Words: Josh Lee
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Whether they concern food, fashion, culture or cars, the sheer number of decisions a modern man must make on a daily basis can be overwhelming. Thankfully, The House of Creed can help. Because, despite the endless choices that present themselves, the British brand has your signature scent sorted; Aventus.
Introduced in 2010 to celebrate the brand’s 250th anniversary, this eau de parfum is a contemporary celebration of majesty, power, success, and heritage – as symbolised by the campaign’s horse and horseman motifs – one which hits all the marks across the olfactory scale, allowing it to be worn throughout the day and night.
This versatility is evident with its blending of zesty, vibrant head notes of lemon, pink pepper and bergamot; a fresh and floral heart of pineapple, sweet jasmine and Indonesian patchouli; and a counterbalancing, rich base of oakmoss, cedarwood and The House of Creed’s signature ingredient, ambergris.
Moreover, the symbolism isn’t solely limited to fragrance terms, as it is found in the design, too. Notably, its hip-flask-inspired aesthetic takes its cues from the accessory that was often seen carried around by horsemen of the past, while the emblem of a figure atop a winged horse, etched into the hand-wrapped label, is a subtle nod to ancient heroes and mythological stories, acting as further references to those notions of strength.
And, despite being just a little over a decade old, Aventus has become the brand’s best-selling item — one which is worn by thousands of modern, discerning gentlemen.
Indeed, such a superlative concoction should come as no surprise from the creator of some of the world’s most desired fragrances. Beginning life in 1760 as a tailor in Mayfair, London, the company eventually evolved into the purveyor of singular artisanal perfumes, producing over 200 variations – many of which have been bespoke-made for royalty, aristocrats and high-society’s tastemakers – all through seven generations.
Today, this rich history is continued by Olivier Creed – the man responsible for the creation of Aventus, and whose fine-art background may help explain the bottle’s artisanal quality – and his son, Erwin, who both traverse the globe in search of the finest ingredients to use in their products, whether its rose from Morocco; Florentine white Iris; bergamot sourced in Calabria; or Haitian vetiver.
In order to keep the thread running through history, the house, whose products still roll out of the family-run factory in the regal town of Fontainebleau, just slightly south of Paris, continues to preserve and draw upon traditional methods and procedures that were once commonplace in the industry. An infusion technique, for example, is continuously used, and each product is still filtered, bottled and laboured lovingly by hand.
This ‘Millesime’ quality — the term comes from the world of wine, and refers to a great vintage — focuses on bringing together only the most premium ingredients with the highest concentration of natural oils, and promises to give your grooming cabinet a firm foundation for years to come.
Creed prides itself on using only the best quality ingredients in their perfume creations that are high in natural oils — a touch that means each ‘vintage’ will vary in aromas and notes, depending on hours of sunshine, rainfall and other weather variations. And these ingredients, sourced around the world, have been used in the world of perfumery for thousands of years — from Calabrian bergamot and Provencal lavender to Egyptian jasmine.
Aventus is just one of the modern icons to emerge from The House of Creed, and to make use of these age-old methods. Discover it today for yourself.
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