J. Wright Globemaker x Penhaligon’s

When Penhaligon’s invited me to create a bespoke globe celebrating the world of perfumery, it was a fantastic opportunity to blend cartography with fragrance, crafting a celestial-inspired piece that tells a story through scent. Inspired by the botanicals found in Halfeti, AlUla, and the Trade Routes collection, I mapped over five thousand stars in eighty-eight major constellations, transforming them into new patterns. Among them are nods to Penhaligon’s heritage, including a constellation dedicated to William Penhaligon himself—and a hidden hot-air balloon for keen-eyed explorers.

Bringing this vision to life involved intricate hand-drawn illustrations, which were digitally refined and shaped into gores before being carefully applied to the globe’s surface. Layers of watercolour allude to the complexities of the cosmos and illuminate the Milky Way. The stand, inspired by Victorian globe traditions, is crafted from English oak, ensuring the finished globe is both a navigation tool and a tribute to the global journey of perfumery.

This collaboration was a joy, blending craftsmanship, history, and the evocative power of perfume into a single piece. Just as globes chart the observable world, this one maps an olfactory landscape, guiding us through the rare and exquisite ingredients that define Penhaligon’s fragrances.