If you could bottle the scent of a Burberry Kensington trench coat, what might that smell like? Perhaps the crispness of a freshly starched lapel? Or maybe something more evocative of west London: the verdant, outdoorsy splendour of the Chelsea Flower Show. Ask perfumer Meabh McCurtin, though, and the answer is neither.
Today, Burberry unveils its Prorsum collection, a line-up of eight new luxury perfumes, to mark the 170th anniversary of the house, and at the heart is one fragrance that captures the very essence of the brand’s signature piece: Kensington Trench Eau de Parfum.
With natural aldehydes that evoke the comforting scent of slipping into just laundered cotton, morning rain accord that lends an earthy, grounding quality, and musky, slightly spicy cashmere wood, it’s equal parts comforting and statement – exactly like the classic coat. It’s the vanilla, though, which really makes Kensington Trench special, giving it a gourmand warmth that’s just sweet enough to keep you returning to your wrists without ever becoming overpoweringly saccharine.
Vanilla, says McCurtin, embodies the timeless legacy of a coat that is traditionally treasured for years and passed down through generations. “[It carries] memories, emotions and a sense of familiarity with it,” she tells British . “Growing up, my mother always wore a trench coat and I remember how the scent of her perfume would linger on the fabric, blending with the smell of rain on cotton after a rainy day.” In fact, McCurtin’s family memory inspired the fragrance. “The ‘morning rain’ and ‘clean cotton’ accords capture the freshness of the coat, while vanilla absolute brings the comforting warmth left behind by [my mother’s] perfume,” she continues. The vanilla bean McCurtin selected has a particularly unique balance of comfort and clarity: “It’s enveloping, but it also breathes – like mist on cotton, like warmth on skin.”
Expect the same impressive staying power from the new fragrance as the brand’s existing bestsellers (Goddess and Her), only with an added touch of luxury. Housed in a cut-glass bottle designed to echo the house’s iconic check motif, Kensington Trench has a rich, almost boozy quality, its deep vanilla notes calling to mind a whisky infused with the pod. But the dry down is surprisingly different – clean, comforting and nuzzly, lingering just as beautifully on the skin as it does on the lapel of a jacket. “Fragrance clings to fabric,” says McCurtin. “It becomes part of your wardrobe, part of your history.”
Besides Kensington Trench, there are seven other equally British fragrances in the collection, each one imagined by a different perfumer. London Eau de Parfum is a smorgasbord of tart orange marmalade accord, earthy patchouli and peppery licorice root, while Garden Rain features zingy spearmint, powdery violet and petrichor accord – the smell of rain hitting dry, warm earth. Then there’s Open Skies (think sea salt balanced with sweet, resinous fir balsam), Gabardine (with heady jasmine, skin-like musk and creamy cedarwood), Cashmere Embrace (ginger oil and crunchy, green vetiver), Knight, (a bouquet of rose, English berries and sweet oud wood), and, finally, Est. 1856, which is an homage to Burberry’s first bricks and mortar store with refreshing longjing tea, well-worn leather and smoky incense.
