A Parisian by way of England, James Heely's background is in furniture design. A fascination with floral design (planters and vases) led to an introduction to perfumer Annick Goutal, which in turn inspired him to try his hand at scent design. He arrived on the scene in 2006 with the release of his first scent, Figuier, and has been producing unique, challenging scents ever since. His is one of the few remaining owner-designed perfume houses in Europe, which allows for top-to-bottom brand cohesion. Even the package design is handled by Heely, and is as innovative as his fragrances. His packaging is meant to function as a vase once the scent's bottle is removed—a nod to his past life as a furniture designer.