Penhaligon's Fragrances

William Penhaligon, perfumer and court barber to Queen Victoria, established his fragrance company in 1870 in what was originally a barbershop. Penhaligon's first fragrance, Hammam Bouquet, was launched in 1872, named after the Turkish bath next door. Blenheim Bouquet, introduced in 1902, became the company's most popular fragrance. The Duke of Marlborough requested that Penhaligon design the fragrance, which was different from the popular floral scents of the day. Its original shop was destroyed in the early part of World War II. In 1956, Penhaligon received a royal warrant to produce toiletries from the Duke of Edinburgh. A second warrant was granted by the Princess of Wales in 1988. With help from director Franco Zeffirelli, the company was reopened in Covent Garden in 1975 by author Sheila Pickles. Using the original formulas, Pickles reintroduced Penhaligon's floral scents, updated for the modern woman. Penhaligon's has 44 fragrances in its base. The latest, Tralala for men and women, and Bayolea for men, were launched in 2014. Although the company changed hands and is owned by the American company, Fox Paine, it maintains the fine British traditions established by William Penhaligon. Working with master perfumers, the company puts no limitation on its creativity in terms of cost, ensuring a truly innovative product. The crystal flacons are still made in Great Britain, and the fragrances are made in its factory in Hampshire in southern England.