Clive Christian

Clive Christian carries one of the longest pedigrees in British perfumery. The brand traces back to Crown Perfumery, founded in London in 1872 and granted the right to use the royal crown on its bottles by Queen Victoria as a mark of quality. In 1999, English designer Clive Christian acquired the house and set out to revive that legacy as a study in uncompromising luxury. Its perfumes are famously dense, composed of as many as 150 to 250 ingredients with a minimum twenty percent oil concentration. The house even earned a Guinness World Record for Imperial Majesty, recognized as the world's most expensive perfume, and Christian himself received an OBE for his contribution to British luxury.

The style is rich and expressive, built on woods and amber with aromatic herbs and a bright citrus lift. Bergamot and mandarin open many of the compositions, while pink pepper and cardamom bring spice and structure. Try Rock Rose for something refined and floral-woody, Matsukita for a smoky polish, or No 1 Masculine for the full opulent treatment. Strange Heavens Out of the Blue shows the house in a more contemporary register. Clive Christian remains British haute perfumery without apology.