Of Legacy And Craftsmanship

Erwin Creed of The House of Creed talks about how the idea of wearing fragrances is evolving—shifting from tradition to self-expression, identity, and mood

- Sukriti Shahi

The Indian fragrance market has evolved over the years, while we have accepted the modern twist to traditional attars, we, wholeheartedly, have accepted the foray of global luxury brands in fragrance into the country. The result: our fragrance wardrobe is growing, and the idea of wearing fragrances has shifted from wearing a single fragrance to layering of notes. Renowned for crafting scents that are as timeless as they are personal, The House of Creed launches its first flagship store at The Chanakya in New Delhi. With this launch, it will be interesting to see how shoppers react to the idea of an offline, state-of-the-art store focussing on luxury consumer experience.

For the launch, the seventh-generation perfumer of The House of Creed, Erwin Creed visited India. Erwin carries a rich olfactory legacy that dates back to 1760. Creed has remained a symbol of artisanal excellence in the world of luxury fragrance. In an exclusive conversation, Erwin Creed delves into the storied heritage of his family's maison, the meticulous creative process behind each bottle, and the brand's thoughtful expansion into the Indian market.

As a seventh-generation perfumer, what's the most important lesson passed down to you from your ancestors?

My family has traveled all over the world for years. First our heritage related to real pioneering in leather tailoring followed by couture craftsmanship. Travel is something that has definitely been passed down by my ancestors to me. I love to travel and discover the most unexpected places for both work and personally. For work, we travel in a quest to source the finest ingredients to use in our iconic fragrances.

How do you balance tradition with modern upgrades?