Floris of London
Encyclopedia
Floris is an English
retailer of toiletries and accessories.
Floris was founded in 1730 by Juan Famenias Floris, who arrived in England from his native island of Menorca to seek fortune. Shortly after his arrival, in 1730, he secured premises in Jermyn Street
, in the elegant quarter of London's St.James. Juan Famenias Floris initially set up business as a barber and comb-maker, however, he soon missed the aromas and sensations of his Mediterranean youth.
The first Royal Warrant was granted to J.Floris Ltd was in 1820 as 'Smooth Pointed Comb-makers' to the then newly appointed King George IV. Today this first Royal warrant is still on display at 89 Jermyn Street together with no less than sixteen others. Floris holds two today: Perfumers to HM The Queen Elizabeth II
and Manufacturers of Toilet Preparations to HRH The Prince of Wales.
Since opening in 1730, Floris has provided fragrance, fine toiletries and accessories to an incredibly loyal customer base. The Floris archives hold reams of treasured letters from customers detailing their preferences and their thanks, examples include:
In addition to the Floris Jermyn Street shop, Floris used to have a shop in exclusive Madison Avenue, New York. Similar in style to the Jermyn Street shop, Floris Madison Avenue was the focus for all Floris sales across the USA. All product is now sold through London's Apothecary in the United States.
The London store is in Jermyn Street
, London
in the same building Juan Floris created the business in the 18th Century. The mahogany counter still used in the store was purchased directly from the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park in 1851. Many customs still endure today, an example of which is the passing of cash change to customers on a velvet pad; it was considered vulgar in the 18th Century to touch another's hand.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
retailer of toiletries and accessories.
Floris was founded in 1730 by Juan Famenias Floris, who arrived in England from his native island of Menorca to seek fortune. Shortly after his arrival, in 1730, he secured premises in Jermyn Street
Jermyn Street
Jermyn Street is a street in the City of Westminster, central London, to the south, parallel and adjacent to Piccadilly.It is well known as a street where the shops are almost exclusively aimed at the Gentleman's market and is famous for its resident shirtmakers Jermyn Street is a street in the...
, in the elegant quarter of London's St.James. Juan Famenias Floris initially set up business as a barber and comb-maker, however, he soon missed the aromas and sensations of his Mediterranean youth.
The first Royal Warrant was granted to J.Floris Ltd was in 1820 as 'Smooth Pointed Comb-makers' to the then newly appointed King George IV. Today this first Royal warrant is still on display at 89 Jermyn Street together with no less than sixteen others. Floris holds two today: Perfumers to HM The Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
and Manufacturers of Toilet Preparations to HRH The Prince of Wales.
Since opening in 1730, Floris has provided fragrance, fine toiletries and accessories to an incredibly loyal customer base. The Floris archives hold reams of treasured letters from customers detailing their preferences and their thanks, examples include:
- Florence NightingaleFlorence NightingaleFlorence Nightingale OM, RRC was a celebrated English nurse, writer and statistician. She came to prominence for her pioneering work in nursing during the Crimean War, where she tended to wounded soldiers. She was dubbed "The Lady with the Lamp" after her habit of making rounds at night...
: 25 July 1863 - thanking Mr.Floris for his 'sweet-smelling nosegay' and giving news of the Army's sickness record in India. - Mary ShelleyMary ShelleyMary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
, who whilst abroad sent friends clear instructions on where to purchase her favourite combs: Floris. - Beau BrummellBeau BrummellBeau Brummell, born as George Bryan Brummell , was the arbiter of men's fashion in Regency England and a friend of the Prince Regent, the future King George IV...
, the dandy of his day in the early 19th century, would discuss his current fragrances at length with Mr. Floris. - Floris is even a fictional character's choice. Ian Fleming's James BondJames BondJames Bond, code name 007, is a fictional character created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short story collections. There have been a six other authors who wrote authorised Bond novels or novelizations after Fleming's death in 1964: Kingsley Amis,...
always wore Floris No.89 while Al Pacino's character in Scent of a Woman famously declared he knew the woman in his 'sights' (sic) was wearing Floris fragrance.
In addition to the Floris Jermyn Street shop, Floris used to have a shop in exclusive Madison Avenue, New York. Similar in style to the Jermyn Street shop, Floris Madison Avenue was the focus for all Floris sales across the USA. All product is now sold through London's Apothecary in the United States.
The London store is in Jermyn Street
Jermyn Street
Jermyn Street is a street in the City of Westminster, central London, to the south, parallel and adjacent to Piccadilly.It is well known as a street where the shops are almost exclusively aimed at the Gentleman's market and is famous for its resident shirtmakers Jermyn Street is a street in the...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in the same building Juan Floris created the business in the 18th Century. The mahogany counter still used in the store was purchased directly from the Great Exhibition at the Crystal Palace in Hyde Park in 1851. Many customs still endure today, an example of which is the passing of cash change to customers on a velvet pad; it was considered vulgar in the 18th Century to touch another's hand.