Christopher Sheldrake is a perfumer who owns fragrances with a unique character, with a composition filled with passion and mysterious power.

Among many aficionados of perfumery, the fragrances of Christopher Sheldrake are very popular, perhaps because their main secret lies in the perfumer's ability to express beauty and femininity, sensuality and mystery. After all, inspiration came to him from the contemplation of the beautiful nature of the East, imbued with unique fragrances, in which special impulses and a different atmosphere lie.



Christopher Sheldrake, an Englishman, was born in the Indian city of Madras. The earliest childhood of the future perfumer passed among the bright and fragrant oriental nature. Then, as a boy, at the age of eight, he returned to London, where he became more and more interested in architecture.

When he arrived in France, thinking about further studies as an architect, an accident brought him into perfumery. In France, Christopher helped French perfumers master the English language. Naturally, in such communication, he had to deal with aromas, and one of the perfumers discovered in Christopher an extraordinary memory of smell, or, more simply, “nose”.

On the offer to stay and try his hand at perfumery, Christopher could no longer refuse, the aromas captivated him. Once in Grasse, his professional destiny was sealed. The aromas, their secret of extraction and creation, conquered Christopher. He was completely in their power. Now, instead of architecture, he was enthusiastically engaged in perfumery, learned to understand the sound of aromas, to compose fragrant stories dressed in fragrant symphonies.



After training, he underwent an internship at the famous Charabot perfume house. Luck was with him, after the internship he worked with Robertet. In 1980 he gets the opportunity to work for Chanel. One of the first mentors of the future perfumer was the famous Jacques Polge, the leading perfumer of the Chanel house.

However, Christopher soon leaves there in order to go to Japan and signs contracts with Quest International and Shiseido, where he gained a lot of experience. And here is a meeting with Serge lutens, which in Sheldrake's career brought worthy creative fruits.

Sheldrake's fragrances have an extraordinary sensuality, their compositions are complex and multifaceted. Most of the fragrances belong to the group of oriental fragrances. The fragrance of the East is felt in them, but they are not heavy and not viscous, not suffocating, but luxurious. You want to enjoy Sheldrake's scents, breathe them constantly.



Russia combines East and West, which is probably why many Russian women like Sheldrake's oriental scents. Connoisseurs of perfumery are convinced that cold and airy aromas with the smell of a summer morning and the freshness of green grass are preferable in summer. However, the majority of Russian women, in whom Slavic and Eastern roots are combined, subconsciously gravitate towards fragrances dressed in oriental luxury. That is why the fragrances of Christopher Sheldrake are not only loved in Russia, they are admired and adored.



In his perfumery works, the West meets the East, in some of them the character of the composition is biased towards the West, for example, Five O'Clock Au Gingembre, and there are sensual and daring, like Fille en Aiguilles or Datura Noir, beautiful and thoughtful - Feminite du Bois , passionate - Chergui and Serge Noire.

There are perfumes in which the aria of one leading note is performed, but at the same time, the deep and sensual sound of the composition is recognized as one of the best. For example, the sound of vanilla in Un Bois Vanille, jasmine in A La Nuit, honey in Miel De Bois.



In a joint creative collaboration, Christopher Sheldrake and Serge Lutens have created many fragrances, including recognized masterpieces of perfumery:

1. floral, oriental scent - A La Nuit;
2. sensual oriental - Ambre Sultan;
3. mystical woody-oriental - Arabie;
4. daring and seductive perfume - Bois de Violette;
5. woody-fruity aroma - Bois et Fruits;
6. poetic woody scent - Cedre;
7. luxurious woody-spicy aroma - Chergui;
8. one of the most famous oriental fragrances - Datura Noir;
9. multifaceted fragrance - Douce Amere;
10. woody oriental - Feminite Du Bois;
11. warm and honey oriental fragrance - Fumerie Turque;
12. scent dedicated to rose - Sa Majeste La Rose;
13. beautiful and deep - Santal Blanc;
14. passionate floral scent - Tubereuse Criminelle and many others.

And now, when Sheldrake is back at Chanel, the collaboration with Serge Lutens continues. In the House of Chanel, in collaboration with one of the best modern master perfumers - Jacques Polge, fragrances have been created - the woody perfume Sycomore, released in 2008, the floral musky-woody fragrance Coco Noir Chanel, released in 2012.



Christopher Sheldrake prefers to wear his fragrances. In addition to fragrances, among the latest interesting ideas is the use of ceramics as blotters. Christopher believes that ceramics absorb and retain perfume much better than paper.

If a scent can help a person feel happy, bring him joy, then he has succeeded. And Christopher Sheldrake has succeeded more than once. This is the main task of a perfumer.

Christopher Sheldrake is Chanel's second in-house perfumer. No, he does not come from the capital of the world of perfumery - Grasse... However, his life path led him precisely here, and apparently few people leave Grasse unconquered by aromas.