To celebrate our partnership with Noble Isle, a British-based fragrance, bath and body brand with sustainability as its heart, we’re delighted to speak with brand’s founder, Katy Simpson, to find out more about what inspires her.
Noble Isle’s fresh, botanical fragrance reminiscent of a classic English garden greenhouse can be can be found in a selection of Hand Picked Hotels across the UK. Refillable bottles of Noble Isle’s luxury shampoo, conditioner, hand wash, hand lotion, shower gel and body lotion are made from 50% recycled plastic.
What’s been your favourite memory at Noble Isle to date?
One of my favourite memories at Noble Isle is actually one from the beginning. It was four weeks until the launch and we invited press and media to The Langham hotel where we had rented two suites which we had dressed up with products and flowers. In one of the luxurious bathrooms looking over the glorious views of the London skyline, was a large British roll top bath. We filled the bathtub with an abundant number of flowers to resemble our Coat of Balms. It was stunningly beautiful. At the time, I remember thinking about the journey we were about to embark on and now, I often look back at this time and think how far we’ve come.
How do you create and name your fragrances?
Each fragrance is something that I hold very dear to me and has a moment or place in my life. When I start the journey of creating a fragrance, I always try to recreate a whole experience rather than just a physical thing. I think that’s what makes Noble Isle different. Of course, they must also be quintessentially British!
New to our collection is The Greenhouse and the fragrance has been in my mind for over a decade. I have always loved the smell of fresh, earthy tomato leaves. Many years ago, I had a lovely old stone house in Oxfordshire with a beautiful walled garden full of fruit trees, a vegetable patch and a greenhouse. I remember the first summer I was there, walking through the garden and picking up all the summer scents from the flowers, then opening the door to the greenhouse and the warm aroma of cucumbers and tomato leaf wafted out blending with the summer breeze. It was a magical moment and the aroma was captured in my head forever.
When it comes to naming, I allow the fragrance to speak for itself and the working / development name, nine times out of ten, actually becomes the final product name.
If you could only use one Noble Isle fragrance for a year, which one would you choose?
My long-term favourite scent is Willow Song, I adore the fresh, green notes blended with delicate white florals, with deep woods in the base notes. It is sophisticated, complex and changes with time as the wood notes develop on the skin. I use Willow Song all around my house and especially in my hallway, where it is like having fresh flowers at the door.
What is the perfect ‘travel friendly’ product Noble Isle offers?
I am passionate about designing gift sets and dressing them up with beautiful ribbons, so I would recommend one of our many Gift Sets. We offer the 250ml collections in 30ml and 75ml – which are perfect for sampling different fragrances or packing Noble Isle for a weekend away. We have a full travel essentials section on our website now as these gift sets are proving very popular.
Why is Noble Isle the perfect brand for hotels and how does it resonate with guests?
At Noble Isle we create everything with real perfume, with top, heart and base notes. We are firm believers in the power of fragrance to conjure up memories of places, people and moments in time. We create memories through fragrance for our customers which is perfect synergy with hotels as this is exactly what you do, with the rooms, the grounds, the service, the food – it’s a whole package and we complete that. We give guests that little something they can take home and remember their lovely weekend away every time they use our products.
How important has the Noble Isle sustainable journey been for you as a business?
Sustainability is crucial to any business and it’s something many people have taken for granted for years. For us, we noticed a real shift in the market about six years ago, when all hotels had to have certain initiatives in place in order to meet sustainability standards that their customers were also seeking.
It’s important. As businesses we should set examples and go higher than industry standards. We will continue to strive forward in creating a more sustainable company.
Which is your favourite Hand Picked Hotel and why?
Fawsley Hall has to be one of my favourites. I love the Tudor architecture and think it looks absolutely stunning. I love the way the heritage of the building and modern-day luxury and hospitality have seamlessly combined to great such a magnificent hotel.
