Penhaligon's
Encyclopedia
Penhaligon's is an English perfume house. It was founded in the late 1860s by William Henry Penhaligon, a Cornish barber who moved to London and who became Court Barber and Perfumer to Queen Victoria.
next to the street's Hammam
. Both buildings however were destroyed in The Blitz
in 1941. A new Penhaligon's shop was opened in 1975 in Covent Garden
by the fashion designer Sheila Pickles, with the help of the Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli
. Pickles drew upon the formulas left by William Penhaligon himself, and also introduced a range of traditional floral scents for women, notably their unique and distinctive Bluebell, which is still a bestseller today.
Penhaligon's is currently owned by Cradle Holdings Inc which also owns the French perfume house L'Artisan Parfumeur
. Cradle itself is owned by the US-based corporate finance group Fox Paine. It had sales of £10.7m for the year to January 2005, the last year for which accounts are available. In 2007 it was announced that Penhaligon's was for sale for an estimated £30-40 million.
, Regent Street
, Mayfair
, Kings Road
, Islington
, the Royal Exchange
and the newly built one at New Street Square (off the Chancery Lane station). Other shops have also been established outside of the capital in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Windsor and Chester.
From mid July 2009 Penhaligon's issued for a select time a selection of perfumes from their past which included:
History
The original shop was situated in Jermyn StreetJermyn 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...
next to the street's Hammam
Hammam
A Turkish bath is the Turkish variant of a steam bath, sauna or Russian Bath, distinguished by a focus on water, as distinct from ambient steam....
. Both buildings however were destroyed in The Blitz
The Blitz
The Blitz was the sustained strategic bombing of Britain by Nazi Germany between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941, during the Second World War. The city of London was bombed by the Luftwaffe for 76 consecutive nights and many towns and cities across the country followed...
in 1941. A new Penhaligon's shop was opened in 1975 in Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
by the fashion designer Sheila Pickles, with the help of the Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli
Franco Zeffirelli KBE is an Italian director and producer of films and television. He is also a director and designer of operas and a former senator for the Italian center-right Forza Italia party....
. Pickles drew upon the formulas left by William Penhaligon himself, and also introduced a range of traditional floral scents for women, notably their unique and distinctive Bluebell, which is still a bestseller today.
Penhaligon's is currently owned by Cradle Holdings Inc which also owns the French perfume house L'Artisan Parfumeur
L'Artisan Parfumeur
L'Artisan Parfumeur is a French niche perfume house, established in 1976 by Jean Laporte. He later left the company to form rival Maître Parfumeur et Gantier.L'Artisan is based in Paris, but now has outlets worldwide....
. Cradle itself is owned by the US-based corporate finance group Fox Paine. It had sales of £10.7m for the year to January 2005, the last year for which accounts are available. In 2007 it was announced that Penhaligon's was for sale for an estimated £30-40 million.
Stores
Beside the flagship store in Covent Garden, other locations in London include the Burlington ArcadeBurlington Arcade
The Burlington Arcade is a covered shopping arcade in London that runs behind Bond Street from Piccadilly through to Burlington Gardens. It is one of the precursors of the mid-19th century European shopping gallery and the modern shopping centre...
, Regent Street
Regent Street
Regent Street is one of the major shopping streets in London's West End, well known to tourists and Londoners alike, and famous for its Christmas illuminations...
, Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, Kings Road
Kings Road
King's Road or Kings Road, known popularly as The King's Road or The KR, is a major, well-known street stretching through Chelsea and Fulham, both in west London, England...
, Islington
Islington
Islington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, the Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange may refer to:*Royal Exchange, Belfast a major mixed-use regeneration scheme in the North East Quarter of Belfast City Centre*Royal Exchange, Manchester, a 19th century classical building, home of the Royal Exchange Theatre...
and the newly built one at New Street Square (off the Chancery Lane station). Other shops have also been established outside of the capital in Edinburgh, Cambridge, Windsor and Chester.
Notable Products
- Hammam Bouquet - 1872; the company's first scent
- Blenheim Bouquet - 1902; the company's first bespoke fragrance for the Duke of Malborough at Blenheim Palace
- English Fern - 1910
- Douro - 1911; name changed to Lord's then back as originally called Douro Eau de Portugal.
- Lily of the Valley - 1976
- Violetta - 1976
- Bluebell - 1978
- Victorian Posy - 1979
- Elisabethan Rose - 1984
- Racquets - 1989
- Cornnubia - 1991
- Quercus - 1996
- Castile - 1998
- LP No.9 for ladies - 1998
- LP No.9 for men - 1999
- Artemisia - 2002- Was nominated for a FiFi Fragrance Foundation award in the Nouveau Niche category in 2002.
- Endymion - 2003
- Malabah - 2003
- Lavandula - 2004
- Ellenisia - 2005
- Opus - 2005; Created, as a celebration of The Penhaligon's heritage
- Lily & Spice - 2007
- Elixir - 2008
- Amaranthine - 2009
- Sartorial - 2010
From mid July 2009 Penhaligon's issued for a select time a selection of perfumes from their past which included:
- Eau de Cologne - 1927
- Zizonia - 1930
- Eau de Verveine - 1949
- Extract of Limes - 1963
- Gardenia - 1976
- Night Scented Stock - 1976
- Orange Blossom - 1976
- Jubilee Bouquet - 1977