My Favourite Fragrance Places & Stores
Salon de Parfums
Harrods, Knightsbridge, London, UK
'Salon de Parfums' on the sixth floor of Harrods, is my sacred epicentre of opulent haute perfumery. It's my favourite destination for elite olfactory eleganza. The luxury decor and regal ambiance is equally as exciting. Here, perfumes are objets d'art.
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At 'Salon de Parfums', only the créme de la créme of perfumery from around the world reside. It's also the home of 'Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie' - opened by the Finest Nose in the World and Professor of Perfume: Roja Dove, a debonair legend from my home-county of Sussex. Roja handpicks and curates a lavish sensory marvel of sublime scents, whilst showcasing his own gloriously bejewelled line. For me, he's created Heaven on Earth, so I suppose that makes him a God.
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Why smell ordinary when you can smell extraordinary?
Fragonard Musèe Du Parfum
9 Rue Scribe, 75009 Paris, France
An amazing opportunity to visit the museum dedicated to Fragonard, to learn the secrets of traditional French perfumery. The museum showcases everything from the distillation process, the perfumer's workshop, ancient bottles, old footage of the perfumer's working, perfume related objets d'art and a note smelling challenge (which I completed in under 10 seconds). There's a free guided tour which runs every 30 minutes in either French or English. The tour ends in the boutique, with a chance to smell and buy the entire Fragonard collection at a discount price. I had the best day ever, but wasn't aware that there was also a chance to create your own personal Eau De Cologne with a perfume expert, where you can take for personalised 100ml bottle home. This workshop lasts for 1 1/2 hours, runs on Saturdays only and needs to be booked in advance costing €95. I need to go back asap! Ooh la la, it was très fantastique - I thought I'd blown my tiny excited mind.
Parfumerie Marjo
Damstraat 27, 1012 JL Amsterdam, Netherlands
Escape the whiff of weed, inside my favourite fragrance shop in Amsterdam. They sell authentic niche brands like Amouage, Xerjoff and Moresque, and once the Euro is converted to UK pounds, it works out a little cheaper to buy it here, especially if they have discounts, which they often do. Plus the staff are lovely, very informative and they appreciate fragrance as much as me.
Don't eat the space-cake before getting your credit card out in this store, you'll need clarity, or you'll buy them all.
Le Secret Du Marais
Calle de Hortaleza, 75, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Perfume leaders in Spain, winning of the “Best Perfumery of the Year” award. They pride themselves on their expert customer service with an outstanding range of high-end niche brands. I arrived just before the store closed for midday siesta (closing from 14.30pm and 5pm) so I felt rushed by the store assistant wanting to get me out. I'd travelled from London that morning on a whirlwind day-trip, so by the time I'd located the store, I was only there very briefly. There were so many brands that I'd been wanting to smell in person. But with an exhilarated hand, poised to get my smelling game on, I left, so the store could lock-up as I didn't want to be the customer that retail hates. It looked magical and I will go back in the future, just be aware of the midday temporary closure.
Perfumerias Clapés
Avinguda d'Ignasi Wallis, 8, 07800 Eivissa, Ibiza, Spain
Clapés store's are located around Ibiza and Formentera - but not all offer a luxury range. Most sell the usual low-end and mid-range brands, but there's only one in Ibiza town (Eivissa) that sells Amouage, Penhaligons and Tom Ford. It's also worth smelling Ibiza's own affordable fragrance brand Campos De Ibiza which originated in the 1970's, made from garden fruits and flowers. Open from 10am until 9pm, Clapés is always there for you.
