Creed opens flagship boutique in the Strand Arcade

Revered French fragrance house Creed, renowned for its quality, refinement, and originality, has opened its Australian flagship boutique in the heart of The Strand Arcade in Sydney.

Founded in 1760 in London by James Henry Creed, Creed rapidly became a favourite of the Court of England, with Queen Victoria appointing the house as the court’s official fragrance suppliers, an honour that was soon bestowed from a number of the great courts of Europe.

Royals such as Napoléon III, Empress Eugenia, François-Joseph and Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary, and Queen Christina of Spain recognised Creed’s creation for their desirable beauty and authentic innovation, prompting the house to move its base from London to Paris to better serve its exclusive clientele.

Creed’s long familial line of master perfumers, with knowledge passed on from one generation to the next, has created a catalogue of more than 200 fragrances. With each generation, a long line of loyal clients has developed, including Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Princess Diana and Elizabeth Taylor, and more recently Brad Pitt, George Cloony and Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cambridge.

Today at the helm of the dynasty is Olivier Creed, a fragrance visionary who has dedicated his life to crafting exquisite and internationally revered creation representative of his love of the art of perfumery, proving the adage that master perfumers are born, not made.

Working alongside Olivier is his son and seventh generation heir Erwin who, like his father, has an inherent understanding of the complex world of niche fragrance.

Both Olivier and Erwin traverse the globe sourcing the purest essences including rose and jasmine from Bulgaria, Tukey and Morocco; iris from Florence; violets from Parma in Italy and tuberose from India, ensuring their perfumes are as beautiful as those first created more than 250 years ago.

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Containing the highest percentage of natural components in the French perfume industry, Creed’s luxurious fragrance compositions are crafted using an infusion technique now abandoned by modern industry, enabling Olivier and Erwin to preserve the originality of their fragrances, subsequently manufacturing Creed’s own infusion of vanilla, civet, musk, and ambergris.

The components are then weighed, mixed, macerated and filtered by hand in the highest tradition of the founder.

Designed to reflect the spirit of the brand, the store concept has been crafted by French architect Can Onaner, the architect for Creed boutiques globally, with his design for the brand inspired by Viennese architect Adolf Loos.

Executed by Australian architect Huss Chalich from Pinnacle Designs, Onaner’s interpretation for the store focuses on dark marble hues and warm timber tones, offset by contemporary mirrors and gold accents to provide a dramatic backdrop to the array of fragrances on display.

The Creed Sydney flagship will enhance the consumer experience by providing clients with an instore fragrance consultation prior to purchasing, as well as offering private masterclasses and events.

Images from the store’s official opening below. Photos by Esteban La Tessa.