Corporate team guides fragrance brand through investment deal
Corporate lawyers at Thrings have completed an investment in British perfume house Perfumer H by Fable Investments, the newly created corporate venture capital arm of Brazilian cosmetics giant Natura & Co.
Founded in 2015 by perfumer Lyn Harris, Perfumer H is renowned for incorporating natural ingredients and sustainability in the core of its business.
Harris, who runs Perfumer H with her partner, Christophe Michel, previously established London-based fragrance brand and long-term Thrings client Miller Harris in the 1990s.
The investment is the first for Fable Investments, which is led by director Thomas Buisson and Michael O’Keeffe, CEO of global skin care brand Aesop - which is also owned by Natura & Co.
Perfumer H will look to increase its scale, whilst retaining the soul of its business, through its association with Aesop.
Harris’ outstanding industry reputation was a key aspect of the Perfumer H investment, with Buisson and O’Keeffe describing her as someone “who broke the mold”.
Buisson said: “We were really impressed by the dedication with which [Lyn] developed the library of fragrances and the way she managed to really combine exceptional workmanship with a sense of real creativity and have fragrance that was not trying to follow any kind of commercial trends.”
O’Keeffe added: “Lyn has built into her business model the concept of circularity and refill of the perfumes and the candles and that type of model fits really well into the wider Natura & Co. perspective.”
The Perfumer H investment was completed by Kevin McGuinness, a partner in Thrings’ Corporate team, who advised Harris, Michel and Perfumer H. He was assisted by corporate solicitor Joseph Watkins. Partner Jeremy Nixon handled the employment aspects of the deal.
Christophe Michel said: “Having worked with Kevin for many years, it felt entirely appropriate to appoint him and his team to oversee this important step for Perfumer H.
“Kevin’s expertise and commitment, combined with his approach to negotiations, were truly instrumental in getting the deal over the line.”
Kevin McGuinness added: “This investment is a critical next stage for Perfumer H and its development. I was delighted that Lyn and Christophe chose Thrings to advise, with the benefit of our 17-year relationship, and well-known expertise in high-end retail, perfume and cosmetics, and early-stage businesses.”
Photo: Tom Fallon