The process of creation

While we are not perfumers, we like to think of ourselves as educated ambassadors of Scandinavia. Having lived here since the turn of the millennium, we have a healthy knowledge of the flora, climate and lifestyles of the Scandinavian region and peoples. So, rather than follow the herd and use common scent accords and then dress them up to promise something special, we always aim to create the most authentic fragrance impressions of the Scandinavian region as possible – a region few understand in olfactory terms and a region of limited relevant industry history.

We start by identifying an aspect of the region, a theme, that is both precious to its inhabitants and exotic to the outside world. More often than not, this is based on our experiences from over fifteen years of travelling across the Nordic region in our former jobs working for big American multinationals and as foreign immigrants who married into the region. We are aided by two important people:

Firstly, our gentleman French perfumer, who helps us interpret that theme through a combination of artistry and chemistry. He regularly visits Scandinavia to build his own understanding of this region; we cycle in Copenhagen, swim in Swedish lakes, explore the Norwegian fjords, and trek through the forests and coastline together. He learns our region, we learn the magic of perfumery. We don’t always get it right, but it’s not for lack of trying.

Secondly, the Danish gardener, who grew up in Sweden and spent her summers in Norway, and has had a passion for gardening since early childhood. She knows how and what to plant in soils that freeze and seasons with short amounts of sunlight. She helps us understand the theme, what grows there and when, and – more often than not – we go visit.

Our Copenhagen garden is also a constant source of experimentation and inspiration with more than one hundred and fifty rose varieties growing alongside a cornucopia of temperate flora, and a special new section reserved for growing scented Nordic wildflowers from seeds.