Perfume
Signature scent
Every perfume should heighten
the senses believes Lucy Akhurst,
who was inspired to create her
own evocative brand many miles
away from the mass market
In a market of perfume blockbusters
and branded celebrity fragrances, perfumer Lucy
Akhurst has created a collection that interlaces
storytelling with scent. She has introduced four
compelling scents, created to take the wearer to
distant romantic places.
The genealogy of La Maison Hédonique lies in
Lucy’s love of narrative and story-telling, following
a successful career as an actor in film and
television, as well as a writer and voiceover artist.
The Maison Hédonique collection is centred around
a single concept: to evoke emotions.
Lucy had long sought a signature scent to
headline in her personal fragrance wardrobe. Her
search took her to all the major niche perfume
houses but still nothing clicked. And then, one
Christmas, her husband bought her a book by Lizzie
Ostrum which frustrated and tantalised in equal
measure: she wanted to smell the perfumes
described in it.
As a result, Lucy bought a perfume kit but
ended-up abandoning the enclosed formulae – the
concoctions didn’t smell bad, they just smelled like
the mass market perfumes she’d been trying to get
away from. Instead, she started to compose,
following her emotions and heart towards
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something that not only smelled good but also
haunted the wearer.
People now want to invest in their own
individuality, she believes. The use of high-quality,
rare and unusual raw materials in her fragrances is
key to Hédonique’s appeal, alongside a dedication to
bringing customers a unique story and background.
Each elegant perfume is a riff on mystery and
seduction taking you to a romantic encounter in
Paris, a chance meeting with a stranger on the Côte
d’Azur, a crackling fireside at a gentleman’s club
when you should be in bed, or a midnight walk in
the otherworldly, enchanted ruins of an Italian
garden where something is watching you.
Lucy now has a prestigious stockist – Jovoy in
Mayfair – and in addition to her Maison Hédonique
capsule collection she offers a bespoke service. She
is discreet about her client list but acknowledges
she has created scents for several well-known
actresses. Dividing her time between London, Paris
and Provence, Lucy draws inspiration from her
surroundings and imagination to bring you
creations that feel beguilingly personal.
After all, who wants to smell like everybody else?