I’ve long heard of French perfume store, Jovoy. Their house fragrances have been available in London for some time but now they’ve opened a shop here stocking a range of mostly high-end and luxury brands.
Located on Conduit Street, off Regent Street, the space is stylishly designed and a lot bigger than you might think on first look. Last Saturday my pal Sabine and I had a good nose around.
Until fairly recently it wasn’t easy to access the exquisite perfumes from Neela Vermeire Creations north of the river, so it’s nice to see them stocked here. Pichola is one of the few tuberose perfumes I can wear, but the meditative osmanthus of Rahele is still my favourite.
I really wanted to explore the range from The Different Company because I haven’t come across it before in the capital. The one I liked the most was After Midnight, probably not surprising because it has a prominent iris note.
It’s hard to find a brand that does luxury better than Puredistance.
Val the Cookie Queen suggested I try Cuir Andalou by Rania J which was a wearable, not very tarry, leather, smoothed out by a undercurrent of velvety oud.
We were surprised when one of the staff told us there was more downstairs. Here we found Adedes de Venustas and Masque Milano. The latter is a niche brand that – unlike many – I think are doing something distinctive. Sabine tried Russian Tea with its mint opening and raspberry flavoured tea base.
I made a beeline for Romanza as I’ve wanted a narcissus fragrance for years and I know it’s a favourite of Claire’s, who writes the wonderful Take One Thing Off. At first the narcissus and galbanum had me getting ready to request a sample but then a forceful musk elbowed its way to the front and my high hopes were dashed. If you’ve been looking for a narcissus fragrance and you’re not sensitive to musk, you should still check it out.
I also tried L’Attesa which is a very softly spoken iris with a refined air. Extremely nice but a bit too mannered now that I’ve fallen for Iris Poudré.
After the official opening on 28th September, the self-service perfume dispenser will be in operation. You’ll be able to purchase a 10ml bottle at a flat rate and fill it with one of the eight perfumes on offer. Four will be Jovoy perfumes while the other four will include one from Neela Vermeire Creations, one from The Different Company and a new, as yet unnamed British brand.
Real chunks of ambergris are locked away in a glass cabinet downstairs but the sales assistant opened it up for us to a have sniff. The largest piece had a strong whiff of the animalic but didn’t smell salty or sea-like the way I expected it to.
The small piece on the right of picture below is the oldest and whitest, having been bleached by the sun on the sea’s surface for so long. Now this stuff nearly blew my head off. To say it was skanky in the extreme is an understatement and that was just sniffing the glass cloche!
I asked if I could possibly have a sample of the fragrance that captured me the most (After Midnight) and was happy to be greeted with a positive reaction. It’s ridiculously hard to get free samples these days. Not only did they make up samples for both of us at no charge, they packaged them beautifully too.
Sabine picked up a copy of perfume magazine Nez to practice her French and we repaired to Fortnum and Mason for cake.
What a lovely way to spend an afternoon in London.
Have you visited Jovoy in France? Do you think you’d like to visit the London store? Which brand/s would you be most interested in?
A Bottled Rose 
I’m extremely envious! In addition to all the great places you had already, you’ve got Jovoy! Vanessa and I visited it in Paris, and I even bought there NVC’s Bombay Bling.
Jul et Mad and Neela Vermeire Créations are the brands, which I’d like to have access to (I still haven’t tried several of the recent perfumes from both 😦 ), and from the list of brands you provided, I’m not familiar with more than I am – so it would be an interesting visit. Especially with cake in plans afterwards 😉
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We’ll go next time you’re over here (followed by cake). I didn’t know most of the brands, I must admit. How nice you visited the Paris store with Vanessa and that your Bombay Bling! came from there. I think you’d really like Pichola and Rahele if those are the ones you haven’t tried yet. They’re my favourites from the line.
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Been reading a lot about the new Jovoy store in London, so big thanks for the guided tour. So many wonderful brands to explore. Would love to smell the skank that is ambergris. And great to hear they are not stingy with the samples! R
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The design is fabulous and I was particularly struck by how beautifully lit the displays were. Helpful but unobtrusive staff are a huge plus.
Do ask if they’ll let you sniff the ambergris if you go!
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Will do! Great to hear the staff are top-notch too!
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It honestly makes such a difference. Oh and they have pencils in the tubs with the blotters so you can make notes which is a nice touch.
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It’s the little details that count.
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The London store looks very smart and has the same red interior as the Paris one Undina and I visited. Does it also offer the all-important resting spouse couch? 😉 I have yet to try Rahele but from what you say I am sure I would like it. I think Ashoka is my favourite Neela to date. So pleased that they were forthcoming with samples – that is all becoming a bit of a minefield these days.
Being in a more plateau-y stage of the hobby now, I think I would be as interested in the ambergris as anything. A friend of a friend found a lump up in Morecambe Bay – or what might be a lump! – and I am keen to acquire some ID-ing techniques. 😉
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It was good to get the experience after hearing about it for so long. There were a couple of couches downstairs!
The ambergris was really something. Ah yes, I remember about the friend of a friend’s possible ambergris. I really hope it’s the real deal. The collection at Jovoy mist be worth thousands.
I think you’d really like Rahele too.
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Hi Tara, I am green with envy at the choice you have now. Must also admit that I am more than a bit curious about ambergris- it fascinates me. Your ohotos are beautiful and whet the appetite. Sandra xo
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More incentive for you to come back to London one day! You must miss the easy access you had in Vienna but presumably there are good perfume stores in Amsterdam.
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Hi Tara, I passed this shop last week and wondered about it so thanks for the writeup. Interesting to see they stock Jul et Mad (sampled in Budapest) so I’m really looking forward to popping in soon. (Husb works nearby so maybe with Christmas not too far away I can lure him into the den!)
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Hi Annette,
You should take a look inside next time you’re passing. It sounds like you have the perfect excuse!
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