Charabanc, a luxury fragrance automobile accessory, will launch at the Goodwood Revival Festival and will be available exclusively at Harrods.
The distinctive product is comprised of a finely handcrafted, stencilled-steel pomander encased in leather and five fragrance ‘journeys’ inspired by the world’s most iconic drives: Across Pennine Fells, Along the Plain of Castellucio, The Golden Road to Samarqand, Journey to Tai Mo Shan and Monument Valley Drive.
The luxury brand is rooted in the halcyon days of travel and named after ‘Charabanc’, one of the first motorised vehicles that took the aristocracy out on the shoot and on trips to the country and seaside.
Charabanc’s fragrances have been curated by one of the most globally renowned perfume houses and are inspired by the flora and fauna of some of the world’s most awe-inspiring drives. Each scent has an additional note of leather and wood to evoke the olfactory microcosm of a vintage car, creating a fragrance journey.
Its pomander shells are handcrafted by a team of highly-skilled specialist Metal Spinners in the heart of Portsmouth. The leather lid and lanyard are made using traditional methods passed down from generations of skilled craftsmen.
Available in London Tan, Racing Green and Orient Black, the luxury fragrance must-have has been thoughtfully engineered to hang free from a rear-view mirror, fit neatly into the a/c unit or rest snugly in a coffee cup holder.
Charabanc is the creation of former M&C Saatchi colleagues Carrie Hindmarsh and Barbara Behan. Hindmarsh, who was CEO of the global advertising giant’s UK office, and Behan, a strategist at the agency, used to drive a long way to a tricky client’s offices to present work.
It was quite a stressful time, and it became a ritual for them to scatter clary sage into the car to calm their nerves.
Years later, this shared experience sparked the idea for a high-end fragrance centred on the car and a fragrance carrier that could be a beautiful luxury ‘objet’ for the car, a timeless classic.
Charabanc co-creator Carrie Hindmarsh said: “We are delighted to be launching Charabanc at Goodwood Revival, alongside being available to purchase in Harrods. Having spent many years working in the advertising world with M&C Saatchi, we knew that finding a true gap in the market was like searching for the Holy Grail.
“We believe that we have created a product that recreates the idyllic experience of discovering the world in your classic car via the open road – winding down your window and drinking in the surrounding air.
“The fragrances take you from the fresh, earthy scents of the Pennines to the wildflowers of Umbria, the heady, smoky scents of the Middle East and the after-the-monsoon fragrance of China to the big, audacious scents of Monument Valley, all mingling with the leather notes of the car.”
Charabanc – Information
Charabanc is available exclusively through Harrods and at charabanc.com
- Racing Green pomander sold with Across Pennine Fells fragrance – RRP £145
- London Tan sold with Along the Plain of Castellucio fragrance – RRP £145
- Orient Black sold with Tai Mo Shan fragrance – RRP £145
- 5 x individual refills, each retailing at RRP £35
A set of all 5 sold together will follow in October.