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Last week, I spent a magical morning at Scent Street, a fabulous immersive showcase of luxury niche fragrances, taking over three floors of a west London Victorian townhouse.
It was a wonderful opportunity to discover some award-winning fragrances and catch the latest Spring/Summer 22 launches from artisan perfume houses in the Orange Square family. It was my first beauty press event since the beginning of the pandemic and it felt good to talk about scent with like-minded people again, after years of all keeping as far away from each other as possible.
The Townhouse
It was easy to find the townhouse, just a short walk from Shepherd’s Bush Market, as the entrance was covered in pretty cherry blossom trees, with a cute floral taxi and a hot drinks van at the door. Inside, the house had the perfect balance of good taste and personality, decorated in muted shades with exquisite artwork and cool objects like a marble surfboard – clearly the owners have a discerning eye.
It was beautifully styled with flowers tumbling from a shiny grand piano, perfumes nestled among greenery and exotic fruit, a spring bouquet workshop by Grace & Thorn and an array of canapés, macarons and cupcakes in the light-filled marble kitchen. I couldn’t help but daydream of living here.
Perfume-Inspired Cocktails
My journey started with a delicious hibiscus spice cocktail, freshly-shaken by a mixologist at the bar, to match the stunning Hibiscus Mahajad by Maison Crivelli (a contemporary haute parfumerie created by Thibaud Crivelli in 2018).
This exotic floral oriental fruity fragrance, created in partnership with Quentin Bisch, is inspired by the experience of tasting hibiscus tea in a gemstone market, evoking the luxury of travel and discovery.
It’s heady yet bright with an irresistable floral duo of rose and hibiscus, sparkling notes of blackcurrant, crushed pomegranate and spearmint and the enveloping warmth of vanilla beans, amber, spicy cinnamon and seductive carved leather.
I also loved trying the verdant Osmanthe Kodoshan, the icy cool Absinthe Boréale inspired by the Northern Lights and the modern Rose SaltifOlia with a touch of salty air from a walk on the seaside.
Maison Crivelli takes a slow approach to creating perfume and telling a story, in fact some can take up to two years to develop. Every fragrance feels full of soul and purpose – definitely my new favourite!
The Boudoir
I walked up the stairs into the stunning boudoir, complete with a plush green velvet chaise longue, a bathtub overflowing with white roses and a marble bathroom packed full of make-up, perfume and an LBD. It was like the start of a glamorous night out.
It was here that I discovered Parle Moi de Parfum, Benjamin Almairac’s family-run maison and lab space on Paris’ rue de Sévigné, where you can watch perfumes being developed by father Michel Almairac, a perfumer born and raised in Grasse. I was enchanted by Une Tonne de Roses, a light, refreshing celebration of roses with a slight edge from earthy patchouli – simply effortless French chic.
I also tried the more dusky, powdery Rose Ardoise by Atelier Materi that made me think of a Chanel suit and the unexpectedly subtle Perfect Oud from Mizensir by master perfumer Alberto Morillas (the nose behind CK One, Gucci Bloom, L’Eau d’Issey and Penhaligon’s Iris Prima) and his wife, Claudine.
The Bathroom
By this point, I had sampled a number of fragrances, so it was a change of pace to discover Not A Collection by Juliette Has a Gun. This ground-breaking home and body range, created by Romano Ricci, features Cetalox (usually used in perfumery as a base note) as its sole ingredient. It is the only perfume on the market without any allergens, making it perfect for those sensitive to fragrance.
It took me a while to detect anything other than a clean aroma, but later on at home with a rested nose, I tried a sample of the luxurious shower gel and immediately understood the appeal.
My final destination was the ‘holiday room’ with sultry fragrances fit for the summer. From Juliette Has a Gun, I tried Vanilla Vibes, a youthful boho perfume with breezy natural vanilla, tonka bean and fleur de sel and a cool ombre bottle representing the sand, sea and blue sky.
Another summer hit is the uplifting Sunny Side Up, a happy surfer girl scent that reminds me of suncream with sandalwood, coconut milk, musk mallow and jasmine.
For those jet set summer cocktail parties, there’s Mile High by Parle Moi de Parfum, a cheeky nod to outrageous plane behaviour and also the classic Pina Colada. It features notes of luscious pineapple from the Indian Ocean, Venezuelan tonka bean, Corsican immortelle and patchouli from Indonesia.
It was a real treat to discover all of these dazzling perfumes in such a creative setting and I left in the floral taxi with senses awoken and many new additions to my fragrance wish list.
Have you tried any of these perfumes? What is your signature scent?
Photos by Chérie City
