The words “fragrance historian” are used very freely in today’s perfume industry, but one man who truly does deserve that title is James Craven. Based at Les Senteurs in London, his knowledge is extraordinary and his stories are always entertaining. So, after spending his life talking about other people’s fragrances, what would he reveal about his own memories during “Stephan’s Six”?
Perfume companies come and perfume companies go, with some failing to make their presence felt in an ever-expanding market. In recent years there has been a "rebirth" of companies that, after a period of dormancy, are deemed to be financially viable once more. Now this can take one of two routes, either under the control of a new owner or by the descendants of the original founder. Le Galion staged an impressive rise from the ashes thanks to a new purchaser, Nicolas Chabot, whilst Grossmith was revived by Simon Brooke, the great great grandson of its founder, John Grossmith. The latest company to reemerge is Le Jardin Retrouvé, and their story truly is one of family values.
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there was a town called "Londinium". Now, in this mystical place there were shops selling everything that a person could want. The shopkeepers knew their customers' names, their tastes, on which day the week they shopped, and never competed with each other in a mercenary way. "Competition is the way to failure. You may succeed in a sale but at the price of a friend." In 2015 this description of London is indeed a fairytale, but it doesn't need to be. At least, not totally. Come with me as I take you on a journey to see whether there are lessons to be learnt from the Plum capital of the United Kingdom.
