BeauFort London is a niche fragrance house founded by musician and writer Leo Crabtree. Inspired by the history of the island nation that is the UK and brought to life by a Proustian obsession with scent, BeauFort London launched in 2015 with the "Come Hell or High Water" triptych of Eaux De Parfum. This collection brings together elements of Britain’s history, both imagined and real, to create collages of scent embodying themes of warfare, trade and exploration.
Crabtree's lifelong love of fragrance and a preoccupation with the darker elements of British history served as the collection’s impetus. Born into a diverse family comprised of artists, psychologists and sailors, Crabtree’s first home was a boat on the River Thames. “The sea, its traditions, superstitions and way of life are ingrained in me. The brand's name BeauFort London (derived from the 1805 wind force scale conjured up by Naval Officer Sir Francis Beaufort) represents a kind of framework within which we can understand ourselves," notes Crabtree. "The wind is constant, enduring, but ultimately changeable and potentially destructive.”
