Heeley

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History of the house

Heeley was founded in Paris by British designer James Heeley. ELLE Belgique reports he has been developing scents since 2004. The brand also goes by Heeley Parfums or James Heeley, and the Kafkaesque blog still linked to its former site, jamesheeley.com, in 2013.

He did not train at a perfumery school. ELLE Belgique recounts that he studied philosophy and law in London (United Kingdom), then moved to Paris at 26 without speaking French. There he learned graphic design, which he says changed his life.

Design came next. He made zinc roofing vases for a leading French florist, and met Annick Goutal, who in turn worked with them. He had always had “cette folle idée de faire un parfum” [this crazy idea of making a perfume], he told ELLE Belgique.

Self-taught, he found a small laboratory near Grasse (France) willing to let him in. His first scent, ELLE Belgique writes, was Menthe Fraîche, built on a fresh mint base that the magazine calls very English.

In May 2006, Now Smell This described James Heeley as a British designer living in Paris, best known for his vases. His range then held five eaux de parfum, including Eau de Figuier. In November 2006 came Cuir Pleine Fleur, Esprit du Tigre and Cardinal.

The catalog grew almost every year. Sel Marin followed in 2008, Ophélia in 2009 and a trio of extraits in 2012. In 2014, Vetiver Veritas opened a 100% natural collection. In 2017, Note de Yuzu was created with fashion and music label Maison Kitsuné.

In 2016, ELLE Belgique reported that James Heeley had left Paris for Brussels (Belgium), with sixteen scents developed since 2004. Launches have continued: Rose Aria and Athenean in 2021, Cologne Officinale in 2023 and Pomelo Crush in 2025.

Boutique and ownership

The Heeley boutique is at 34 Galerie Montpensier, in the Palais-Royal gardens, 75001 Paris (France). The house points to a list of retailers for the rest of the world. As of 6 November 2026, Osmetheca found no reported acquisition of the brand.

The collections

Heeley organizes its catalog by concentration rather than by named collections. The site separates eaux de parfum, extraits de parfum, candles and a design section, a legacy of the founder’s first trade.

Eaux de parfum

As of 6 November 2026, the Eau de Parfum page lists seventeen references. The house says they are made in France by traditional methods and suit both women and men. They include Cardinal, Sel Marin, Menthe Fraîche, Iris de Nuit, Esprit du Tigre, Hippie Rose, L’Amandière, Note de Yuzu, Athenean and Pomelo Crush.

Extraits de parfum

The Extrait de Parfum page lists seven references, made in France from rare materials, the house says: Agarwoud, Bubblegum Chic, Bubblegum Chic Pink, Chypre 21, Eau Sacrée, Phoenician Leather and Rose Aria. The first extrait trio, Bubblegum Chic, L’Amandière and Agarwoud, was announced by Now Smell This in January 2012.

Vetiver Veritas and naturals

In May 2014, Now Smell This announced Vetiver Veritas as the first scent in a new 100% natural collection. It remains in the eau de parfum range, in a 50 ml size.

Candles and design

The house also sells scented candles and design objects. Now Smell This noted in 2006 that James Heeley designed vases, furniture and home accessories before turning to scent.

Notable perfumes

The Heeley catalog reads best by launch date, which Now Smell This has tracked since 2006. The house’s product pages name no perfumer. The only published credit besides the founder is Marion Fabre for Ophélia. Heeley perfumes do not yet have entries on Osmetheca.

Olfactory signature

The Heeley signature is designer perfumery: legible and often fresh. The range runs from mint and citrus (Menthe Fraîche, Note de Yuzu, Pomelo Crush) to sea salt (Sel Marin), iris (Iris de Nuit) and church incense (Cardinal, Eau Sacrée).

Every product page gives a three-tier pyramid, followed by two portraits marked ♂ and ♀. Cardinal conjures “an immaculate young priest”. Sel Marin nods to Jacques Mayol in The Big Blue, and Menthe Fraîche to Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.

ELLE Belgique credits James Heeley with unexpected pairings and no sugary or heady scents. His perfumes are unisex because, he says, gender labels make no sense. In 2006, Now Smell This compared Cardinal with Comme des Garçons Avignon, finding it brighter.

“Le graphisme est lié à l’architecture, et à la mode. Le monde a commencé à faire sens : j’ai senti que tout était imbriqué.” [Graphic design is linked to architecture and to fashion. The world began to make sense: I felt everything was interwoven.] James Heeley, ELLE Belgique, 5 September 2016.

Key characteristics

Frequently asked questions

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