A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO... A BOTTLE OF PENHALIGON'S

CLASSICS ARE CLASSIC FOR A REASON

Or so the saying goes. At Penhaligon’s, we quite agree. Which is why our perfume bottles have changed very little over the past 150 years.

A simple glass bottle, at once sturdy and dainty. A round stopper – rather pleasing to the touch. And of course, our signature bow. All as our founder William Penhaligon first designed.

The bow, which today is simply for adornment and a nod to our heritage, was originally used to seal the stopper to the bottle. 

As for the stopper itself, rumour has it that in the 1970s, Penhaligon’s was producing squared stoppers, until a descendant of the original family brought a bottle from William’s day into the Wellington Street store. Alas, the stopper was round! Amends were immediately made, and from then on, all bottles were produced with rounded stoppers, true to the historical aesthetic.

The labels, one will notice, are less uniform. Each design expresses the essence of the fragrance within. Whether the crescent moon of Endymion or the desert palms of Penhaligon's AlUla, each label displays a clue to the delights within. This is a practice that dates back over a century ago (perhaps you can guess what Jubilee Bouquet was created for?)

This is also true for the bows that are bestowed upon Penhaligon's fragrances. From the pale blue-green bow of Halfeti (to resonate with the Euphrates River, of which the fragrance is inspired) to the ruffled collar carefully positioned on Elisabethan Rose (a scent inspired by the Tudor rose), it can't be said that Penhaligon's don't consider every little detail when it comes to spinning a story.

A COLLECTION TO TURN HEADS

The bottles in our Portraits collection, like the fragrances themselves, have their own distinctive flair – inspired by the decadence and sophistication of high-society Brits.

They feature a slightly heavier glass base than the rest of our range. (Reflecting the weight of the family’s emotional baggage, perhaps?) But it’s the striking hand-finished metal animal heads that truly set these bottles apart. Each one embodies the character it represents – from the proud stag of our patriarch Lord George, to the sleek feline atop The Bewitching Jasmine.

MAKE IT ONE’S OWN

Did you know that Penhaligon’s bottles can be personalised? There are three simple steps to creating a fragrance bottle as unique as the beholder:

• Select a charming leather jacket to enrobe one’s bottle
• Festoon with a charm of choice
• Finally, add the pièce de résistance – one’s initials in lustrous gold

Or, for an extra special personal gesture, why not avail of our engraving service? A message of your choice can be marked in beautiful calligraphy upon your chosen fragrance bottle. Your very own message on a bottle, etched for eternity.