Regardless of where you live, it seems universal that a new year is welcomed with optimism, though with 2026 I would qualify it as “nervous optimism”. Political, social and economic events have left the world in a cautious state, while we all fear the growing influence of AI in our daily lives. Retailers the world over are struggling, and fragrance launches are multiplying like rabbits. That said there are some bright spots to cheer us during the winter months as I discovered during a brief trip to London. Let’s start with the sad news before moving on to more pleasant topics.

Legendary Stores

We hadn’t even turned the page to 2026 and already major retailer developments were afoot. In Germany, 94-year old perfumery chain Pieper filed for insolvency. Late in 2025 the retailer was going through a restructure while keeping shops open for the time being.

In France, historic department store BHV threw out the red carpet to Chinese fast fashion brand Shein, devoting a full floor to their merchandise. The backlash was immediate: brands pulled out leaving the store with empty shelves and counters. Dating back to the mid-19th century, the store is now a shadow of its former self and a pariah.

British icon Harrods has decided to close its store in Shanghai, bringing to a close a nearly five-year presence in this market.

The overarching story in US retail is the demise of Sak’s Global which filed for bankruptcy protection. Just over a year ago the behemoth had acquired Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, luxury retailers known respectively for Texas-style extravagance and posh Manhattan caché. In what can only be seen as power moves and greed, bad decisions brought about the downfall of these iconic chains. By mid-January the retailer finalized a $1.75 billion financing package and appointed a new CEO. It is reported that fragrance vendors such as Europerfumes are owed $17.3 million. What does that mean for small niche brands?

I was immediately reminded of a time when I was quite young, working in the buying offices at the now extinct I. Magnin, a San Francisco-based luxury retailer, acquired by Macy’s in 1988. By 1994, overwhelmed by debt, Macy’s closed all I. Magnin stores. Of course in those days we didn’t send impersonal emails – we got on the phone and called our vendors. I must have spoken to at least 25 companies with whom I had developed strong relationships. It was agonizing on my end, and also inconceivable to not pay or to delay payments on goods acquired long before. Well, I imagine a lot of small vendors who supplied Sak’s and Neiman’s are getting emails to this effect now. They are the ones that will suffer much more than the conglomerates.

Will Macy’s once again try to get a foothold in the upscale retail scene? We’ll see how it plays out as the year unfolds.

London Calling

After an exceptional winter storm left Paris sous la neige, I arrived at a wet and chilly St Pancras station with a tightly packed agenda. My first stop was Floris - the independent, family-run British fragrance house founded in 1730. A visit to the shop is essential for anyone travelling to London: it is a cultural experience that dazzles the senses as much as it rewards curiosity.

I was warmly greeted by Nicola Pozzani, In-House Perfumer, who informed me that the Bespoke division is flourishing. “I’ve got bespoke consultations booked seven days a week,” he told me. Stepping into his domain feels like travelling back in time. Large handwritten ledgers from centuries past lie open on tables, ready for consultation; cabinets from the 1800s display vintage bottles, company artefacts, and highly prized royal warrants.

I asked how people were discovering the bespoke programme. Nicola’s answer came instantly and enthusiastically: “YouTube and television!” A few years ago, Dallas-based menswear influencer Kirby Allison met with Edward Bodenham, Floris’s ninth-generation Perfumery Director, and their filmed conversation went viral. Since then, the service has appeared on The Bachelor in the United States and on programmes in Japan. Young TikTokers have also discovered the brand and the rest is history.

“A person comes for an appointment,” he said, “and when they return, they bring their sister, their mother… sometimes the whole family.” He noted that in 2025, the majority of his clients came from the United States. “They’re so nice and easy-going. They love the process and want to learn.”

Floris is a heritage brand devoted to slow perfumery, where fragrance creation is treated as a thoughtful, deliberate craft, and a scent is released only when the time feels right. Beyond perfume, the house offers an extensive range of bath, body, grooming, and home products - ideal for gifting or personal indulgence. Leaving Floris with a purchase is far more than a transaction. As Nicola so simply and eloquently put it, “We sell happiness.”

All in the Family

It’s often said we live in a small world of “six degrees of separation,” but few discoveries make that idea feel quite so tangible. During a luncheon with the team at Grossmith London - another family-run heritage fragrance house - Simon Brooke, its Principal and Managing Director, casually revealed something extraordinary: he is related to Edward Bodenham of Floris.

Brooke’s long-standing passion for genealogy had already inspired him to revive the historic Grossmith perfume house, founded in London in 1835 by his great-great-grandfather John Grossmith. Recently, that research took an unexpected turn when a distant cousin recalled a family story describing a “vague connection” to the Bodenham family. Intrigued, Brooke began piecing together the evidence and uncovered a shared ancestral line linking both families.

The discovery was confirmed when Brooke met Edward Bodenham at TFWA Cannes to deliver the news in person. “He was thrilled,” Brooke recalls, by this chance connection between two of England’s oldest fragrance houses - a reminder that perfume history, like scent itself, has a way of lingering and intertwining across generations.

