Miller Harris Perfume & Cologne

There aren't many women who formally train as a perfumer. Fascinated by fragrance from a young age, Lyn Miller did. She spent five years in an elite Paris perfume school, and then at Robertet in Grasse before returning to the United Kingdom. As a perfume designer, she specialized in bespoke perfumes when no one else did. In 2000, this led to the opening of the luxury fragrance house, Miller Harris, named using her father's middle and last names.

Upstairs at its first Needham Road store, the company's four classic fragrances were offered for sale to the public: Fleur Oriental, Coeur de Fleur, Citron Citron and Terre de Bois. Miller used the downstairs to meet with clients and design individualized fragrances.

In its first two years, there was a waiting list a year long for Miller's bespoke perfumes. She insists on the finest quality materials, carefully selecting her ingredients from different regions. Interviews with a client allow Miller to determine the theme and style her work will take. It then requires weeks to develop and test a new scent. Once accepted by the client, the fragrance can be adapted to a variety of products, including candles, body creams and bath oils.

Miller Harris still sells its four classics and has added regularly to the offerings. This allows for customers that might not be able to afford one of the designer house's bespoke perfume to still experience Lyn Miller's unique talent.