Welcome to the first part in a series I’m calling Scentrified Interviews, where I will explore the stories, inspirations, and dreams of owners of perfume boutiques and brands, people who have truly dedicated their life to the pursuit of scentual excellence.
So let’s start by embarking on an olfactory journey with the passionate owner of a charming Portuguese perfume boutique. In this exclusive interview, I delve deep into the Lisbon boutique that has captivated the hearts and noses of Portuguese and international perfume lovers alike. Read on to discover the secrets behind curating a unique collection of perfumes and gain insights into the fascinating world of niche fragrances.
“We want to democratize niche perfumery and showcase the best.”
Embassy Niche Perfumery opened its doors in December of 2016, just a few days before Christmas. And they started out small, with brands like Rania J, Stephane Humbert Lucas and Andy Tauer. They mainly stock “the niche of the niche”, as owner Ricardo Claudino calls it, and always aim to find brands with a specific DNA, and from many different countries. There are of course a couple of bigger brands too.
“We don’t need to be on the biggest streets where everyone is walking, because not everyone is interested in niche perfumes to begin with.”
It won’t matter if you’re living in Lisbon, or if you’re just visiting. Embassy truly isn’t hard to find, located just a few steps away from the city’s most luxurious shopping street Avenida de Liberdade. Perhaps this is where you’ll find yourself when your traveling companion wants to visit a museum you don’t find all that interesting?
“Our mission has always been to show Portugal what niche perfume can be. We don’t go for the biggest and most expensive brands, but try to have a good mix of brands that are sometimes harder to find.”
Niche perfumery in Portugal is still somewhat new, and has recently started growing. Ricardo mentions that they stocked the British brand BeauFort London in the beginning, but those fragrances were a little too complex and challenging for an audience that was just beginning to understand that there’s a world outside of what you’d find at at department store or in the duty free section of an airport.
“But they’re ready for it now! I think BeauFort would work if we started stocking them again. The market has changed so much in the last couple of years.”
Curiosity for niche and indie perfumery in Portugal seems to have started in specific Facebook groups, and then grown from there. The covid pandemic also helped, as many started their scented journeys when they were stuck at home with nothing else to do.
Ricardo himself started his career as a model, and frequently traveled to Milan, where he would discover the many varied perfume boutiques. He then worked with luxury brands and boutiques in Lisbon, where he gained deeper insights about the industry.
Ricardo felt like there was a big opportunity to do something within the niche market when he opened Embassy. He explains that they like communication, and love getting to know their customers. “Without them, we are nothing. They are our boss!” he adds, with a smile.
“Without them, we are nothing.”
A typical Portuguese person interested in perfume wants big performance, projection, longevity. They like something that lasts, preferably all day long. Some people still seem to believe that perfume is a female interest, something to do with make-up and beauty, but Embassy can easily prove them wrong, as the majority of their clients are actually men. And most of them like sweet, fruity and gourmand scents. “Opulent stuff with lots of sillage”, says Ricardo.
And customers from all over the world seem to love Embassy. Not long ago they received an award from renowned Spanish magazine Beautyprof, proclaiming them as the best and finest international niche perfumery of 2023.
“It feels amazing that so many important people from the industry voted for us, it’s an indication we’re doing something right.”
3 rapid fire questions with Ricardo Claudino:
Favorite note(s) in a perfume?
Tobacco, bergamot, nutmegBest fragrance for summer in Lisbon?
Torino21 by XerjoffWhat’s a smell you can’t stand?
Rhubarb and licorice
At the moment of writing, Embassy stocks almost 40 brands. Some of these include Ramon Monegal, Francesca Bianchi, Born to Stand Out, Clive Christian, Profumum Roma, Les Indémodables, and Baruti. For a full list, head over to their website. As of September, they are also offering a sample service, any 5 samples of 2ml each, for the low price of €30.
The success has encouraged Ricardo to open another Embassy boutique, this time in the northern city of Porto. The brands offered there will vary slightly from what is currently offered in Lisbon. Ricardo also runs a Xerjoff Boutique next door from Embassy in Lisbon. This store offers exclusively Xerjoff perfumes, also worth a visit if you’re already heading to Embassy.
Lisbon boutique:
Rua Rodrigues Sampaio 112 C
Porto boutique: (opening in december 2023)
Rua de Ceuta 17
Happy shopping! And don’t forget to follow me (@scentrified) and Embassy on Instagram!
PS. Would you like to see your boutique/brand on the blog? Write me an email and let’s talk!