The Heritage
The Story of Bentley
Bentley fragrances translate the heritage of a century-old British luxury automaker into wearable olfactory form. Founded by engineer Walter Owen Bentley in 1919, the marque built its reputation on hand-crafted performance cars featuring the finest leather and wood paneling. Bentley entered the fragrance world in 2013, launching first at Harrods before expanding across markets. The collection draws on this prestigious automotive world where interior materials become a work of art. Scents echo the brand's hallmarks: rich leather, warm woods, and aromatic spices. Thierry de Baschmakoff, a celebrated bottle designer, created the flagship flacons inspired by the cut-crystal glass headlights of the Continental GT. Over a dozen French perfumers have contributed to the collection, which has grown to include the Beyond line for women, the Lalique collaboration series, and the Momentum sub-brand.
Heritage
Walter Owen Bentley, universally known as W.O., founded his motor car company on 10th July 1919. Operating from humble beginnings on New Street Mews in London, W.O. brought an engineer's precision to automotive design. The first Bentley motor car emerged shortly after, beginning a century-long legacy of hand-crafted luxury vehicles. W.O. famously preferred to be called by his initials rather than his full name. The marque quickly became synonymous with craftsmanship, the finest materials, and high performance. Racing victories reinforced Bentley's reputation for engineering excellence. Over the following decades, Bentley refined its identity as a purveyor of grand tourers favored by those seeking both comfort and speed. The brand's interiors, featuring Connolly leather hides and hand-selected walnut or mahogany trim, set benchmarks in automotive luxury. A century after the first Bentley left that London workshop, the company introduced fragrances as a natural extension of this refined world. On 10th July 2019, Bentley marked its centenary. The fragrance division, created in collaboration with French artisan parfumiers, brought the aesthetic of Bentley's interior materials into olfactory form. Leather, wood, and aromatic elements from the car's cabin became the palette for perfumers. The collection launched at London's Harrods department store before rolling out across England in March 2013, establishing itself as a notable presence in luxury perfumery. Designers worked with the Bentley Motors design studio to ensure visual coherence between car and fragrance.
Craftsmanship
Bentley fragrances were developed through collaboration with over a dozen French perfumers, each bringing expertise from prestigious perfume houses. These included Violaine Collas, Nathalie Lorson, Michel Almairac, Mathilde Bijaoui, Karine Dubreuil-Sereni, Julie Massé, Sidonie Lancesseur, Dorothée Piot, Mylène Alran, and Fabrice Pellegrin. Nathalie Lorson created the debut Bentley for Men in 2013, working with top notes of bay leaf, black pepper, and bergamot. She also composed Bentley for Men Intense the same year, layering rum, woody notes, cinnamon, and clary sage over a base of incense, leather, and cedar. The collaboration with Lalique produced special editions featuring the crystal manufacturer's expertise in cut glass. Bottle design received as much attention as formula. Thierry de Baschmakoff, the celebrated designer behind the Absolute bottle, drew directly from automotive elements. His inspiration combined the chrome radiator cap with the flowing curves of the Continental GT. The team worked with Bentley Motors' design studio, ensuring the faceted bottles echoed the signature crystal headlights of the contemporary Continental GT. Artisan glassmakers were involved in production. Natural ingredients featured prominently, with rare materials sourced for key compositions. The brand emphasized that passion, time-honoured tradition, and elegance were distilled into every bottle. Quality processes mirrored automotive manufacturing: each component received scrutiny before final assembly.
Design Language
The visual identity of Bentley fragrances draws directly from automotive design. The flagship bottles feature faceted surfaces inspired by the cut-crystal glass headlights of the Continental GT. Thierry de Baschmakoff designed the bottle for Bentley for Men Absolute, describing the chrome radiator cap and the car's flowing curves as key influences. The design reflects the belief that elegance and power can be expressed together in a single object. Bottle proportions echo the solidity and presence of the cars themselves. The Bentley for Men line uses dark glass and substantial weight to convey luxury. Lalique collaboration bottles feature the crystal manufacturer's distinctive cut patterns. The Beyond collection for women employs softer curves while maintaining the faceted aesthetic. Packaging draws from automotive materials: gravity grey Italian leather appears on luggage sets designed to fit the Continental GT and Continental GTC boots. The color palette centers on deep blacks, warm ambers, and silver tones. Typography uses clean sans-serif fonts that echo automotive badging. Point-of-sale materials feature the same materials found in the cars, blurring the line between fragrance boutique and showroom. The overall image positions Bentley fragrances as accessories for the driver rather than standalone luxury items.
Philosophy
Bentley approached fragrance as an extension of its existing identity rather than a departure from it. The brand drew inspiration from the rare natural ingredients found in luxury perfumery, applying the same exacting standards used in automotive manufacturing. Each fragrance had to embody the virtues of the car company: excellence, craftsmanship, and attention to detail. The collection was developed with the belief that elegance and power could coexist in a single design. Bottle designer Thierry de Baschmakoff explained that the inspiration behind Bentley for Men Absolute came partly from the chrome radiator cap and partly from the curves of the car itself, reflecting how design elements translate across disciplines. The team called on perfumers from French perfume houses, bringing traditional French craft to British luxury. Rather than creating purely masculine or feminine scents, the collection balanced masculine and feminine elements, particularly in the Beyond line which launched for women. Materials mattered enormously: the brand emphasized sourcing and formulation over marketing language. Collaboration with skilled glassmakers ensured the exterior matched the quality of the juice within. The philosophy extended to how the fragrances were experienced. Scents were designed to evoke the sensory world inside a Bentley, where leather seats, polished wood, and subtle aftershave combine into a distinctive atmosphere.
Key Milestones
1919
Walter Owen Bentley (W.O.) founded the Bentley Motor Car Company on 10th July in London
2013
First Bentley fragrance Bentley for Men launched by perfumer Nathalie Lorson, exclusively at Harrods, London
2013
Bentley for Men Intense released, also composed by Nathalie Lorson
2014
Bentley for Men Absolute launched with bottle designed by Thierry de Baschmakoff
2017
Lalique for Bentley Black Crystal Edition released as part of ongoing Lalique partnership
2018
Bentley for Men Black Edition expanded the core men's collection
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
United Kingdom
Founded
1919
Heritage
107
Years active
Collection
1
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
4.1
Community sentiment