Personal Scent
Essential Homme|August/September 2016

Ben Gorham’s Homegrown Byredo Celebrates a Decade.

Jessica Michault
Personal Scent

WHEN BEN GORHAM first entered the fragrance world in 2006, he had a simple desire: to create a handful of scents that might trigger scenes from the past. Through the intimate potency of perfume, he hoped to return to his mother’s hometown in India and the people, places, and things that marked his life. Once he had reckoned the exact essences for each aroma, he distilled them into candles—a process he learned from online tutorials—simply giving out each creation thereafter as a gift to friends. When the demand for the uniquely perfumed candles began to strengthen, Gorham realized he might build a business around these products that could instantly generate personal connections. He alighted on the name Byredo, a sort of shorthand play on the Old English word “redolence,” which means sweet-smelling perfume.

“We are in a nice place in terms of maturity,” says Gorham 10 years later. “I think that, just like a person, a new brand spends a substantial amount of time figuring out who they are when they start out and how they want to be perceived.” Once a professional basketball player, he now sells his products in 62 different markets around the world, with offices in Paris, London, New York, and Tokyo, and a design studio in Stockholm. “The word is not that sexy, but ‘lifestyle’ is probably the best that defines [our] idea of multi-disciplines and multi-categories under one name.”

This story is from the August/September 2016 edition of Essential Homme.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the August/September 2016 edition of Essential Homme.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM ESSENTIAL HOMMEView All
SCENT SELECTION
Essential Homme

SCENT SELECTION

Since its first fragrance launched in 1981, Versace has released an extensive catalog of tantalizing scents that provide a vibrant sensory component to the designer’s extravagant clothing.

time-read
1 min  |
Spring 2020
SOLE PATROL
Essential Homme

SOLE PATROL

Proenza Schouler designer duo Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez returned to New York for Spring/Summer 2020 after a brief stint in Paris with a fresh collaboration.

time-read
1 min  |
Spring 2020
THE ART OF SEXY
Essential Homme

THE ART OF SEXY

Fernando Garcia, co-creative director at both Monse and Oscar de la Renta, designs for two industry opposites.

time-read
3 mins  |
Spring 2020
DELUXE EDITION
Essential Homme

DELUXE EDITION

The first release of the Prada for Adidas Limited Edition partnership is emblematic of the connection between the two ubiquitous brands.

time-read
1 min  |
Spring 2020
AMERICAN POP STORY
Essential Homme

AMERICAN POP STORY

It’s no secret that Coach’s creative director Stuart Vevers is obsessed with America.

time-read
1 min  |
Spring 2020
A CHANGE OF PACE
Essential Homme

A CHANGE OF PACE

With the release of The Slow Rush, Kevin Parker continues his meteoric rise.

time-read
5 mins  |
Spring 2020
PACK YOUR BAGS
Essential Homme

PACK YOUR BAGS

A number of Louis Vuitton classics, including the Keepall bag and Horizon luggage, have been updated in the latest Taigarama collection.

time-read
1 min  |
Spring 2020
Shots Of Versace
Essential Homme

Shots Of Versace

How photographer Doug Ordway became instrumental in developing Versace’s opulent image.

time-read
4 mins  |
Spring 2020
LE RÉEL MERVEILLEUX
Essential Homme

LE RÉEL MERVEILLEUX

Jean-Michel Othoniel instills his work with sensory revelations plucked from the real world.

time-read
4 mins  |
Spring 2020
The King Of Knitwear
Essential Homme

The King Of Knitwear

John Targon is doing it all again.

time-read
3 mins  |
Winter 2019