ELLE Exclusive: A Scented Conversation With Erwin Creed On Legacy, Craft, And Creed’s Indian Debut

When a fragrance house with royal roots and over 260 years of heritage arrives in Delhi, you know it’s something special. House of Creed has just opened its first Indian boutique in New Delhi, and it feels more like stepping into a legacy than just a shop. With icons like Aventus in the spotlight and Mr. Erwin Creed here to celebrate, I couldn’t resist sitting down with him to chat about heritage, craftsmanship, and the stories waiting inside every bottle.

What made New Delhi the perfect address for Creed’s first Indian boutique?

New Delhi is the perfect setting for a truly personal Creed experience. As India’s top luxury destination, it reflects our values of craftsmanship and artistry. It’s more than a store, it’s an invitation for Indian clients to step into our world of heritage and scent.

Aventus has become a cult classic. If you had to describe it as a personality, who would it be?

Aventus embodies power, success, and ambition. Inspired by the Latin "ventus", meaning wind, it’s the spirit of someone who moves with purpose, vision and strength.

Seven generations in and still reinventing scent, what’s one family tradition that remains unchanged at Creed?

Our unwavering commitment to natural ingredients. From our early days in London and Paris, creating couture and leather goods, we’ve always worked closely with trusted growers. Every scent is handcrafted at our Maison in Fontainebleau, blended, macerated, and bottled by hand. This human touch is our timeless tradition.

What’s the first scent you remember falling in love with as a child? Was it from the House or something unexpected?

It was the raw scent of Vanilla. I spent a lot of time mixing ingredients in the kitchen with my father and grandmother. Interestingly, I often don’t wear perfume while working, to keep my senses sharp amidst the constant presence of fragrance.

If you were to craft a perfume inspired by India, what would its top, heart and base notes be?

India’s richness and vibrancy would inspire notes like Jasmine, Tuberose, Saffron, and Sandalwood. But fragrance is a constant evolution; we’re always exploring and learning.

Perfume is so personal. What’s the most unusual place you’ve seen someone apply it?

Honestly, there’s no such thing as too unusual. Fragrance should be wherever you are, on skin, clothing, hair, andeven pillows. It’s a part of every moment, big or small.

If you had to bottle the spirit of modern India into a Creed scent, what would you want it to capture?

It would reflect India’s heritage, opulence, craftsmanship, and deep-rooted culture, qualities that resonate deeply with the House of Creed.

We know scent has memory. Is there a particular Creed fragrance that instantly takes you back to a moment in time?

Silver Mountain Water. It immediately transports me to the Alps, skiing in fresh powder, breathing in crisp mountain air. It’s invigorating and nostalgic all at once.

Be it finding your signature scent for the first time or reconnecting with an old favourite, one thing is certain: the Creed experience is truly one of a kind. It’s a chance to immerse yourself in a world where heritage, craftsmanship, and emotion are distilled into every bottle.