A Perfume Explosion At London’s Burlington Arcade

It’s all happening at Burlington Arcade! Penhaligon’s have had a branch there for years, of course, but Chanel unveiled a store beneath the elegant, arched ceiling not too long ago, Frederic Malle‘s boutique began trading in August (although I should point out that it hasn’t had its official opening yet) and now, Roja Parfums have joined the gang, with a teaser proclaiming the imminent arrival of their first London store. Before too long, passersby will find it impossible to distinguish the smell of the fragrances from that of the Laduree macarons. The revival of the one-brand shop is an intriguing trend. A few days ago, I was interviewing Rodrigo Flores-Roux at the launch of the new Dark Rebel from John Varvatos, and he informed me that pre-WWII Paris was home to no fewer than 600 perfumeries, most of which were single-brand establishments. At a time when ordering scents online has become a matter of course for many people, some fragrance houses seem to have decided – unsurprisingly – that their unique selling point will be the In-Store Experience. It’ll be interesting to see if the move pays off.

Persolaise

PS For a telling addition to the Burlington Arcade story, please click here.