Floris goes big on British culture for its latest blockbuster fragrance
British family perfumer Floris has dropped a new fragrance inspired by one of the country's greats, Oscar Wilde.
Words: Zak Maoui
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British family perfumers since 1730, Floris is one of the longest running perfumeries in the country and has built a reputation around being inherently British. So much so that the Royal Family began wearing Floris fragrances shortly after its inception, and the label received its first Royal Warrant in 1800 from the His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and later from His Majesty King George IV in 1820.
It's known best for its exceptional and opulent fragrances that nod to the culture here in the British Isles. 2012's Honey Oud is a celebration of English honey bees and the gloopy stuff they make. No.89, which is named after the number of the Floris shop and perfumery in Jermyn Street, was created in 1951 and was worn by James Bond creator, Ian Fleming. It's still a best seller today. Meanwhile a short walk away from the Jermyn Street shop lies Saint James’s, one of London’s oldest Royal Parks, which inspired the leafy Mulberry Fig scent.
It makes sense, then, that its latest fragrance pays homage to one of the Great British greats, Oscar Wilde. Wilde visited the aforementioned Jermyn Street shop in the late 1800s to find out more about the area's general happenings. An advocate for self-imposed freedom, he was a liberal homosexual who wore his heart quite literally on his sleeve: Wilde fastened a single green carnation to his lapel, which was a Parisian trend to identify oneself as homosexual.
And Wilde's freedom to love (he was mad about Sir Alfred Douglas and penned numerous letters, poems and essays about him) is what has inspired Floris' latest unique scent. Wilde eau de parfum is a play on a classic in the fragrance house's portfolio and it pays homage to the iconic Malmaison. This floral, clove-heavy scent was introduced in the first half of the 19th century, and has retained its status as one of the most sought-after scents within the Floris collection for nearly 150 years. A hearty, amber scent that is a reminder of still days in musky libraries and sweet English gardens, Wilde builds on Malmaison and blends top notes of bergamot, marine, citrus blossom, with heart notes of dianthus, ginger and white Jasmine. At the sturdy base sits salty sandalwood, olibanum and benzoin. It's a refreshing, yet heavily bodied scent for him (and her) that can be worn whenever, wherever and is as timeless as the body of work that made Oscar Wilde a household name.
Floris Wilde, eau de parfum, is available from 8 February 2024 at florislondon.com
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