French independent perfume house MATIERE PREMIERE has opened its first London flagship at 31 King Street in Covent Garden. The 708 sq ft boutique, which launched on 17 February, marks the brand’s latest step in expanding its physical retail presence in the UK.
Founded in 2019, MATIERE PREMIERE is positioned around an ingredient-led approach to perfumery, focusing on a single natural material used at quantities described as ten times the industry standard. The London store reflects this philosophy through a contemporary, minimalist interior divided into two distinct spaces: one dedicated to product discovery and the other to an olfactory exploration of the house’s key ingredients, curated by founder and perfumer Aurélien Guichard.
Three of these ingredients – Rose Centifolia, Tuberose and Lavender – are grown organically by Guichard in the Grasse region. According to the brand, he is the only perfumer to cultivate his own ingredients in this way. Seasonal highlights within the store are designed to emphasise the link between finished fragrances and their primary raw materials.
“The UK is where it all began for MATIERE PREMIERE. We made our worldwide debut at Harrods in October 2019. From the outset, the collection received an exceptional response from an international clientele in London. Building on this success, we naturally expanded our presence to Selfridges, Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Brown Thomas, and other prestigious partners.
London is a retail capital that sets the bar—vibrant and demanding—an obvious choice after Paris.We explored several opportunities before finding the ideal location. Covent Garden is an iconic, lively, and chic district, where we are excited to write the next chapter of the House.”
The store was designed by Halleroed, the Swedish architect duo known for retail concepts for Acne Studios, Alaïa and Frame. The practice followed the same creative direction used for MATIERE PREMIERE’s Paris flagship on Rue Saint-Honoré, opened in June 2025, and its Berlin store on Alte Schönhauser Strasse, opened in December 2025.
Natural materials including stainless steel, wood, grey limestone, bronze and hand-blown red glass have been used throughout the interior, referencing both the rawness of ingredients and contemporary craftsmanship. The Covent Garden boutique houses the full MATIERE PREMIERE collection, including eau de parfum, extrait de parfum, hair perfume, hand and body products and the brand’s candle range.
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