LONDON — Penhaligon’s, part of Puig‘s portfolio of fragrance brands, this week is set to officially unveil two flagships, one in the Dubai Mall and the other on London’s Regent Street.
Following months of renovation, the Regent Street location now comes with an elevated image envisioned by British architect firm Michaelis Boyd, which specializes in luxury hotels, private members’ clubs and high-net-worth properties.
A fragrance profiling table anchors the compact but carefully curated London space in the shape of a bronze lion, sculpted by Hamish Mackie. Under it lies a mosaic by the London School of Mosaic reimagining Penhaligon’s insignia, and abstracts of a scent leaving the store. William’s Green, Penhaligon’s Pantone-registered brand color, is also prominently featured across the space.
Penhaligon’s Regent Street store
Courtesy
The Dubai flagship, spanning 1,290 square feet with 20-foot-high ceilings, is in close adjacency to Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Dior at one of the world’s largest shopping malls.
According to Julia Koeppen, global general manager at Penhaligon’s, the space is designed to showcase the brand’s British heritage while nodding to local culture, evoking a sense of home-like comfort and intimacy.
At the entrance, there is once again the hero fragrance profiling table. At the back, there are two private salons for consultations. On the walls hang hand-painted murals by French artist Claire Basler, inspired by local botanicals and landscapes.
In addition to product displays, the store comes with an archive wall offering a glimpse into the brand’s rich past, with original vintage packaging and rare written formulae sitting alongside artIfacts such as the original 1977 Jubilee Bouquets bath oil, created in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee.
Penhaligon’s Regent Street store
Courtesy
Koeppen said the new store identity points to a meaningful shift in the purpose of the brand’s retail spaces, with Penhaligon’s aspiring to create sites that feel personal and artistically curated. This formula will provide the blueprint for future projects.
Koeppen confirmed that the brand is currently scouting for a location in Shanghai for a China flagship.
“We already spoke with our team in China. For Dubai, you can see some of the patterns and the materials we’ve used locally inspired. We will probably do something similar in Shanghai,” she added.
Koeppen noted that the Middle East is a very important region for Penhaligon’s.
“The fragrance expertise in that market is nearly second to none,” she said, adding that the brand has been able to cater to diverse olfactory tastes, with the rich woody-floral scent Halfeti, the floral fragrance Empressa and perfumes from its animal-headed Portraits Collection being top sellers.
With every flagship location, the brand is looking to entice loyal fans with exclusive items and artistic collaborations.
For Dubai, the brand debuted Halfeti Amber, a gentler rendition of Halfeti that will be limited to the location for at least a year before its global release in 2027.
An upcoming collaboration with British artist Maggi Hambling for a limited run of 155 bespoke bottles of the anniversary edition of Endymion Concentré fragrance will also be exclusive to the brand’s flagships in London, Dubai and New York, retailing for 500 pounds.
The brand recently also sponsored a dinner for the SMK tennis tournament in Abu Dhabi. It bought three one-of-a-kind pieces of Empressa, created by jewelry designer Dries Criel. Priced at 75,000 United Arab Emirates dirhams, or $20,420, they were each hand finished with an 18-karat gold top adorned with mother-of-pearl.
Beyond products, brand power also matters a lot for Middle East customers.
“They love the storytelling. Obviously, the fact that we hold a royal warrant resonates highly, and similar to China, the whole heritage and craftsmanship angle and the storytelling of the brand work really well, added Koeppen.
Looking ahead, Koeppen said the U.S. and China will be key areas for growth.
“We opened our first U.S. boutique in SoHo, New York City, nearly a year ago. We are currently working on the roadmap for the U.S, which is a very important market. We are also accelerating in China, because we see a lot of potential there,” she added.
