A bespoke item is the most beautiful thing you can gift someone, says Anne-Lise Cremona, CEO of French haute parfumerie brand Henry Jacques and daughter of the eponymous founder. This perhaps demystifies the brand’s unwavering dedication to creating bespoke fragrances since 1975, particularly when every order is a four- to six-month-long process that involves combing through some 1,200 natural components and 3,000 formulas.
The one-of-a-kind fragrances are alchemised in a laboratory in the south of France, bestowed with unique names and presented in handcrafted leather chests. Royalty and society luminaries favour these ultra-exclusive symbols of identity, but with a starting price of $133,000, they remain highly coveted.
However, some other Henry Jacques perfumes are more accessible. After over 40 years of making only bespoke blends, the maison introduced the retail Les Classiques de HJ collection in 2014 as part of a selection of brands available at Salon de Parfum at Harrods in London.
“We had the opposite problem [compared to other perfume houses] because we had to think about how to switch from bespoke to retail. It was one of the most difficult things. How do we ensure that all of them have a bespoke touch?” reveals Cremona.
“Thanks to my father taking care of other parts of the business, I could focus on the construction of the collection. It took us a year and a half.”
The Les Classiques de HJ collection features 50 distinct scents available in three forms: essences, where “one drop and only one” of the concentrate is enough; mists, in which the wearer chooses “a gesture that suits the moment” with a splash or spray; and solids, which are rubbed onto the skin and housed in patented Clic-Clac containers.
“The creativity had to be huge. The fragrances are all timeless, which makes this collection so special. We can’t even speak about an entry-level collection because of the bespoke culture at Henry Jacques,” adds Cremona.
The brand believes in Singapore’s luxury market so much that it opened its first stand-alone boutique in Marina Bay Sands Hotel Tower 2 in 2017. If you’re set on acquiring a bespoke fragrance for your collection, you will need to book a consultation. The service is available both at the store and in the comfort of your home.
