Creed Cologne: The Manufacturers Behind The Scenes

Creed is a luxury perfume house that was family-owned and -run for over 250 years. It was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring house in London, England, and later became a fragrance house. Creed has created perfumes for celebrities, politicians, and royalty. In 2020, the company was sold to BlackRock Long Term Private Capital, ending its long history of family ownership. Creed fragrances are known for their high-quality, natural ingredients and their use of a traditional infusion technique. The current generation of creative directors includes Olivier Creed and his son, Erwin Creed, who continue to uphold the company's reputation for creating original and extravagant fragrances.

Creed was founded in 1760 as a tailoring house in London

Creed, the Anglo-French multinational niche perfume house, was founded in 1760 as a tailoring house in London. The founder, James Henry Creed, supposedly established the brand when King George III asked him to produce a fragrance for him. This led to the opening of the House of Creed in London, and soon after, Queen Victoria employed Creed as her official supplier of perfume.

The House of Creed was initially an exclusive perfumer that remained largely unknown except to the richest and most famous. Over the years, Creed has created perfumes for everyone from royalty to heads of state to film stars. The brand has a reputation for discretion, signing contracts with high-profile clients that state the details of the fragrance will not be released until a certain time, with contracts lasting from five years to a lifetime.

James Henry Creed founded Creed as a tailoring establishment, and it rose to fame in the mid-19th century under Henry Creed, who was a tailor and habit maker for the fashionable dandy Count d'Orsay, Queen Victoria, and Empress Eugénie. The latter issued the firm of Creed & Cumberland a Royal Warrant for tailoring articles.

The company transitioned from a tailoring house to a fragrance house, and Creed's first eponymously named fragrance was a traditional eau de cologne with a matching aftershave. The release date is unknown, although bottles are still in circulation. Creed also has other high-profile creations in its catalogue, such as Angelique Encens, which was said to have been originally created in 1933 for the Bishop of Paris.

Today, Creed is based in Paris, with boutiques in London, New York and other major cities worldwide. The company is known for its luxurious and exclusive fragrances, using the highest percentage of natural ingredients in the French perfume industry. Creed manufactures many of its own essences using a traditional infusion technique, which enables the company to maintain the quality and authenticity of its fragrances.

The company has been family-owned and -run for over 250 years

Creed Fragrances, the Anglo-French multinational niche perfume house, was a family-owned and -run business for over 250 years. The company was founded in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring house in London, England. Over the years, the company has produced an extensive range of perfumes, including the cult best-selling men's fragrance Aventus, as well as Viking, Himalaya, and Green Irish Tweed.

The House of Creed initially catered exclusively to the richest and most famous clients, including royalty and film stars. The brand gained prominence when King George III requested that James Creed produce a fragrance for him, which led to Creed opening a boutique in London. Subsequently, Queen Victoria employed Creed as her official supplier of perfume, and the brand became the fragrance of choice for several European royal families. Creed's reputation for discretion and elegance has been a key factor in its success and appeal to high-profile clients.

The company has been passed down through generations, with Olivier Creed, the sixth-generation owner, serving as the master perfumer. Olivier Creed's son, Erwin Creed, also plays a significant role in the business, ensuring that the company remains in the family.

In 2020, Creed Fragrances was sold to BlackRock Long Term Private Capital and Javier Ferrán, marking the end of its 250-year legacy as a family-owned enterprise. Despite the sale, Olivier Creed retained his position as master perfumer, and Erwin Creed remained involved in the business. This transition aimed to maintain Creed's heritage as a luxury family business while expanding its global reach.

In 2020, Creed was sold to BlackRock Long Term Private Capital

In February 2020, Creed fragrances were sold to BlackRock Long Term Private Capital (BlackRock LTPC) and Javier Ferrán, a Spanish businessman and chairman of Diageo. Creed, which was founded in 1760, had been family-owned and -run for over 250 years, and the heirs planned to remain in the business. Olivier Creed, the sixth-generation owner of the company, said that it was critical for him to choose the right partners who would be able to maintain Creed's heritage as a luxury family business while helping it expand globally.

