The venerable perfume house Creed

creed perfumes

There aren’t many pure perfume brands with a history stretching back hundreds of years. Most of the perfumes that are now being designed for the mass market usually have a fairly short history. One brand that stands in stark contrast to these is Creed, a perfume house that dates back to 1760. With a history stretching back more than 250 years and a legacy spanning eight generations from father to son, Creed has a special place in the finest of the perfume industry.

Here we take you through the history of Creed and highlight the Creed perfumes that have become famous throughout history.

You find our Creed perfume best in test review here.

Brief history of Creed perfumes

The story began in a small tailor’s shop in London in 1760, when James Henry Creed opened his first perfume shop in London. Scented gloves were all the rage among the British upper classes, and fame took off when King George III ordered his own fragrance, Royal English Leather from Creed. The perfumes quickly become a favourite among the aristocracy and Queen Victoria engages Creed as the official supplier to the court.

creed perfumes history

In the mid-19th century, Napoleon III convinces master perfumer Henry Creed to move the company to Paris, where he becomes the court supplier to the French, Russian and Hungarian courts. Soon the reputation spread to other courts around Europe and some famous users of Creed’s perfumes included Napoléon III, Empress Eugénie of France, Emperor Franz-Joseph, Empress Sissi of Austria-Hungary and Queen Christina of Spain.

creed perfumes history

On the initiative of Empress Eugénie, the Creed perfume house moved to Paris in 1854 and its flagship store is still in the same city. Creed was long one of the best kept secrets in the perfume world, known mainly among the rich and famous.

The list of famous people who have used Creed’s perfumes goes on and on, ranging from famous statesmen to stars of the film and sporting worlds. Winton Churchill, Cary Grant, Michelle Obama, Richard Gere and Frank Sinatra are just some of the famous people who have used Creed over the years.

1948 sees the launch of Creed Vetiver, which becomes a personal favourite of John F. Kennedy.

Although the brand is now widely known around the world, it has managed to keep the company in the Creed family over seven generations. This has also contributed to Creed’s exclusive reputation in a perfume industry flooded with global brands with big marketing budgets.

Green Irish Tweed – the celebrities’ favourite perfume

In 1985, the perfume house creates its most famous and celebrity-oriented fragrance to date, the legendary Green Irish Tweed, which has been recognised by Richard Gere, George Clooney and Robert Redford. Today, Erwin Creed is a perfumer and the family business continues to compose luxurious masterpieces such as Royal Water EdP, Silver Mountain Water and the wonderful summer scent Virgin Island Water.

famous people wearing creed fragrances
In 1985 Creed creates its most famous fragrance to date, the legendary Green Irish Tweed. A fragrance that has become a favourite with the likes of Richard Gere, George Clooney and Robert Redford.

The most popular of all Creed perfumes, however, is Aventus, which is also considered by many to be the best of all Creed perfumes. This fragrance was created by Olivier and Erwin Creed in 2010 and is still one of the most popular niche perfumes on the market today.

What distinguishes perfumes from Creed?

most popular creed scent on the market
Creed Aventus

Creed has never compromised on quality and the perfumes contain a strong concentration of natural oils, up at 15-20 percent, which is in stark contrast to many of the perfumes produced for the mass market.

After more than 250 years and 200 uniquely created perfume scents, the Creed perfume house stands stronger than ever.

Some more of the notable perfumes from Creed

artisan creed perfumes

Creed created its own perfume on behalf of Winston Churchill in 1920. It was in 1999 that Tabarome Millesime released to the public.

creed royal fragrances

In 1936, the Duke of Windsor, King Edward VIII, commissions Creed to create a perfume exclusively for him. In 2015, Royal Mayfair is launched to the public as a reinterpretation of this fragrance.

famous people that wore creed perfumes

One of the greatest male style icons of the 20th century, Paul Newman, used Creed’s Bois du Portugal, among other fragrances. Among famous users in the present day we also find actor Kevin Costner.

favorite perfume of Sigmund Freud

Private Collection is a series of perfumes that Creed originally created especially for various celebrities and royalty. Since the 1760s, over 200 perfume recipes have been archived in Creed’s vaults. Now, as then, Creed is re-producing individual perfumes in very limited editions.

One of these is Selection Verte, originally created for Sigmund Freud in 1901. This is perfume with notes of stimulating peppermint, an herb considered to have therapeutic and mood-enhancing properties. The perfume rests on a heavier base of amber, sandalwood and vetiver. You can read more about Private Selection here.

FAQ – Creed perfumes

Why Creed perfumes is so expensive?

Creed has never compromised on quality and the perfumes contain a strong concentration of natural oils, up at 15-20 percent, which is in stark contrast to many of the perfumes produced for the mass market.

Which Creed cologne is best?

We’ve tested out our favourites among Creed perfumes in a separate article. You can find the best of Creed perfumes here.

Where do I find Creed near me?

Creed’s perfumes can mainly be found on websites with exclusive artisan perfumes. But you can also find them on Amazon, for example.

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