A Minute With: Clive Christian, the man behind the world's most expensive perfume

The designer, who has been making bespoke furniture and kitchens for 30 years, lives in London and New York.

Christian is currently working on a new collection of furniture . Courtesy of Clive Christian

I began my career

out of frustration during the late 1970s, when I bought a 19th-century manor house in Cheshire, in the north-west of England. It had beautiful external structure and the architecture was exquisite, but internally it was totally incongruent.

I decided there and then that creating a sense of harmony between the exterior and interior of a home was crucial. My furniture company was born shortly afterwards.

A crystal chandelier

is a key component of my rooms. My kitchens, for example, always have a dominant island topped with rare marble or solid wood, sitting beneath a fabulous crystal chandelier. In my early designs it caused quite a stir although, to me, putting a chandelier in the centre of the kitchen felt quite appropriate

.

I fell into the world of perfume

quite by chance, when I discovered an original bottle from the Crown Perfumery, the company appointed by Queen Victoria in 1872 to carry the royal crest, nestled under the floorboards at our family home.

In 1999 I set about reinstating it to its rightful position as a stalwart of the British luxury industry, appointing the most talented perfumiers to the task of translating my vision. That vision has encompassed the creation of No 1, the world's most expensive perfume, which recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary.

Interiors and perfume

may seem like two vastly different fields, but they are intrinsically linked in their adorning of those most intimate elements of a person's life: their home and their body.

Every item in my portfolio is designed without reference to cost or trends and embodies timeless, luxury design, which in turn lends an ageless appeal.

If I could design one thing

that I haven't yet, it would be couture. Personally, I keep a simple wardrobe and have had my style for 30 years but I do enjoy the artistry of the haute couture shows. I often advise my daughters on designs for their evening wear and gowns.

If I had to choose

between form and function, I would always choose form. The aesthetic outweighs the function. The stiletto, for example, is pure design and aesthetics. You are not going to win a race wearing them or choose a stiletto for comfort, but on a woman they look sensational.

When I am travelling,

I will always try to catch the philharmonic orchestra of the city that I am in. The Los Angeles Philharmonic is particularly fantastic. The combination of the conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Frank Gehry-designed concert hall is something to behold.

In Moscow, I enjoy visiting the breathtaking renaissance-style Bolshoi Theatre, and in London nothing can beat an evening at the Royal Albert Hall. This is the way to listen to music - beautiful compositions performed by great artists in magnificent structures.

Home is anywhere

with a burning log fire, gravel drive and freshly cut flowers from my gardens - luxurious and homely.

I tend to spend half my time in New York and the other half in London. I earned my pilot's licence in my twenties and have always been passionate about flying, but I spend so much time travelling these days that having my feet on the ground for a while is a real joy.

When I am home, I spend my weekends as quietly as possible, listening to CDs of Cole Porter, Jamie Cullum or Chris Gillespie, the pianist from Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, New York.

Right now I am working on

the new Clive Christian Majesty Collection of free-standing furniture, which will launch exclusively at Harrods in Spring 2012. We specialise in classical fitted furniture and architectural panelling for luxury residences, but the Majesty Collection will enable our clients to select individual statement pieces to add to their homes.

The Clive Christian Majesty Collection launches at Harrods in Spring 2012. Clive Christian Watches launches at Harrods in 2012.