(Features press samples & affiliate links - see disclaimer)
Miller Harris is a couture British fragrance house, founded in 2000, with a spirit of bespoke fragrance creation at its heart and one I've been exploring more of this year.
The brand was founded by ground-breaking perfumer Lyn Harris - she worked with world-renowned fragrance house Robertet in France in her early career and was one of the first female master perfumers. The aesthetic of her perfumes was inspired by stories, memories and the very finest natural ingredients which translate beautifully into each of her fragrances.
Today's focus is on one of their bestsellers Scherzo (£110.00), an evocative scent that exudes the heady glamour of the 1930s French Riviera. Bursting with fruits, flowers and shimmering sunshine. The base shimmers with oud, earthy patchouli and a sprinkling of sugar to capture the feeling of a confectioner's window. The sweetness of tangerine is offset by the intoxicating purple richness of davana, which adds a twist of liquor to the scent.
Launched in 2019, Scherzo has a wonderfully romantic story - inspired by a passage of text in F.Scott Fitzgerald's Tender is the Night. This short passage was the only thing given to perfumer Mathieu Nardin as the brief for the fragrance to be created. The resulting perfume has gone on to become an instant classic and bestseller in the house of fragrances at Miller Harris.
“…She walked on, between kaleidoscopic peonies massed in pink clouds, black and brown tulips and fragile mauve stemmed roses, transparent like sugar flowers in a confectioner’s window.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The best way to describe the fragrance is intensely vibrant, full of colour, depth and with a rush of sweetness. Scherzo captures a multitude of blooms: dark red rose, clouds of peony and sunny yellow narcissus in a way that I don't think has been quite done before.
If you're new to Miller Harris, a really great way to get to know the brand and its fragrances are by using the Find Your Scent section on their website. Each fragrance is then broken down by season, day/evening and by collection. You can then order samples for as little as £2.80 - a much more cost-effective way to find your dream scent.
Shop Miller Harris direct here - Miller Harris, London Perfumer, UK Luxury Perfume Shop & Online store.
