CULT OF PERSONALITY

On his maiden visit to New Delhi, we catch up with the seventh descendant of French perfume Maison Erwin Creed and find out why they are the truest artisanal perfumers in the world.

- PRIYA KUMARI RANA

It has a bit of a cult following. Sean Combs (the rapper formerly known as Puff Daddy) is a fan of it. As are rapper Bobby Brown, iconic singer Janet Jackson, and French actor Alain Delon. Creed is not a name you hear every day – but those in the know, can vouch for the Paris-based perfumer’s exclusivity and scents you won’t find anywhere else.

Since its origins in 1760 as a purveyor of fine clothing for British aristocracy in London, the House of Creed has provided custom tailoring to the likes of Queen Victoria, Napoleon III, Empress Eugenie, Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and Queen Cristina of Spain, recognized for their refinement and quality. The maison also began to make very exclusive, hand-made scents for the aristocracy, something that is their biggest cachet today.

A move to Paris under Empress Eugenie ensured a continuity in original dressmaking, and today, Oliver Creed, the sixth descendant of founder James Creed, and president of the maison, overseeing a perfume empire that he founded in the 1960s, that has a presence in 60 countries. “It was a time when our family business, custom tailoring, took a bit of a hit with ready-to-wear when people were finding cheaper alternatives,” says Oliver’s son, Master