Could a collaboration be in the future for these two esteemed houses?

Family Drama

As lunch progressed, Amanda Brooke, Director, revealed another interesting anecdote from the company archives, this time involving the Farina family, founders of the oldest fragrance house in Europe (established in 1709).

“In the mid-1800s it would seem that Grossmith sold eau de cologne under the label 'Johann Grossmith from Cologne' with labelling virtually identical to that of Farina products. Farina obtained an injunction on these products in a court case in 1852, in spite of having been described by defending counsel as 'a foreigner', needing to 'establish his right at law'.

Grossmith seems to have continued selling cologne products under the name 'J Grossmith & Sons' and with a label which still strongly resembled that of Farina's right up until the end of the nineteenth century, as shown in this extract from Grossmith's catalogue of 1906.”

British cheek at its zenith!

Store Checks: From Clive Christian to Boots Fragrance

The London retail scene never fails to offer something new and intriguing, so in addition to the nearly mandatory stops at Harrods, Liberty and Fortnum & Mason, there were a few other destinations I had to see.

New Bond Street is a mecca for luxury shopping, and it is here that Clive Christian has unveiled its new London flagship. From the pavement, the windows give little away; the real treasure lies beyond the door. Alina Rosu, perfumer and founder of Neunére and I were welcomed by Walid who accompanied us throughout our visit. Icy, modern metallic finishes collide with the brand’s signature traditional cabinetry, a visual expression of Clive Christian’s design heritage. A cosy sitting room, complete with a faux fire, offers a tranquil retreat for scent contemplation. Upstairs, a conference room doubles as a museum, while a discreet atelier invites one-to-one consultations, equipped with an engraving machine and bespoke gift-wrapping station.

The visit coincided with the launch of Inox, a new boutique-exclusive fragrance. To mark the occasion, the décor incorporated a multi-sensory mood room, allowing clients to fully immerse themselves in the spirit of the scent. Under Walid’s patient and expert guidance, we explored the full fragrance collection, each composition unfolding with timeless elegance.

There has been a flurry of industry press on the new Boots Fragrance which opened in late October 2025. It was a blustery morning when I arrived at the Liverpool Street Station, ready to check out Broadgate Central, the new retail development where the shop is located. Clearer signage as you exit the turnstiles would have alleviated the detour I made (don’t exit the station!), but it was worth the effort. Store Manager Fortune Miya graciously welcomed me and generously spent nearly two hours showing me around while introducing me to fragrances I’d never tried.

When it comes to brands, there is clearly a high-low mix with an emphasis on independent British perfume brands including Beaufort, To the Fairest, Olfactive O and Gallivant. New discoveries for me included Perroy, The Virtue, Lumira and Urania. Entry-level price points start around £20, ensuring there’s something for all.

Rather than relying on heavy brand-led merchandising, most fragrances are organised by style categories such as “Bold,” “Classical,” and “Modern,” though heritage houses like Chanel and Tom Ford retain discreet branding. Themed counters rotate regularly: during my visit, one focused on gifting while another explored gourmand ingredients, pairing educational text with three curated scent examples.

Fortune described the customer base as broad and evenly split across gender and age, ranging from teenagers to seasoned collectors. Office workers from the surrounding Broadgate area form a regular clientele, but levels of fragrance knowledge vary widely.

When it came time to smell, Fortune led me through his personal favourites and bestsellers. Standouts included Ostens Patchouli Heart No.1, Roos & Roos Song of a Queen, The Virtue Back Beach, and Beaufort Lignum Vitae. He spoke movingly about Accra from Gallivant. “My roots are from South Africa and Ghana. I can’t tell you how, but this fragrance has captured the smell of my youth. It’s the Kenté cloth, the market, the smell of my Granny’s home. It’s all in this bottle.”

That praise is echoed by Nick Steward, founder of Gallivant, who lauded Boots’ approach to the category. “They’ve been brave in their brand selection, which means customers will discover fragrances they won’t see elsewhere,” he said. “Senior members of the team visited us in our East London studio. The relationship has been thoughtful - they understand small businesses, and they care.” He also highlighted the in-store team of fragrance specialists: “To begin with, the staff is nice and kind, and they’ve gone through a terrific training program so they are extremely knowledgeable.”

The store itself is bright, calm, and spacious, with soft music and none of the sensory overload typical of department store fragrance halls. While some may find it minimalist, the absence of aggressive selling creates a far more inviting environment for discovery.

Whether this concept will push other retailers to rethink fragrance remains to be seen—but judging by the steady stream of industry visitors already passing through, Boots Fragrance may well set a new benchmark.

Watch this space for our monthly editorial perspective on the news and movements redefining the niche fragrance sector.

Sources

Parfümerie Pieper Files for Insolvency | BeautyMatter

Estée Lauder Companies, Beiersdorf and Puig among Saks Global creditors owed millions