Much has changed since the House of Creed first began creating perfumes from exotic flowers plucked from distant soils. There was that little revolution in France. Then Napoleon III passed on, as did Empress Eugenie, Queen Victoria, the Kings George (III and IV) and the Shah of Iran—all of whom, in their time, wore custom-blended scents from the 239-year-old Paris perfumery.

So how does a fragrance maker with a royal bent stay afloat in these egalitarian times? Head to Hollywood, of course. For stars such as Quincy Jones and Madonna, Olivier Creed, 55, has the scents that make sense. The sixth Creed to run the family-owned company, he has introduced 30 of the firm's 238 fragrances to the U.S.; sales have more than doubled in the past 12 months. "People are coming back to a certain concept of perfume," says Creed, who micromanages everything from petals to packaging. "They want it to be something more personal, more emotional."

It doesn't get more personal than at Creed's, where the retail line, which sells for up to $350 for a 16-oz. bottle at Barneys and Neiman Marcus, is only part of the picture. For an additional $2,500 to $20,000 per liter (depending on ingredients), Creed custom-blends fragrances for select clients. "I meet with a customer three times to discover their tastes," says Creed, who throws in airfare and luxury accommodations in Paris, "then I suggest different scents to reveal their expectations."

In return, custom clients—among them Julia Roberts, Sharon Stone and Harrison Ford—agree to buy at least 10 liters and lend their names to the brews, which, after five years, become the property of Creed. If past is prelude, the personalized potions could be marketed for centuries. Established in 1760 by James Henry Creed and passed from father to son, the perfumery's traditions have survived everything from revolution to Rev-Ion. "All our odors are very natural," says Creed, who uses ingredients such as Indian sandalwood, Moroccan jasmine and citrus from Sicily.

Hollywood got wind of the line in the '50s, when Cary Grant (a Green Irish Tweed fan), Frank Sinatra (Bois du Portugal) and Jacqueline Kennedy (Fleurissimo) began stocking up. But Olivier was the first Creed to hawk the family wares across the Atlantic.

Raised in Paris, he began blending scents for his father at age 14. After training as a painter at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, he joined the company full-time at age 20. "He is very daring, very audacious," says Laurice Rahmé, Creed's New York-based president. "And like Picasso he needs to create." Also like Picasso, his chosen work provides Creed a lifestyle to rival his clients'. Recently divorced from his wife of 23 years, Fabienne, 44, Creed, a fan of golf, motorcycles and Bordeaux wines, divides his time between homes in Geneva and Paris. His children, Olivia, 21, and Erwin, 18, both work in the company. But keeping with family tradition, it is Erwin who will take over the line. "He shows a talent for it and an interest," says Creed, "and he has ideas. It's ideas that count."

Anne-Marie O'Neill
Claire Wilson in Paris and Julia Campbell in New York City