Article: Maison Crivelli: Perfume as a Shock to the Senses
Maison Crivelli: Perfume as a Shock to the Senses
A cup of hibiscus tea in the middle of a gemstone market. Scorched sandalwood on the slopes of a volcano. Oud wood in the air at a horse race. This is how a perfume begins at Maison Crivelli: not with a fragrance pyramid, but with a moment in which a raw material meets you unexpectedly. The Paris house was founded in 2018 and, according to the trade press, is now available in 67 countries. Who is behind Maison Crivelli, what does the house mean by “Chocs olfactifs” – and which fragrance should you start with?
- Who: Maison Crivelli was founded in Paris in 2018 by Thibaud Crivelli, who had previously spent around ten years in Asia working for the fragrance divisions of major luxury houses. The house is still independent today.
- The idea: every fragrance tells of an unexpected sensory encounter with a raw material. Hence names like Santal Volcanique or Oud Stallion.
- The perfumers: big names such as Quentin Bisch, Jordi Fernández, Bertrand Duchaufour and Nathalie Feisthauer.
- Where to start: Hibiscus Mahajád, the house bestseller, or Oud Maracujá for a fruity oud.
Who is behind Maison Crivelli?
Thibaud Crivelli was born in Paris and grew up between central France and Provence. According to the brand, even as a child he had an unusual connection with nature in its raw state. Travel runs in the family: for more than 150 years, Maison Crivelli says, it has moved around the world, with stops in Lebanon, Australia, Morocco, Vietnam and the Indian Ocean.
In 2006 Crivelli moved to China and spent more than ten years in various Asian countries. According to Journal du Luxe, he worked there for the fragrance divisions of Givenchy, Dior and Guerlain, mainly in travel retail. Along the way he discovered the plantations where perfume raw materials grow. And since his father, a pharmacist, had built his own cosmetics line, the idea of his own house was never foreign to him. In 2018 the time had come.
The founderThibaud Crivelli
Born in Paris, more than ten years in Asia, previously in the perfume business of major luxury houses. He collects the encounters from which the fragrances are born – and deliberately keeps the places secret.
An ensemble instead of an in-house perfumer
Maison Crivelli works with changing perfumers, including (according to Fragrantica):
- Quentin Bisch: Hibiscus Mahajád, Patchouli Magnetik, Tubéreuse Astrale, Tobacco Carnaval
- Jordi Fernández: Oud Maracujá, Oud Stallion, Cuir Infrarouge
- Richard Ibanez: Santal Volcanique
- Nathalie Feisthauer: Lys Sølaberg, Absinthe Boréale
- Leslie Girard: Papyrus Moléculaire
- Marc Zini: Iris Malikhân
What are Maison Crivelli's “Chocs olfactifs”?
The house principle can be summed up in one sentence: every fragrance begins with an unexpected encounter with a raw material. Crivelli told Everfumed magazine that he briefs his perfumers with stories and mood boards and does not reveal the exact places. He himself speaks of “slow perfume”: fragrances that are allowed to take their time.
The result is names that sound like little short stories. A raw material meets a place or a feeling you would not expect: sandalwood on a volcano, patchouli in a tropical storm, lily under the midnight sun. The collections have fitting names: Chocs Olfactifs, Mystères Olfactifs, Évasions Olfactives and Expériences Olfactives. The motto on the website: “Proposer l’inattendu à chaque étape” – offering the unexpected at every step.
According to Journal du Luxe, Maison Crivelli launched in 2018 with four fragrances by four perfumers: Dorothée Piot, Stéphanie Bakouche, Richard Ibanez and Bertrand Duchaufour. At first they were available exclusively at the Paris department store Le Bon Marché.
Which Maison Crivelli fragrances are the best?
