The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lucky Charm landed in 2022 as part of Welton London's Talisman collection. Julie Pluchet worked under John-Paul Welton's artistic direction to create something that earned its name: a fragrance that draws people in rather than pushing them away. The brief, if there was one, seems to have been simple. Build something warm, build something memorable, build something that works when you need it to work. No hedging, no restraint, the Extrait concentration means this was never going to whisper. The result is a scent that opens with bright, resinous energy before settling into something deeper and more intimate. There's an immediacy to the top notes, a citrusy-pine quality from the elemi that cuts through cleanly, followed by cardamom's aromatic warmth.
What makes Lucky Charm structurally interesting is how the heart and base conspire to outlast the opening. Elemi and cardamom arrive together, citrusy, aromatic, immediately engaging, but the shisha tobacco isn't far behind. Where most fragrances hand off from heart to base, Lucky Charm blurs the line. The tobacco note carries a sweetness and smokiness that bridges both phases, creating a sense of continuous development rather than distinct transitions. Kashmir Wood adds depth without weight, while nutmeg provides the warm spice that keeps the composition grounded.
The evolution
Elemi opens bright, resinous, almost citrus-forward. Cardamom arrives to add aromatic warmth, not sharp, not cold, just immediate presence. The frankincense is there too, but it behaves. It adds smoke rather than dominating. As the top notes begin their handover to the heart, shisha tobacco slides in smoothly, sweet and smoky, and suddenly Lucky Charm feels less like a fragrance and more like a space you've walked into. The nutmeg and Kashmir Wood deepen the composition without adding weight. This is the phase that lasts, the heart of the fragrance where tobacco's sweetness and the warm spice of nutmeg create something enveloping and dense. The base notes arrive gradually: sandalwood's milky warmth first, then cedar's dry woody structure, labdanum's resin anchoring everything beneath. As the fragrance settles, it becomes close to skin, intimate, powdery-woody, still present.
Cultural impact
Lucky Charm arrived in 2022 as part of Welton London's broader Talisman collection. The fragrance features shisha tobacco, a hookah-inspired material with sweet, aromatic qualities that bring a distinctive character to the composition. Perfumer Julie Pluchet's choice of this material adds depth and complexity to the heart of the fragrance, creating something that stands apart from more conventional tobacco notes. The use of such a material reflects a willingness to explore unconventional directions, drawing on influences that might not typically appear in Western perfume compositions.
The House
Welton LondonWelton London is a London-based niche fragrance house founded by John-Paul Welton, who began working with scents in the early 2000s before establishing the brand as a dedicated perfume house in 2012. The house produces concentrated fragrances for both men and women, with a portfolio that includes Eau de Parfum, Eau de Toilette, and Extrait de Parfum concentrations. The collection features distinctive scent profiles ranging from rose and chypre compositions to amber, oud, and tea-inspired accords. Notable releases include Singuliere Rose Chypree (2013), Secret Amber in multiple concentrations (2013, 2017), Keemun and Ryokucha tea-inspired fragrances (2020), L'Amour Absolu and Lucky Charm extraits (2022), and more recent expressions like Mystique Myrrhe and Imperial Leather (2024). The brand also produces home fragrance products including scented candles and diffusers.
The Creator
Julie PluchetThe hallmark of Pluchet's work is balance achieved through contrast. She reaches for classical architecture in her compositions, then introduces a contemporary tension that keeps the fragrance feeling alive.
