What a joy it was to be asked to direct this piece celebrating 155 years of Penhaligon’s. Few brands have such a rich history and it felt like a real privilege to help bring that story to life in a playful and imaginative way.
We spent three full days on location with a small but brilliant crew who gave absolutely everything. There was so much to capture, from hand-built props to carefully designed projections, and it would not have been possible without their hard work and good humour.
The idea grew out of imagining a secret Penhaligon’s archive, with the film following an archivist uncovering treasures and stories from the past. I wanted the film to feel alive, driven by sound and rhythm, with bursts of energy and surreal moments breaking through the archive world.
At times the walls opened up into something magical: the original Penhaligon’s door revealed through layers of archival footage, a nod to where the brand began in Cornwall. The film built to a spectacular final moment as projections filled a giant canvas before it dropped to unveil a huge crate and the tag line “Eau So British”.
It was a big challenge with a huge amount to shoot in a short space of time, but it was also a lot of fun. The result is something bold, energetic and wonderfully Penhaligon’s. I am so thankful to the crew for helping turn a very ambitious idea into reality.
Director/DOP – Max Bridge
Penhaligons Head of Creative – Demetrios Gkiouzelis
Image Art Direction – Demetrios Gkiouzelis
Production Designer – Carolina Mizrahi
Production Designer Assistant – María Abad
Gaffer – Tim Johnston
Spark – Bethany Crutchfield
Camera Operator – Nicolas Di Matteo
Editor – Matt Cronin
Composer – Sonjay Prabhakar
