Long gone are the days when L’Artisan Parfumeur was a true niche brand. Nowadays, many department stores stock at least a couple of L’Artisan fragrances, and they’re even available on Amazon.
What you don’t often get to see, though, is the rest of the range — the candles, the scented ‘curiosities’, the home fragrances. For these, you usually need to find a proper L’Artisan boutique.
There are three of these in London, and the flagship store is in Marylebone High Street — slightly off the beaten track in perfume terms, but worth seeking out if you’re interested in more than the fragrances, or if you’re keen to sniff the Limited Editions.
The boutique is spacious, with a central carousel showcasing all the personal scents (including scented gauze in cups, so you can get a sense of the drydown), and a rest area with a sofa.
Along one wall are all the other goodies — the scented sachets, amber balls, candles and home fragrances, including those developed with Bottega Veneta and Burberry. They also have the Chez Moi home fragrancing diffuser.
Getting there: L’Artisan Parfumeur, 36 Marylebone High Street, London W1U4QD, Tel: 0207 486 3435.
The nearest tube station is Baker Street, and it’s about ten minutes walk away. Emerge from the station, cross over Marylebone (pronounced ‘Marrlibun’) Road to Baker Street, proceed south a hundred yards, then turn left into Paddington Street. Walk all the way along here, and at the T-junction at the end, you’ll see the L’Artisan shop right in front of you.
Nearby: You’re minutes away from Madame Tussaud’s. But, despite all the attempts to persuade you otherwise by shops and businesses, ‘221b Baker Street’, the address where Sherlock Holmes was supposed to live, never actually existed!
— images & report filed by Nina.
See also: Perfume Shopping in London
Update: this store is now closed; there is another L'Artisan boutique in Covent Garden.