Words by Nasreen Osman, Amelia Bell
Home to some of the most luxurious, celebrated, and rare fragrances the world over, Harrods has long been synonymous with the unique array of perfumes that line our iconic Perfumery Hall and Salon de Parfums. But perhaps none more so than the exclusive scents – from the limited-edition aromas as rare as the bottles themselves to the fragrance blends inspired by the Knightsbridge flagship. Take a deep dive with us to discover the stories, the inspiration, and the fragrances you won’t find anywhere else.
"At Harrods, we know that we are famous for our exclusive one-of-a-kind products,” shares Valerie Waite, Harrods Fragrance Buyer. “We often start by working with our brands, usually with an olfactive territory we want to explore together. And then, with their perfumer, we will build on the fragrance from there,” she adds, “the collaboration process is everything you can imagine – from the story and concept to the design and packaging. Each exclusive fragrance is truly special, unique, and authentic to Harrods.”
As such, some exclusive fragrances from years gone by are sought after today. “Creed 1849 was a limited-edition exclusive which we launched a few years ago, and since then, we have had so many requests to bring it back,” says Waite, who adds that it will launch again as a permanent fixture later in the year. As for the exclusive fragrances to shop now? Scroll on for some of Harrods’ most intoxicating scents.
“Harrods, much like our Maison, is an authentic place of creativity and craftsmanship, driven by the pursuit of excellence,” shares president and co-founder of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Marc Chaya. As a testimony to these shared values, the fragrance house has launched Reflets d’ambre, an exclusive to Harrods to celebrate our 175th anniversary. At the heart of this blend is amber, a “mythical accord” that perfumer and artistic director Francis Kurkdjian has always been “fascinated by [for] its spellbinding power”. Here, Kurkdjian builds on its amber colours with spicy notes of pink pepper, delicate accents of grandiflorum jasmine and enveloping vanilla. In other words, it’s simply transcendental.
A head-turning fragrance both in appearance and scent. Jusbox’s Green Bubble is the work of Julien Rasquinet – the nose behind Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle’s The Moon. Here, Rasquinet takes inspiration from the rhythm of reggae music with a melody of sparkling grapefruit and absinthe that mellow down into saffron and honey before settling on a base of labdanum, patchouli and dry amber.
Tall, matte and made exclusively for Harrods’ 175th anniversary. The House of Creed often describes its blends as ‘millesime’, translating to ‘great vintage’; the Creed Millesime 1849 eau de parfum continues this legacy as it boasts a full-bodied aroma that touches on many olfactory families. Expect Calabrian bergamot to lead each spritz, giving way to a heart of iris as a grounding base of cedar, incense and thyme lingers on skin.
You may not have plans to visit the City of Love, but with a spritz of Fragrance Du Bois’ Voyage à Paris, you’ll be transported to the famous capital. Alluring notes of honey, vanilla and orange blossom echo the city known for its mouth-watering pastries, couture houses and romantic aura.
Henry Jacques’ perfume house has become the epitome of French haute perfumery, bottling up exquisite elixirs of high-quality ingredients and outstanding purity. The atelier is taking its craftmanship one step further by creating its innovative Clic-Clac collection. While the stunning crystal glass flacons serve as artworks at home, the portable, sleek Clic-Clac accessory turns all 50 Classique masterpieces into solid perfumes you can take on the go. It’s the best of both worlds. Simply visit the Salon de Parfums to make this a reality.
“When I design, I create a world. I imagine every detail – the place, the man, the woman, what they are wearing, right down to the fragrance,” says designer Ralph Lauren. The new Polo Oud Eau de Parfum plays on the designer’s love for creation, combining floral notes of rose with fresh Orange Flower and a touch of oud. As for the packaging, you’ll see that the iconic POLO classic bottle has been reimagined with a new silhouette in the iconic Harrods hue.
Referencing the colour palette of Harrods and the Venetian lagoon, the Venetian Jade Eau de Parfum Concentrée (in this Instagram-friendly bottle) looks like wearable art. On the inside, however, is an equally intriguing scent – an amber woody fragrance with a unique concoction of cardamom, pecan nuts, rose, suede, and smoky vetiver. You can find The Merchant of Venice's one-of-a-kind blend in the Murano Exclusive Collection, only available at Harrods.
Saffron, the most expensive spice in the world, is the source of inspiration behind Versace’s Atelier Collection, Safran Royal Eau de Parfum, one of many exclusive scents created with Harrods. Crafted by Jordi Fernandez, the woody notes blend leather, patchouli and amber for a unique and unexpected fragrance.
It’s been a decade since Robert Piguet’s Knightsbridge was born. A perfume that pays tribute to Harrods, it harnesses some of the world's most rare and opulent fine fragrance ingredients. “Celebrating 10 years since the launch, we have just released an exclusive limited edition 200ml size to mark this moment,” shares Waite. Expect notes of nutmeg, rose, sandalwood, and a floral-woody finish.
Housed in Tom Ford’s iconic Private Blend flacon, the Oud Wood Parfum boasts an enigmatic blend as powerful as its deep grey exterior. As the name suggests, this complex aroma envelops enigmatic oud in smouldering amber, sweet vanilla and invigorating cardamom. Reach for this scent when you’re in the mood for mystery.
Aqualis’ Triptych Parfum is truly a work of art, from its sculptural flacon in green and gold colours (a testament to its status as a Harrods exclusive) to its multifaceted scent. Triptych does not hold back on intensity as it infuses three kinds of oud, contrasted against a backdrop of amber and Taif rose petals that unfurl to reveal sandalwood. But that’s just the beginning – you’ll need to spritz this eclectic scent to unlock all its treasures.
In making his fifth perfume extract for Maison Crivelli, one note stood out for founder Thibaud Crivelli while attending the horse races: oud. Created with perfumer Jordi Fernandez and available exclusively at Harrods, Maison Crivelli’s Oud Stallion extrait de parfum is a love letter to the intense and fragrant oil which contrasts magically with a smoky leather. Pair that with a combination of saffron and cardamom, and the result is a rich, woody leather fragrance that’s hard to resist.
Escentric Molecules has been disrupting the world of perfume with an art-meets-chemistry approach to fragrance that favours minimalism. Named H01 Eau de Parfum (a play on Molecule 01 and Harrods), the first exclusive scent for Harrods is equally groundbreaking. “The idea was to create a full-on wearable fragrance with a strong connotation of ingredients which play around with an almost amberesque style structure, full of woods, patchouli, leather, and musks with a hint of sweetness,” says perfumer Geza Schoen.
“This Brompton Immortals Eau de Parfum has a fabulous story behind it and is arguably our most successful exclusive,” shares Waite. Excitingly, you can find a new extract of the original version, which launched in July 2023. Another creation by Jordi Fernandez fuses English tradition with oriental notes — think saffron, pink pepper, and Bulgarian rose.