Q: I have been thinking about getting a bespoke perfume. Where should I go to do this?
A: I hope you have a budget that is as generous as your taste in perfume is sophisticated, because bespoke perfume can be extremely expensive.
Let's start with the top-of-the-line stuff. Former Guerlain perfumer Roja Dove's haut parfumerie in London's Harrods department store does bespoke perfumes to the tune of £20,000 (S$47,580) per scent. This price tag gets you your very own crystal Baccarat flacon and an extensive consultation on your olfactory preferences. E-mail [email protected] for inquiries.
Also in London is Lyn Harris, the perfumer behind the brand Miller Harris. A personal consultation for a bespoke perfume will set you back about 8,000 pounds.
She takes about three months to come up with a bespoke scent, which will be presented in a personalised engraved bottle and can also be infused into candles and bodycare products of your choice. E-mail [email protected] for inquiries.
For a more eclectic experience, you can consider Brooklyn-based experimental perfumer Christopher Brosius, whose brand is named I Hate Perfume because he detests the unimaginative scents spawned by the commercial industry.
He has a couple of demands you need to meet before you can order a custom-made scent from him. For one, you should be somewhat familiar with his scents so that you are sure his style meshes with your preferences.
Consultations range from US$125 (S$182) to US$350 and the final product costs from US$40 to US$100. E-mail [email protected] for inquiries.
Prefer to keep the customising close to home? Then check out British brand Jo Malone at Takashimaya Shopping Centre.
The light, modern scents here are meant to be layered together and staff can advise you on what combinations would work well together. Prices start from about $100 for a bottle of perfume.
This article was first published in Urban, The Straits Times.
