The Heritage
The Story of Gallivant
Gallivant is a London-based independent fragrance house founded by industry veteran Nick Steward, channeling wanderlust into unisex eau de parfums inspired by the world's most compelling cities. From Brooklyn to Berlin, Tokyo to Tel Aviv, each scent captures the spirit of urban exploration, inviting wearers to pause, wander and discover. Small-batch, handmade in Britain and France using carefully sourced materials, Gallivant offers perfumed escapism for the curious explorer.
Heritage
Nick Steward spent over two decades immersed in the art of perfumery, working in London and Paris before rising to become Product and Creative Director at L'Artisan Parfumeur, the pioneering cult house known for challenging convention. Weary of the pomposity and pretentiousness pervading the industry, Steward left to pursue something truer. In 2017, he founded Gallivant in London, drawing on his classical French training and modern British sensibility. The brand emerged as an antidote to aspirational pricing and inflated marketing, offering honest, thoughtful scents at accessible price points. From the outset, Gallivant positioned itself as proudly independent, rejecting the glossy machinery of mainstream luxury in favour of a more human, handcrafted approach. The collection quickly garnered recognition, earning multiple awards and a devoted following among fragrance enthusiasts seeking something genuine. Steward's vision was simple yet radical: quality always wins in the end.
Craftsmanship
Every Gallivant fragrance begins with exceptional materials, composed at the Art et Parfum sourcing house in Grasse, France, established by the legendary Edmond Roudnitska. The house collaborates with two accomplished perfumers: Karine Chevallier, based in Paris, and Venice-based Giorgia Navarra, protégé of Master Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour. Their compositions balance classical technique with contemporary sensibility. Raw ingredients are ethically and thoughtfully sourced, reflecting Gallivant's commitment to provenance and craft. The actual creation process is genuinely artisanal: fragrances are handcrafted in small batches in France, then hand-finished in England. This human touch ensures meticulous attention at every stage, from blending to bottling. The 30ml travel-sized flacons are practical and elegant, designed for wearers perpetually in motion. Quality over quantity remains the guiding principle, with each perfume taking the time it deserves rather than conforming to seasonal release cycles.
Design Language
The Gallivant visual identity mirrors the brand's philosophy of thoughtful exploration. Packaging features vintage-style cartographic elements, with each box adorned by a miniature map of the scent's city of inspiration. The bottle design is deliberately minimal: clean lines, understated elegance, a tactile quality that feels both modern and timeless. The compact 30ml format signals practicality without sacrificing refinement, housed in a vessel that slips effortlessly into luggage or a weekend bag. The overall aesthetic reads as chic sustainable luxury, avoiding the loud excess often associated with prestige fragrance. Branding employs a warm, vintage-inspired typographic voice that evokes travel journals and handwritten postcards. Photography and campaign imagery lean into the sensory dimensions of exploration, celebrating architecture, street scenes and fleeting moments of discovery. The brand world extends across digital and physical touchpoints with cohesive, wanderlust-tinged identity.
Philosophy
Gallivant exists to celebrate simple pleasures and the universal desire to explore. The brand translates the sensory essence of contemporary cities into wearable fragrances, capturing moments of discovery, connection and escapism. Steward describes his approach as 'slow perfumery', a deliberate rejection of fast-paced consumer culture. Each scent is designed to evoke a feeling rather than merely smell pleasant: the early summer breeze of Brooklyn, the ancient-meets-modern energy of Istanbul, the sultry shimmer of Hollywood hills. The fragrances are intentionally gender-neutral, appealing to anyone who identifies as a curious explorer. Gallivant champions mindfulness and presence, encouraging wearers to appreciate the small details and everyday beauty surrounding them. With vegan, cruelty-free formulations and sustainable practices woven throughout, the brand proves that responsible luxury can coexist with joyful indulgence.
Key Milestones
1990
Nick Steward begins his career in perfumery, working in London and Paris laboratories
2000
Steward joins L'Artisan Parfumeur as Product and Creative Director
2017
Gallivant launches in London with initial city-inspired fragrances: Brooklyn, London, Tel Aviv and Istanbul
2019
The brand expands its city collection with Amsterdam, Berlin and Tokyo
2022
Dubai parfum-extrait joins the range, marking Gallivant's first parfum-extrait concentration
2023
Los Angeles fragrance launches, introducing the 'neon floral' concept to the collection
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
United Kingdom
Founded
2017
Heritage
9
Years active
Collection
1
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
3.7
Community sentiment