Perfect scents

A Glyndebourne-like peek into the world of haute parfumerie

Perfume has long been loved, from the medieval nosegay to a seductive dot of Arpège behind the ear in the 1920s, and there has also been a fragrance explosion recently, with the British spending more than £1.3bn on it every year. However, little is widely known or understood about the “noses”, those mysterious alchemists who create the scents and have stayed backstage in the theatre of perfume.

And so to Harrods, which is hosting a series of Meet the Perfumers events from Thursday August 22 to Thursday September 19. Visitors will have the chance to hear industry secrets from the fragrant elite behind brands such as Chanel, Jo Malone, Roja Dove, Floris and Clive Christian and discover the creation stories of their favourite perfumes.    

“Harrods’ upcoming fragrance events will be a Glyndebourne for perfumeries, a month-long celebration of the art,” enthuses perfume aficionado Michael Edwards, who curated the menu of events. “Perfumers are often quoted but rarely seen, so it will be fascinating to meet them face-to-face and in intimate settings, to hear them explain how they create their perfumes.”

Towards the start of the series, on Friday August 30, Floris’s Shelagh Foyle will give a history lesson on how ingredients have changed since the 1800s (3pm and 6pm, £30). Sandalwood oil, for example, is now avoided to preserve trees. On Thursday September 12, Aurélien Guichard will host a sensory Robert Piguet lunch (1pm, £50 including a signed perfume), while on Monday September 16 (various times, £50), over champagne and macaroons, Chanel’s Joanna Norman will discuss the notes in Chanel No 5 and Coco – but not the exact formulation, naturally, it being one of the industry’s most closely guarded secrets.

Finally, the maestro of the British perfume scene, Roja Dove, will give two masterclasses on Thursday September 19 (3pm and 6pm, £295), where he will invite each guest to create his or her signature perfume.

These are but the top notes of a full-bodied aromatic adventure.