THE STORY OF PENHALIGON’S
The story of Penhaligon’s is the story of Britain, a land where mavericks and happy accidents power the ever-unfolding future.
This is the story of a man who conjured dreams and possibilities through the power of perfume. A passage of time and scent. Burnished by history, gilded with pleasure, for rebels of the future. This is the story of Penhaligon’s.
THE STORY BEGINS
When Cornish barber William Penhaligon leaves Penzance for London in 1869, little does he know of the gifts he has to bestow on the world. All he does know is he has dreams far too big for his quaint fishing village, and a vision to be a part of 19th-century Britain’s exhilarating innovations: steam trains and light bulbs and bright purple dye; the first steps in radio, television, computers.
“Penzance, Cornwall. A wild, dramatic place, famous for pirate raids and windswept cliffs.”
SETTING UP SHOP IN JERMYN STREET, LONDON
THE FIRST FRAGRANCE
This dream, this vision, this quest leads to his pioneering barber shop at 66 Jermyn Street where gentlemen flock for modern grooming — and provocative perfume. As William trims the tresses of the well-do-to, his nose twitches in anticipation – or is it inspiration? – as a redolent idea forms in his mind: his premier perfume, a tribute to the fragrant fumes from the Turkish baths next door. A contemporary twist on an ancient tradition, Hammam Bouquet reinterprets the past to create the future. With his very first fragrance, William Penhaligon becomes a creative craftsman and a progressive pioneer.
HAMMAM BOUQUET, 1872
A PAUSE FOR APPLAUSE
As William continues to scent the great and the good of society, his efforts were awarded with a Royal Warrant by Queen Alexandra, Queen Consort to Edward VII, a ‘devotee of natural products which was Penhaligon’s trademark’. As a result, Penhaligon’s quickly became engaged as one of London’s most prestigious establishments with an esteemed reputation for its perfumery.
The course of British perfumery had been altered forever. William bids farewell on 13 April 1901, aged 66. His obiturary reads: “His great forte lay in hair washes and the manufacture of perfumes, both of which are now renowned worldwide.” Curiously, William’s business partner dies just a few weeks later. Penhaligon & Jeavons is known simply as Penhaligon’s from here on out. The course of British perfumery had been altered forever. You see, this was only the beginning for Penhaligon’s.
BLENHEIM PALACE, 1902
The 9th Duke of Marlborough, a one Charles Spencer Churchill, commissions Walter Penhaligon to create a bespoke fragrance.
Ever one to follow in his father’s trailblazing footsteps, Walter introduces a unique take on a classic fougère, English Fern. The fragrance is a celebration of the Great British countryside, a unique earthy tonic of clean florals and spiced woods. A poetic ode to English woodland, the fragrance is sold for the best part of Penhaligon’s history and is often considered a cult classic.
ENGLISH FERN
Clean country air and brisk British walks
Penhaligon’s evolves into a perfume Powerhouse
A successful collection of new fragrances redefine the brand to become a household name.
A MODERN CLASSIC
Bluebell breezes in like a breath of (exquisite) fresh air. Hyacinth, lily of the valley and jasmine mingle with England’s favourite flower, capturing the attention of patrons old and new. Thanks to its disruptive floral profile, it quickly becomes a modern classic worn by devotees of fashion, politics, even royalty, and remains one of Penhaligon’s most-loved scents to date.
"Penhaligon’s timeless classics are inspired by Britain’s illustrious history and rich culture."
SARTORIAL
With a penchant for celebrating all that is brilliantly British, Penhaligon’s creates a fragrance that celebrates fine British craftsmanship – or, rather more specifically, fine British tailoring.. Inspired by the workrooms of tailors such as Norton & Sons, Sartorial is an amber fougère with notes of violet, black pepper, and most unconventionally, aldehyde, a metallic note reminiscent of the tools and materials found in such establishments. Sartorial paints a picture of modern tradition, precise down to the last thread, seamlessly dapper and ready to make a statement on the streets of London (and beyond).
HIGHGROVE BOUQUET
In summer, Highgrove Gardens hum with an uplifting scent often described as earthly sunshine. The source? None other than the weeping silver lime, a noble tree that grows on the grounds of His Majesty King Charles III’s estate. Its distinctive scent has been delightfully captured in Highgrove Bouquet, made in partnership with Highgrove Gardens.
TRADE ROUTES
This collection honours the historic significance of the Silk Road, a vast network of roads that connected cultures across continents and helped give rise to early modern civilisation, the footprint of which shaped the world as it is today. The exchange of art, religion, ideas and technology was just as prevalent as the trade of spices, woods and ingredients for perfumery.
THE PORTRAITS COLLECTION
What really lies beneath the manners of the British aristocracy? Perhaps the whiff of scandal, if the Portraits Collection is anything to go by. The doors of the Portraits Mansion opened in 2016 and introduced many a redolent resident, each with their fair share of drama and secrets. The twelve-strong collection continues to grow as each member – from forgotten family to society’s finest – brings a new twist to the olfactive saga.
POTIONS & REMEDIES
In 2023, a new olfactive universe opened up brimming with botanical benefits, part-inspired by Victorian apothecaries and the natural ingredients used to remedy the ills of the day. Love. Confidence. Energy. Bliss. A wealth of wellbeing wonder alters the state of mind of Penhaligon’s patrons. Proceed with caution, and wear with care.
With an illustrious history and a fragrant heritage — graced by four Royal Warrants — Penhaligon’s surges onward, cherishing its heritage while pursuing the new. This most British fragrance house is now a worldwide player, thanks to the vision of William Penhaligon, a man beyond his time. An innovator in pampering, a purveyor of fine fragrances, and an artist in elevating the everyday to the transcendent, his trailblazing innovations paved the way for the creative british spirit in fragrance creation. From just one revolutionary shop on Jermyn Street, Penhaligon’s now enthralls noses with over 40 scents – and true to their maverick founder, they look ever forward to creating the finest British fragrances or rebels of the future.
To be continued.