The beginnings of Ormonde Jayne are far from glamorous, started almost by chance, and at the time little more than the passionate hobby of an uncompromising perfectionist.
Linda’s interest in perfumery started as a teenager, intrigued by the passion and romance of perfume and perfume bottles. This passion led Linda to her first career, growing and selling flowers by the roadside outside their Cheshire family home. Linda also learnt to make scented candles and bathing oils from craft sets and courses, and created beautiful scented cushions for birthday and Christmas presents.
The following fourteen years were spent travelling and working around the world. With a keen business sense and an eye for detail, Linda gained valuable experience working in South America, Africa and the Far East, owning and running a boutique hotel, a soya bean farm and even a small chain of ice cream parlours where she created her own exotic ice cream mixtures.
It was in these fantastic locations, surrounded by the luscious flora and intoxicated by heady scents, that Linda first learnt to appreciate and research exotic oils and essences - an extension of her childhood hobbies.
On returning home Linda continued with her love of scent but now adding both her understanding of the exotic and of business. Linda began creating a breathtaking new collection of scents which was shown at a London trade show and for two consecutive years, she was awarded the first prize for style and innovation.
When later asked to create ‘the perfect scented candle’ for Chanel, Linda rose to the challenge. It wasn’t long before her inspirational vision thrust Linda into the limelight. Spurred on by her own demanding standards, Ormonde Jayne’s breathtaking perfume range was born.
Linda is the founder and creative force of Ormonde Jayne. Over the years she has garnered enough expertise to be able to conceive her perfumes. In a working relationship and friendship that spans 12 years, Linda has collaborated with perfumer Geza Schoen on the final technicalities that help to bring life to her exquisite perfumes.
Each Ormonde Jayne product having been passionately created by Linda, with the collaboration of Geza, is then bottled and packaged by hand at her London studio.
The Ormonde Jayne perfumery opened on 30th November 2001 in London’s Old Bond Street. The initial launch was followed by a second boutique in Sloane Square, a prestigious counter at Harrods, the launch of ormondejayne.com and growing international distribution.
Ormonde Jayne maintains an exclusive clientele for Linda’s exquisite scents and she is always working on bespoke perfumes and private commissions.
“In creating Ormonde Jayne, my goal was to combine elements which I consider define true elegance: The quality of English craftsmanship, the art of French perfumery and the sensuality and natural harmony of the Orient. My aim is to be at the cutting edge of creativity, defying convention in the world of scent”.