BlackRock LTPC's investment in Creed was its first in Europe. The organisation's spokesman said that the deal reflected its unique proposition to founder-led and family-owned companies that value a longer-term investment horizon. Creed's current owner, Olivier Creed, will continue as the master perfumer of the fragrance house, while Javier Ferrán will become chairman of the company's board of directors. Olivier Creed's son, Erwin Creed, will also remain involved in the business.

Creed manufactures many of its own essences using a traditional infusion technique, which enables the company to maintain the superior quality and authenticity of its fragrances. Creed has a reputation for using the highest percentage of natural ingredients in the French perfume industry, with Olivier Creed travelling the world to source, research, inspect and commission the finest materials. The company has boutiques in Paris, London, New York City, Beverly Hills, Sydney, Dubai, Kuwait City, Vienna, Manila, Cebu City, Mexico City, Milan, Miami, and Dallas, in addition to stands in high-end retailers worldwide.

Creed's perfumes include the iconic Aventus, as well as Viking, Himalaya, and Green Irish Tweed. The company has been described as the "perfect model" of a family business, with each subsequent generation growing and maintaining its reputation through their shared passion for perfume.

Creed manufactures many of its own essences using a traditional infusion technique

Creed fragrances are manufactured by the House of Creed, a perfume house that was founded in 1760. The company was initially established as a tailoring house in London, England, by James Henry Creed, and has since expanded to become a multinational fragrance brand with boutiques in several cities worldwide.

Based in Paris, with a factory in nearby Fontainebleau, Creed manufactures many of its own essences using a traditional infusion technique. This technique enables the company to maintain the quality and authenticity of its fragrances. The process of creating a Creed fragrance is done by hand, following the tradition set by its founder, James Creed.

The House of Creed has a reputation for using the highest percentage of natural ingredients in the French perfume industry. The current owner, Olivier Creed, travels the world to sample and select scents from various countries. Due to the infusion technique now widely used in perfume production, the exact natural fragrance of the ingredients can be preserved.

The company's manufacturing process is unique in that they do not follow typical development schedules. Instead, they release perfumes only when Olivier deems them "ready". This approach has resulted in periods of up to five years without introducing new fragrances. This commitment to quality and authenticity has contributed to the high-end and luxurious reputation of the Creed brand.

The infusion technique used by Creed is an essential aspect of their manufacturing process, allowing them to preserve the natural fragrances of the ingredients and create their renowned high-quality scents.

The brand sells over 200 perfumes, including Green Irish Tweed and Aventus

Creed is an Anglo-French multinational perfume house based in Paris, with a factory in nearby Fontainebleau. It was founded in London in 1760 by James Henry Creed as a tailoring house, and later became a fragrance house. The brand has changed hands several times over the years, with the most recent sale taking place in 2023 to Kering for €3.5 billion. Creed manufactures many of its own essences using a traditional infusion technique, which has enabled the brand to maintain the quality and authenticity of its fragrances.

The brand sells over 200 perfumes, including the cult best-selling men's fragrance Aventus, as well as Green Irish Tweed, Viking, Himalaya, and Millésime Imperial. Creed's perfumes are well-known for their high percentage of natural ingredients, as well as their long life and projection. Green Irish Tweed, for example, has been described as "the quintessential masculine fragrance" and "an extremely masculine scent". It features top notes of lemon verbena and iris, a middle note of violet leaf, and base notes of ambergris and Mysore sandalwood.

Aventus, on the other hand, is Creed's bestselling fragrance. It features top notes of bergamot, blackcurrant leaves, apple, and pineapple; middle notes of pink berries, birch, patchouli, and jasmine; and base notes of musk, oakmoss, ambergris, and vanilla. It has been described as "mesmerizing" by The New York Times and has enjoyed commercial success since its launch in 2010.

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