While fashion’s been flaunting the impressive power of brand history and heritage for years now, the fragrance industry doesn’t really seem to have followed suit. Apart from classic fragrances first released by some of the major houses and still proving popular today (Kronos, Eau Sauvage etc.), scents currently seem to be more connected with major celebrities and sleek, highly produced campaigns that function as signifiers of chic modernity.
London perfumers Penhaligon’s are the exeption. Established by alchemist William Penhaligon in 1870, the brand unveiled its first fragrance in 1872, with Penhaligon himself being appointed court barber and chief perfumer for Queen Victoria and the Royal Court soon after. Since then, the group of Penhaligon’s proponents has grown from British royalty and European aristocracy to include the likes of famed aesthete Oscar Wilde, Winston Churchill and even Tom Ford.
As a lover of Ford’s Tom Ford Extreme fragrance, I had high expectations for this early birthday present of Penhaligon’s. They’ve more or less been met, too; although this set is overall a little bit sweeter and fresher than I’d usually opt for, the quality trumps anything else I’ve ever worn – the colognes are rich and long-lasting, with Endymion definitely coming out on top for its blend of cirtus and spices.
See more from Penhaligon’s.