Australian storytelling through scent that’s interesting and irreverent.
Craig Andrade
The Embassy, in the Sydney suburb of Paddington, is a perfumery where visitors can discover Australian plants through all five senses. It was created by Craig Andrade, the founder and perfumer behind The Raconteur. Rather than simply arranging bottles on shelves, he made a space surrounded by wood and plants that encourages curiosity about the landscapes where the fragrances began.
How the Store Began
After many years working as a lawyer, Andrade studied perfumery in Grasse, France. A turning point came when he realized how few Australian ingredients were covered in class. Plants he already knew held possibilities that were still unfamiliar to the wider perfume world.
The Raconteur grew out of that discovery, developing fragrances with Australian botanicals. The Embassy opened in Paddington in 2021, becoming a place to try the scents and learn about their ingredients and the places they come from.
The Thinking Behind the Store
Before the Fragrance Comes the Story
Andrade does not begin by assembling his favorite materials. He first decides what he wants to communicate, then chooses the ingredients the idea requires.
Always concept first.
Craig Andrade
Dirty Gold Digger, for example, takes its inspiration from the nineteenth-century gold rush in Victoria. It connects the adventures of the prospectors with the distillation of eucalyptus oil that began during the same period. The subject of a fragrance can include not only a plant’s name, but also what people have done in the landscape where it grows.
He also hopes that people choosing a perfume will enjoy experimenting with the seasons and their moods, rather than confining themselves to a single scent. Learning about the plants at The Embassy can be an invitation to try an unfamiliar fragrance.
Handling Ingredients and Learning How Fragrance Is Made
Since its early days, The Embassy has offered perfumery workshops in its courtyard. Andrade envisions an experience that introduces visitors to aspects of the raw materials they could not discover simply by smelling a finished perfume.
You can touch and smell the raw ingredients
Craig Andrade
The masterclasses currently described by the brand include smelling essential oils and absolutes, learning about perfume structure and blending, and making an eau de parfum of your own. They cover raw materials from around the world as well as Australian botanicals. Dates are announced separately, so attending a class needs to be planned independently of an ordinary visit to the store.
Stores to Visit
The Embassy in Sydney
Inside, reclaimed river gum trunks serve as perfume displays. Greg Hatton polished them and capped them with brass. Beeswax bowls handmade by Andrade were also used as lampshades. Plants are part of the space not only as fragrance ingredients, but also as materials for furniture and lighting.
Alongside perfumes, this William Street store has presented candles and skincare products. Its approach places fragrance alongside touch and everyday life rather than treating it in isolation. The official store page also offers a playlist, allowing visitors to get a sense of its atmosphere through music.