With us you will find around twenty fragrances from the house, as Eau de Parfum and as Extrait de Parfum. We explain how the two concentrations differ in Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum or Extrait. Here are the favourites of the Fragrantica community and the stories behind them:
| Fragrance | The encounter | Perfumer | Fragrantica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hibiscus Mahajád (2021) | Hibiscus tea at a gemstone market | Quentin Bisch | 4.16 / 5 (6,134 votes) |
| Oud Maracujá (2023) | Passion fruit in remote oud forests | Jordi Fernández | 4.17 / 5 (5,922 votes) |
| Iris Malikhân (2020) | Iris in a wild landscape, dry sandy winds, emerald reflections | Marc Zini | 4.02 / 5 (2,367 votes) |
| Tubéreuse Astrale (2024) | Tuberoses under the Milky Way and shooting stars | Quentin Bisch | 4.05 / 5 (2,280 votes) |
| Oud Stallion (2023) | Oud wood at a horse race | Jordi Fernández | 4.19 / 5 (1,284 votes) |
| Santal Volcanique (2018) | Scorched sandalwood on a volcano slope at 3,700 metres | Richard Ibanez | 3.79 / 5 (1,049 votes) |
Stories according to Maison Crivelli; perfumers, years and ratings according to Fragrantica, as of 19 October 2026.
Hibiscus MahajádExtrait · fruity, floralfrom €200
Oud MaracujáExtrait · fruity oudfrom €215
Oud Stallionspicy, leathery, woodyfrom €215
Tobacco CarnavalExtrait · new in 2026from €215
Prices from the 4D OUTFITTERS web shop, as of 19 October 2026. The prices shown are updated automatically from the shop.
Hibiscus Mahajád: the bestseller
According to Premium Beauty News, Hibiscus Mahajád accounts for around 40 per cent of the house's sales. Quentin Bisch combined the tart, fruity hibiscus flower with Damask rose, cassis, a hint of peppermint and cinnamon, over leather, vanilla and ambrette. A fragrance like a gemstone: red, sparkling, warming. Curious how else Quentin Bisch works? He also created Fleur Narcotique for Ex Nihilo – more in our portrait of Ex Nihilo.
Oud Maracujá and Oud Stallion: oud, but different
Premium Beauty News calls Oud Maracujá the first fruity oud. Jordi Fernández combines passion fruit with saffron, rose, oud, patchouli, leather and vanilla. His Oud Stallion is spicier: saffron, cardamom and nutmeg open, jasmine, osmanthus and rose form the heart, and oud, leather, cedar, patchouli and tonka lie beneath. With 4.19 out of 5, it is one of the house's best-rated fragrances.
Tobacco Carnaval: the novelty for autumn
The second fragrance in the Mystères Olfactifs was created in 2026 with Quentin Bisch and is an Extrait with 32 per cent perfume oil. The encounter: a carnival night, tobacco leaves and rum. The house does not reveal the exact ingredients – hence “Mystère”. If you love tobacco, our comparison Tobacco Memories or Extrait? offers another lead.
Santal Volcanique, Papyrus Moléculaire and Iris Malikhân: the Eaux de Parfum
Santal Volcanique is one of the house's very first fragrances: sandalwood with ginger, lime, cardamom, coffee and ylang. Papyrus Moléculaire by Leslie Girard tells of a chance encounter with women smoking cigarillos, with papyrus, coriander, elemi, frankincense and tobacco. And Iris Malikhân by Marc Zini combines iris with mimosa, galbanum, mastic, leather and vanilla. All three are also available from us in 30 ml, ideal for getting to know them.
Where can you find Maison Crivelli?
From its start at Le Bon Marché, the house has grown into a worldwide network. According to Premium Beauty News, Maison Crivelli employs around 130 people, is represented at 822 points of sale in 67 countries and increased its sales by 125 per cent in 2025. Its largest market is the UK. In September 2026 the house opened its first own boutique at 314 rue Saint-Honoré in Paris: cream tones, consultations and a notebook for scent impressions downstairs, a private salon with sensory boxes and its own music for every fragrance upstairs. Signature colour: terracotta. And on Lake Constance? You will find Maison Crivelli with us in Bregenz.
