For nearly three centuries, the fragrances of the House of Creed have been worn by notables from King George III and Queen Victoria to JFK and Julia Roberts. In fact, the elite brand only became available to the public in 1970.
Founded by James Creed in 1760, the House of Creed has its origins in London. Royal English Leather, a scent made for King George III, was created after Creed-spritzed gloves captivated the king’s senses.
Some 250 years and seven generations later, the house has relocated its headquarters to Paris, opened shop in New York City and released its newest, five-fragrance collection, inspired by wanderlust. The house continues to use 4,000-year-old infusion methods to maintain the authenticity of its scents.
Sixth-generation perfumer Olivier Creed has capitalized on the technique for his latest, The Acqua Originale Collection, bottling his appetite for adventure. The perfumes are stored in iridescent, hand-blown bottles, created in partnership with the 400-year-old luxury glass bottle-maker, Pochet de Courval.
“The Acqua Originale Collection is very personal to me,” Creed says. “When I leave a place I love, I long to capture its essence in a bottle. That’s how this new collection was born – many years and trips in the making.”
Aberdeen Lavender
Creed created this scent as an homage to Queen Victoria’s love for the Scottish Highlands. Described as “green/rich,” the top notes are anise-flavored absinthe, rosemary, bergamot and lemon, with middle notes of lavender, tuberose, iris and rose bouquets and a base medley of dark and dry patchouli, smoky leather and vetiver.
Asian Green Tea
Inspired by Creed’s fondness for Japanese civilization, this fragrance bottles the Malaysian terrain. Described as “citrus/rich,” the top notes are bergamot, mandarin, lemon and lemon petitgrain essential oil, with middle notes of a violet, heliotrope, rose and cassie bouquet blended with green tea and a base blend of amber, sandalwood and musk.
Cedre Blanc
This perfume celebrates his love of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains by capturing fresh, woodland scents with delicate florals. Described as “woody/fresh,” the top notes are laurel, spicy cardamom, bergamot and bitter galbanum, with middle notes of geranium, water lily and jasmine and a base fusion of Virginian cedar, vetiver and sandalwood.
Iris TUBEREUSE
Tuscany and India, two of Creed’s favorite destinations, unite for this exquisite fragrance. Described as “floral/rich,” the top notes are fresh galbanum, green violet and orange, with middle notes of Indian tuberose, ylang ylang and lily of the valley and a base mélange of Sicilian orange blossom, musk and Mexican vanilla orchid.
Vetiver Geranium
Java, the most populated island in Indonesia, influenced Creed’s vision for this scent. Described as “woody/fresh,” the top notes are Granny Smith apple, bergamot and lemon, with middle notes of geranium, warm cinnamon and rose and a bottom potpourri of patchouli, cedar, musk and amber.
The collection is available at Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue New York, Holt Renfrew, The Creed Boutique in New York City and on creedboutique.com.
For more, visit neimanmarcus.com.
