Creed Cologne: The Art Of Fragrance Creation

Creed is an Anglo-French luxury perfume brand that was established in 1760 by James Henry Creed in London, England. The brand started as a tailoring house and has since expanded into the world of fragrances, creating original and artisanal scents for men and women using the finest ingredients sourced from around the world. Creed has a rich history of serving royalty and celebrities, with a focus on quality, exclusivity, and discretion. The brand's attention to detail, use of natural ingredients, and commitment to artisanal techniques have made it a leading niche perfume house. Today, Creed continues to be a family-owned business, with Olivier Creed and his son Erwin Creed at the helm, carrying forward the legacy of this iconic brand.

Creed's history as tailors

The House of Creed, an Anglo-French perfume house, was originally founded as a tailoring house in London, England, in 1760 by James Henry Creed. The company has since claimed that its history extends further back, to 1710, when James Creed left his hometown of Leicester for London. Creed's earliest days as a tailoring company are not well-evidenced, with the earliest proof of its existence dating to the late 1960s or early 1970s.

James Creed's son, Henry Creed, expanded the family business to Paris, marking the beginning of the company's British and French heritage. The Creed family's reputation as tailors grew, and they became known for creating fine women's riding habits and men's tailoring. The company's clients included royalty, such as the British and French royal families, as well as the fashionable dandy Count d'Orsay, Queen Victoria, and Empress Eugénie.

Henry Creed was granted a Royal Warrant in 1885, signed by Mistress of the Robes, Annie Roxburgh. This warrant is still displayed in the Serbie Store in Paris. Henry also created a riding habit for Queen Victoria in the same year, which is now exhibited in the Kyoto Museum in Japan.

In addition to their royal clientele, the House of Creed also dressed Mata Hari, the famous dancer and spy. Henry Creed's father, also named Henry Creed, is said to have designed the outfit Mata Hari wore when she was shot.

The House of Creed's success as tailors continued into the 20th century, with Henry Creed's sons, Henry and James, taking over the business after their father's death in 1949. James's son, Olivier Creed, eventually shifted the company's focus from tailoring to perfumery, building upon the family's history of scenting hemlines and leather gloves.

The use of natural ingredients

Creed's use of natural ingredients is a key part of what sets the perfume house apart. Creed is known for using the largest proportions of natural ingredients across the French perfume industry. The brand manufactures its own natural essences using the traditional infusion technique, a 4000-year-old process that is now abandoned by most perfume companies due to its high cost.

Olivier Creed, the current head of the company, personally selects many of the ingredients, travelling the world to source the finest materials. Creed sources rose from Bulgaria, Turkey and Morocco, Florentine iris, Calabrian bergamot, Haitian vetiver, Bourbon vanilla, Italian jasmine, and ambergris, among other signature ingredients.

Olivier Creed has been quoted as saying, "I have one core belief, and one only: we must always use ingredients that are natural. I've travelled thousands of miles to find the right fruit or flower. My bergamot comes from Calabria. My favourite iris is from Florence. I found a rare and extraordinary sandalwood at Mysore, in India."

The importance of discretion

The House of Creed is an international Anglo-French luxury perfume brand established by James Henry Creed in 1760. Creed's fragrances operate differently from other companies, and the brand is known for its discretion.

Every high-profile customer who purchases a personal fragrance from Creed signs a contract committing the company to keep the fragrance's specifics a secret until a specific date. These contracts can last anywhere from five years to a lifetime. Due to this unparalleled attention to discretion, clients hold the company in high regard.

Creed does not adhere to set development dates and only releases perfumes when Olivier deems them ready. As a result, the company has, on several occasions, not launched any new fragrances. This deviation from the programme of continuous releases and frequent new manufacturing, followed by most other production businesses, helps maintain the quality of Creed perfumes. A particular perfume is never compromised or hurried and is not bounded by a deadline.

The fusion of detail, quality, discretion, genius, and efficient succession has made The House of Creed a multi-million-dollar perfume dynasty.

The art of perfumery

The process of creating a Creed fragrance begins with the selection of fine, natural ingredients. Olivier Creed is known to travel extensively to source the highest quality substances, including Florentine iris, tuberose from India, rose essences from Bulgaria, Turkey, and Morocco, and Parma violets. The use of natural ingredients is a core belief of the House of Creed, and they have mastered the ancient infusion technique to preserve the natural aroma of these substances.

The House of Creed is known for its discretion and commitment to keeping the specifics of their fragrances a secret. High-profile customers who purchase personal fragrances from Creed sign contracts committing the company to secrecy, and these contracts can last from five years to a lifetime. This attention to discretion has earned the trust and loyalty of Creed's elite clientele.

The process of creating a Creed fragrance is a true labour of love, with each perfume hand-filtered, hand-bottled, and hand-labelled, ensuring a genuinely artisanal fragrance experience. The House of Creed has mastered the art of perfumery, combining the finest ingredients, creativity, and attention to detail to create fragrances that are treasured by perfume connoisseurs worldwide.

Creed's famous customers

Creed has served multiple famous and royal personalities over its 260-year history. The company was founded in 1760 when King George III ordered a set of scented leather gloves from the Creed tailoring house. The company was appointed by Queen Victoria as her official perfume supplier, and it has since served Napoléon III, the Empress Eugénie of France, Emperor Franz-Joseph, Empress Sissi of Austria-Hungary, and Queen Christina of Spain. Creed has also served Prince Charles, Princess Diana, Sir Winston Churchill, Michelle Obama, and Frank Sinatra.

The company has also created perfumes exclusively for celebrities and well-known political figures, although these have not been confirmed. Creed's Tabarome fragrance was supposedly commissioned by a "legendary British statesman who loved fine brandy and the highest-quality cigars". Creed's Vetiver is marketed as having been created for "one of America's leading families, a political dynasty now known worldwide for its energy, vigor, and impeccable style".

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