Curiosities about Maison Crivelli
What lies behind the moments of surprise
- Secret places
Thibaud Crivelli does not reveal where he encountered his raw materials. The perfumers receive a story and a mood board, not coordinates.
- One fragrance for almost half
According to Premium Beauty News, Hibiscus Mahajád alone accounts for around 40 per cent of sales.
- Sandalwood at 3,700 metres
According to Fragrantica, Santal Volcanique tells of scorched sandalwood on a volcano slope at an altitude of 3,700 metres.
- A motorbike in a tropical storm
Patchouli Magnetik was born from the memory of a motorbike ride through patchouli fields in a tropical storm.
- No plastic
According to Journal du Luxe, the bottles are made in France and the boxes are handmade from FSC-certified Italian paper, entirely without plastic.
- A family on five continents
According to the brand, the three generations before Thibaud Crivelli lived on five continents. Wanderlust is a family tradition here.
- Founded: 2018 in Paris by Thibaud Crivelli, still in his independent ownership today.
- Collections: Chocs Olfactifs, Mystères Olfactifs, Évasions Olfactives (Ouds and Muscs) and Expériences Olfactives.
- Extraits: according to Fragrantica, Patchouli Magnetik contains 33 per cent perfume oil, Tubéreuse Astrale and Tobacco Carnaval 32 per cent.
- Naturals: according to Fragrantica, several fragrances use naturals from Givaudan's ORPUR range.
- Parfumo: there, the brand averages 7.4 out of 10 across more than 11,000 ratings (as of 19 October 2026).
Frequently asked questions about Maison Crivelli
Where is Maison Crivelli from?
Maison Crivelli is an independent niche perfume house from Paris, founded in 2018 by Thibaud Crivelli. Since September 2026 it has had its own boutique on rue Saint-Honoré.
What is Maison Crivelli's best-known fragrance?
Hibiscus Mahajád by Quentin Bisch. According to the trade press, it accounts for around 40 per cent of sales and has more than 6,000 ratings on Fragrantica.
What does “Chocs olfactifs” mean?
“Chocs olfactifs” translates as “olfactory shocks”. Every Maison Crivelli fragrance tells of an unexpected encounter with a raw material, such as sandalwood on a volcano or oud at a horse race.
Which perfumers work for Maison Crivelli?
Among others, Quentin Bisch, Jordi Fernández, Richard Ibanez, Bertrand Duchaufour, Nathalie Feisthauer, Leslie Girard and Marc Zini.
Is Maison Crivelli available in small sizes?
Yes. Eaux de Parfum such as Santal Volcanique, Papyrus Moléculaire or Iris Malikhân are also available from us in 30 ml, and many Extraits such as Hibiscus Mahajád in 50 ml and 100 ml.
Can I test Maison Crivelli before buying?
Yes. With every fragrance order from 4D OUTFITTERS you receive a sample of the fragrance you ordered, and via the order note you can choose up to four more free samples. Or you can test the fragrances in our boutique in Bregenz.
Smell first, then fall in love
A house that lives on surprises is best discovered for yourself. We add a sample of exactly the fragrance you ordered to every fragrance order, so you can get to know it before opening the bottle. Via the order note in your cart, you can also ask for up to four more free samples, for example Hibiscus Mahajád, Oud Maracujá, Oud Stallion and Tobacco Carnaval for your own Crivelli journey. We ship free of charge from €200.
Or come to our boutique in Bregenz and experience the whole Maison Crivelli collection with your nose. In the mood for more autumn fragrances? Then read our gourmand fragrances for autumn and winter.
Your 4D OUTFITTERS team, Bregenz
Sources: Maison Crivelli – Le Fondateur · Maison Crivelli – Philosophie · Premium Beauty News · Journal du Luxe · Everfumed · Fragrantica · Fragrantica News · Parfumo
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