Clive Christian, (born 12 July 1951) is a British designer best known for his designer kitchens and his creation of Clive Christian No. 1, the world's most expensive perfume.

Early life

The eldest of four children born to a biochemist father and an artist mother, Christian was born in

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

, Scotland and raised and educated in

Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county t ...

, England. Upon leaving college, he embarked on a career as a

freelance ''Freelance'' (sometimes spelled ''free-lance'' or ''free lance''), ''freelancer'', or ''freelance worker'', are terms commonly used for a person who is self-employed and not necessarily committed to a particular employer long-term. Freelance w ...

interior designer Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. An interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordina ...

. He founded his first eponymous business, Clive Christian Furniture, in 1978, and his second, Clive Christian Perfume, in 1999. Clive has three daughters, the eldest, Victoria Christian, serves as Brand Ambassador for Clive Christian Perfume and The Officer of British Excellence.

Business

Clive Christian Furniture
was founded in 1978 when Christian bought a manor house in Cheshire built in the late 19th century and began to renovate it with

bespoke The word ''bespoke'' () has evolved from a verb meaning 'to speak for something', to its contemporary usage as an adjective. Originally, the adjective ''bespoke'' described tailor-made suits and shoes. Later, it described anything commissioned t ...

furniture. The first design released was his Victorian Kitchen. When demand for his designs increased he bought a factory and started to create personal designs for his customers. The range has since been enlarged to cater to every room in the house, from the bedroom to the media/games room. In 1999 he purchased the Crown Perfumery Company and established Clive Christian Perfume. The perfumery is unique in that it bears the crown of Queen Victoria as granted in 1872 and had been the perfumery of the Royal Victorian court. In 2019, Clive Christian OBE launched The Officer of British Excellence (www.TheOfficer.com) a directory specialising in Property and Interiors, sourcing off market property in prime Central London and prestigious country estates for residential and investment interests and curating his signature 'chandelier interiors' within these properties using the craftsmen, artisans and specialists he has relied upon throughout his career spanning 50 years.

Honours

Christian was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the 2012 New Year Honours for services to the luxury goods industry.

References

https://www.thewalpole.co.uk/news/lifes-work-clive-christian-obe-creative-director-clive-christian-holdings-ltd My Life's Work , Clive Christian OBE https://robbreport.co.uk/gear/robb-recommends-the-officer-chandeliers-2805230/ Robb Recommends: The Officer Chandeliers A purveyor of the finest - and the most expensive - chandeliers on the planet. https://mayfairtimes.co.uk/2021/03/the-officer/ The Officer • Mayfair Times 1951 births Living people British furniture designers People from Dundee Officers of the Order of the British Empire {{UK-artist-stub