LONDON — Paddington Bear has certainly done well for himself. Having arrived in England as a stowaway with a marmalade sandwich tucked under his red hat, he’s now part of Britain’s cultural fabric, a film star, and a loyal friend of the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Most recently, he has inspired a citrusy, limited-edition Orange Marmalade cologne by Jo Malone London, a mix of warm woody notes and orange zest.
In an interview, Celine Roux, Jo Malone London’s head of Fragrance, said she wanted the cologne to balance the bitterness of the rind and pith, with the warmth of orange groves, and the comfort of marmalade.
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“Marmalade is so quintessentially British — and so is Paddington. I think everyone knows about how he met the queen,” said Roux during a launch event in London. “I really did my homework for this. I went on a perfumer’s journey, and tried many, many marmalades as part of my research,” she added.
The Jo Malone London x Paddington collection also offers limited-edition gift sets, including one presented in a special trunk inspired by Paddington’s brown suitcase.
The Orange Marmalade launch is part of the brand’s annual “Just Because” summer gifting campaign, and the rollout has been international, with themed installations already open in London and Seoul. Shanghai is set to open later in July.
It will be live for two months, July and August, including at travel retail.
The collaboration is between Jo Malone London and Studiocanal Copyrights Group, which owns the rights to the character based on the books by Michael Bond.
“It is exciting to see both brands coming together to celebrate British heritage, as well as the shared values of kindness and generosity, in a campaign that captures Paddington’s essence so beautifully,” said Françoise Guyonnet, executive vice president Kids Brands Studiocanal and chief executive officer of The Copyrights Group, which belongs to Studiocanal.
Jo Dancey, global brand president of Jo Malone London, said Paddington was an inspiration, and a true collaborator. “There was no other choice of partner we’d rather share our scent with — or marmalade sandwich, come to that,” she said.
Paddington has been top of mind in the U.K. not only for the books and films, but also for the character’s comedy skit with Queen Elizabeth during her Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, shortly before she died.
Filmed at Buckingham Palace and broadcast on the final day of the jubilee weekend celebrations, the queen shows Paddington that she, too, carries a large marmalade sandwich (in her Launer handbag, rather than her hat).
“For later,” she says, flashing her big smile. At the very end of the skit Paddington, played by Ben Whishaw, says to her: “Thank you ma’am, for everything.”
It was a moment of intimacy — and grace — and showed just how big Paddington looms in the collective imagination here.