Creed Perfume: Who Crafts These Scents?

The House of Creed is a luxury perfume house that creates fragrances for men and women. Creed fragrances are made from the finest perfume ingredients sourced from around the world. The company was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring house in London, England. Creed supplied most of the royalty of the time and acquired a reputation for impeccable tailoring and exclusive fragrances. Today, Creed fragrances are created by Olivier Creed and his son Erwin Creed, who use the 4,000-year-old Millésimé technique to produce artisanal fragrances.

The Creed family history

The House of Creed, an Anglo-French perfume house, was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring establishment in London, England. The company claims that its fame rose in the mid-19th century under Henry Creed, who created fashionable garments for royalty and elites of the time. Henry Creed's son, James Creed, continued the family business, eventually expanding it to Paris, France in 1854 under the patronage of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.

The Creed family's connection to royalty and high society helped establish their reputation for impeccable tailoring and exclusive, rare fragrances. They supplied most of the royalty of the time, including Queen Victoria, who appointed Creed as an official supplier to the Royal Household. The discretion with which Creed handled their aristocratic and socially prominent clientele became part of the brand's legend.

Over the centuries, the House of Creed has created over 200 perfumes, passing their unique creative spirit and keen inherited nose from father to son through seven generations. The current generation of creative directors consists of Olivier Creed and his son Erwin Creed, who create artisanal fragrances in their factory in Fontainebleau. Olivier Creed is credited for transforming the business with his blockbuster fragrance Aventus.

The House of Creed takes pride in using the finest ingredients sourced from around the world, such as Bulgarian rose, Florentine iris, Haitian vetiver, and Italian jasmine. They continue to create original fragrances that celebrate their rich heritage and appeal to discerning clients worldwide.

Creed's perfumes and colognes

Creed is an Anglo-French multinational niche perfume house based in Paris. The company was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring house in London, England. Over the years, Creed has created fragrances for celebrities, well-known political figures, and royalty. The current generation of creative directors includes Olivier Creed and his son, Erwin Creed, who create artisanal fragrances in their factory in Fontainebleau.

History

Creed Fragrances was supposedly founded in 1760 as a tailoring establishment in London, England, by James Henry Creed. However, the earliest evidence of Creed's existence dates back to the late 1960s or early 1970s. The brand rose to fame in the mid-19th century under Henry Creed, who created tailored garments for Queen Victoria and Empress Eugénie. In 1854, Creed established another headquarters in Paris, France, and began to create exclusive, rare, and limited bespoke fragrances.

In the late 20th century, Creed's business was transformed by Olivier Creed, who created the blockbuster fragrance Aventus. In February 2020, the private equity group BlackRock became the majority shareholder of Creed, and in June 2023, Creed was acquired by Kering for €3.5 billion.

Fragrances

Creed has created a range of iconic, hand-crafted perfumes, colognes, and aftershaves for men and women. Their fragrances are made from exquisite, high-quality, natural raw ingredients sourced from around the world, including Bulgarian, Turkish, and Moroccan rose, Florentine iris, Calabrian bergamot, Haitian vetiver, Bourbon vanilla, Italian jasmine, and ambergris. Creed uses a traditional technique to create their fragrances, with ingredients that are hand-weighed and macerated, a process that is labour-intensive but ensures the quality and craftsmanship that the brand is known for.

Some of Creed's notable fragrances include:

• Aventus: A contemporary masculine scent that combines head notes of apple, blackcurrant, pineapple, and Italian bergamot with heart notes of jasmine blossom, birch, and juniper berries, and base notes of oakmoss, vanilla, and ambergris.
• Green Irish Tweed: A fresh fougère fragrance that was the breakthrough success for the brand in the mid-1980s.
• Silver Mountain Water
• Royal Oud

Creed's royal connections

In 1885, Queen Victoria appointed Creed "official supplier" to the British royal court. For her majesty, Creed created the scent Fleurs de Bulgarie by commission. This engaging scent, rich with roses, is available today. Also in 1885, Queen Maria Cristina of Spain named Creed her supplier by royal order.

In the 20th century, not only did royalty including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor choose Creed, but also leading politicians became Creed clients. Sir Winston Churchill wore Creed's Tabarome. In America, young Congressman and future President John F. Kennedy wore Creed's Vetiver.

In 1956, Creed created Grace Kelly's wedding day scent, Fleurissimo, by order of her fiancé, Prince Rainier of Monaco. So began Hollywood's long love affair with Creed.

Creed's perfumers and directors

Creed is an Anglo-French perfume house, based in Paris. It was founded in London in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring establishment. The company claims to have risen to fame in the mid-19th century under Henry Creed, who created garments for Queen Victoria and Empress Eugénie, among others.

The current generation of creative directors at Creed consists of Olivier Creed and his son, Erwin Creed. Olivier is the sixth in his family line to head the company and is known for creating some of Creed's most beloved fragrances, including Green Irish Tweed, Millesime Imperial, Silver Mountain Water, Spring Flower, Himalaya, and Original Vetiver. He also created Love In White, a fragrance worn by two First Ladies, Laura Bush and Michelle Obama, and described as "the White House fragrance". Olivier's other notable creations include Virgin Island Water, Love In Black, Acqua Fiorentina, and Sublime Vanille.

Erwin Creed, the seventh generation of the Creed family, has already begun contributing to the family business. He collaborated with his father on the fragrances Original Vetiver and Spring Flower. He also attributed the popularity of Aventus to the opening of Creed's New York boutique.

While Creed claims that all of its fragrances are made in-house by members of the Creed family, this has been disputed by Gabe Oppenheim's book, *The Ghost Perfumer*. The book interviews several perfumers, including Pierre Bourdon, who claims to be the perfumer behind Green Irish Tweed, an early iteration of Davidoff's Cool Water.

Creed's acquisition by Kering

The House of Creed, an Anglo-French multinational niche perfume house, was acquired by Kering Beauté, a division of the global luxury group Kering, for €3.5 billion in June 2023. Creed has a long history that dates back to 1760 when it was founded as a tailoring house in London, England, by James Henry Creed. Over time, Creed expanded into the fragrance business, creating original and exclusive perfumes with exquisite ingredients. The acquisition by Kering is significant for several reasons.

First, it represents Kering's first major beauty acquisition and signals the group's ambitions for its new beauty arm. Creed's unique positioning in the fragrance market, with its popular Aventus scent, provides Kering with scale and hype in the luxury fragrance category. Creed's distribution network and global presence also make it an attractive target for Kering, allowing the group to leverage Creed's influence to secure prime shelf space for its other brands.

Second, the acquisition gives Kering in-house expertise in fragrance production. While Kering is familiar with the fragrance category through its fashion brands, it has historically licensed production to external companies. Now, with Creed under its wing, Kering can develop and produce fragrances in-house, gaining technical know-how and creative control.

Third, the acquisition aligns with Kering's strategy of placing creativity at the heart of its business. By acquiring Creed, Kering can empower the fragrance house to push the boundaries of creative expression while crafting tomorrow's luxury in a sustainable and responsible way. Creed's artisanal fragrances, made with fine natural ingredients from around the world, fit well with Kering's focus on creativity and quality.

Finally, the acquisition is a testament to Creed's success and reputation in the fragrance industry. Creed has built a strong brand, with a dedicated fan base and a history of creating exclusive and original scents. Kering's acquisition recognises Creed's mastery of the trade and its ability to cater to high-end and niche markets.

In conclusion, the acquisition of Creed by Kering is a strategic move that bolsters Kering's presence in the luxury fragrance market, provides in-house expertise, aligns with its creative strategy, and recognises Creed's exceptional craftsmanship and brand value.

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