But where they shine is in the florals. For the true fragrance enthusiasts, they also do bespoke services.
Some favorites: Sirena (fresh floral), Bouquet de La Reine (floral fruity), Cefiro (citrusy floral), Bergamotto di Positano (citrusy marine)
penhaligon's
Penhaligon’s is a name that you’ll encounter in just about any beauty retailer in London, from duty free counters at the airport to department store displays, and of course, dozen or so dedicated shopfronts in London. The branding is immediately recognizable, though each fragrance gets its own visual treatment. There is a sense of delightful drama, particularly the in your face Portraits collection with the iconic animal busts that is sure to speak loudly on any vanity. Penhaligon’s brand feels intensely British. In that traditional, regal way. That is a little too formal, a little stuffy, frivolously fancy and toeing the line on gaudy but all the more alluring.
Like Floris, Penhaligon’s traces its roots to Jermyn Street, where it first opened as a barbershop for gentlemen’s grooming in the 1870s. The first fragrance, Hammam Bouquet, was inspired by the Turkish baths next door. Since then, the legacy has carried on through generations with fragrances inspired by England herself, and often commissioned and worn by notable figures. The brand embodies heritage and craftsmanship with maverick sensibility toward pushing boundaries.Â
Their fragrance collection is an olfactory manifestation of what you see. There’s a good mix of feminine and masculine scents and plenty in between. Many scents are inspired by British royalty and nobility. From Elisabethan Rose, inspired by the classic Tudor rose to fragrances with names like “Fortuitous Finley” (described as a “stable scent for a wild horse”) and “The Omniscient Mr. Thompson” (which features an elephant head cap and inspired by the discrete charisma of a butler). There are fragrances inspired by the British countryside and by the Silk Road. Perhaps a nontrivial amount of joy the world gets from Penhaligon’s is just quite how it embraces and evolves English tradition. It feels like a cultural immersion, peering into worlds we once were closed to, the stories of the past brought to the present through scent.
Some favorites: Vra Vra Vroom (fruity floral), The Favourite (floral woody musk), Empressa (oriental floral), Artemisia (oriental green)
perfumer h
Perfumer H is the tangible imagination of the celebrated British perfumer Lyn Harris that launched in 2015. Through fragrance, she creates worlds, “olfactory landscapes” as it is aptly described on their site. The brand is the definition of quiet luxury. It is visually minimal, quiet, understated, the opposite of Penhaligon. Perhaps they can get away with it because the fragrances more than speak for themselves.
Perfumer H is what you put on when you want to be stopped in the street to be asked what you’re wearing. The names oversimplify the depth of the fragrances, often a singular note (Fig, Moss, Suede, Saffron, etc). The unisex collection is an almost academic catalogue that spans the five families and excels in every category. Each one is pure, layered, unexpected, captivating. Walking into the store feels like walking into a library. The fragrances, the handblown glass bottles (and candles, both of which are refillable). And more recent endeavors in jams and teas. Each item is filled with intention. Building a world around it, setting a tone for your day, a mood for your home. Nothing overly fancy, and yet very premium.
Some favorites: Rhubarb (green citrus), Bergamot (citrus), Rain Cloud (floral), Fig (floral fruity)
ffern
Walking into Ffern feels like walking into a delicate jewelry box. Everything is “pretty” in every manifestation of that word. Ffern is a perfume brand, yes, but more than that it is a lifestyle brand. A world to buy into. It operates seasonally. One drop each season, aligned with the equinox and solstice. A bespoke fragrance inspired by the season, crafted in small batches in the English countryside. Offered first to a tight ledger of subscribers, with a limited archive sold in its shops.
Launched in 2019, Ffern is a conscious contrast from the commercialization of the fragrance industry. One that values the artistry of the craft, extracting fragrance oils from plants and expertly blended by nose Elodie Durande, barrel aged and bottled in 32ml doses to be shipped out to members. The disruptive model has a perpetual waitlist. Members of the ledger get shipped the new fragrances each season with a sample vial to test out before deciding whether to keep it or send back with a free return. Returns are kept in an archive to be purchased a la carte. In a commitment to sustainability and quality, they only make one bottle per person on the ledger.
The natural ingredients are brought forth not only in the product but the miniature world built around each drop. The unboxing experience is an absolute delight. Each product launch comes with a story, a short film, an artist collaboration, and little trinkets to round it out. It’s tactile, immersive, sensory. Like an exclusive invitation to a private world where everything is crafted with intention. Every drop is unique, inspired by nature and the season, skewing botanical, green, floral and fruity. Ffern is invested in the work to bridge the past and present through nature and the practice of cultivating harmonious rituals: they have a monthly podcast (heavy on nature and seasonal themes) and a Folk Foundation to support British Folk Arts.
see also
FRAGRANCE SHOPPING IN SEOUL
SNAPSHOTS FROM SPRING IN LONDON