Kensington Palace Smells Like Old Money and Clive Christian’s Latest Launch, Inox
A peek into my 24-hour trip with the fragrance brand that has ties to the British Monarchy.
It’s been a few weeks since I went on one of the most incredible press trips known to man, and to this day, I still don’t think I can quite wrap my mind around the experience. For context, on March 17, Clive Christian Perfume—yes, the luxury fragrance house dating back to the 1800s—invited me to London to celebrate the opening of its new global flagship store at 118 New Bond Street. The building was designed in collaboration with Harry Nuriev, architect, designer, and founder of the famed Crosby Studios. Nuriev was tasked with creating a space that honored the brand's history while also making it feel modern and approachable for a new generation of fragrance enthusiasts and collectors.
The outside view of the Clive Christian Flagship Store
“The heritage of the brand is very important, but as it grows, our mission is to meet the demands of the modern-day fragrance consumer,” Dino Pace, co-founder and chief executive officer of Nichebox, a luxury incubator for medium and small-sized niche brands, tells me. “The modern perfume customer is very knowledgeable about the fragrances that they like, and they are equally as demanding.”
The store is a three-story masterpiece, and I was greeted by a display wall of the brand’s fragrances as soon as I stepped inside. The more I ventured in, the more the space felt like a true blend of two worlds. Chairs inspired by those in Buckingham Palace, natural wood furniture, and even a secret entrance for high-profile clients who prioritize privacy and anonymity. There is even a heritage room on the third floor, where customers can interact with artifacts from the brand dating back to 1872, when it was founded.
The video shows artifacts from the brand's initial offering from the 1800s. The brand actually started with smelling salts.
All of this stands in direct contrast to the silver elements placed throughout the space, a nod to Inox, a new scent that marks this exciting new beginning for the brand, exclusively available at this location. “The flagship was designed as an immersive expression of material, proportion, and restraint, while Inox translates those same principles into scent, drawing from steel, structure, and refined surfaces,” the brand stated in a press release. As I saw firsthand, the creation of both the store and Inox was a clear message from the brand: Clive Christian fragrances are an experience, not just another bottle of perfume to add to your collection. The brand is actively building its next generation of fragrance enthusiasts, creators, and artists, and this space is a clear and enduring commitment to this ethos.
“Yes, the brick-and-mortar is stunning, but we also want this store to act as a workshop and gallery for perfumers and artists,” NicheBox co-founder and marketing director, Yulia Colon, tells me. “This is truly an open space for creativity to thrive. It’s our commitment to a third space for artists, consumers, and friends of the brand to learn, grow, and collaborate.”
A picture of Inox perfume by Clive Christian and the launch dinner in Kensington Palace. The tablescape details were immaculate.
The store reveal was only the start of the fun, as that same night, I ventured over to Kensington Palace to further celebrate the launch of Inox, surrounded by friends of the brand and the nose behind the launch, Senior Perfumer at CPL Aromas, Julien Rasquinet.
“Inspired by the enduring strength of steel and the elegance of polished silver, this fragrance blends luxurious textures with a contemporary twist,” Rasquinet said at the dinner. “Light, radiant notes like the ozonic accord and cassis bring a fresh, airy balance to the richness of saffron and oud, creating a harmony between strength and delicacy. With Inox, I wanted to honor the sacred allure of ancient rituals while forging a bold, innovative, refined, and luminous scent that is evocative of timeless resilience.” The night was filled with food, drinks, and even a live music performance, all set against the backdrop of friends, old and new, coming together to celebrate this new era of the most storied fragrance house in British history.
A look inside Kensington Palace, where the launch dinner for Inox took place.
It’s not often that a brand that is so rooted in heritage and history makes an effort to reach the modern consumer rather than coasting on its name, and that, I’ve found, is what keeps drawing me back to the maison. All are welcome to enter the world of Clive Christian, and not only will you leave it smelling better than when you entered (each perfume does have an incredible 20 percent concentration of oils at minimum, after all), but you will also become a part of a legacy that continues to prove that a luxury brand can look toward the future while respecting its past. If you ask me, they’ve been doing a damn fine job.
Although you'll have to travel to London to experience Inox, below are a few of my favorite Clive Christian perfumes available state-side.
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