Elemental Echoes

From windswept Sweden to humid Singapore, La Bruket's inaugural perfume collection eschews pretty florals for the raw, primal textures of nature and myth.

- Words: JOSEPH LOW

In the humid, high-density sprawl of Singapore, the air is often a heavy curtain of tropical moisture and exhaust, punctuated by the occasional, floral scent of frangipani or jasmine along the streets of Little India and Chinatown or the clinical scent of air-conditioned malls. It is an environment that feels far removed from the windswept, sparse coastline of Varberg, Sweden. Yet, it is here that Swedish skin, body, hair and home care brand La Bruket has introduced its first fine fragrance collection - a trio that eschews the “pretty” floral archetypes of the industry in favour of something far more primal. For years, La Bruket has been a staple in the bathroom cabinets of fans who enjoy its utilitarian packaging, scents of sea salt and spruce, and bestselling lip balms. Moving from body care to perfume is a leap from function to fiction. To celebrate this expansion, the brand’s co-founders, husband-and-wife duo Monica Kylén and Mats Johansson have released a collection that attempts to bottle not just the Swedish landscape, but the myths that inhabit it.

GEOGRAPHY OF SCENT

The transition from the Baltic Sea to the South China Sea presents a physical challenge. Heat and humidity are notorious for unravelling delicate olfactory structures. However, the founders argue that their compositions — rooted in minerals, ozone and earth — are uniquely suited to the tropics. In Singapore's climate, they suggest, these scents persist and evolve.

THE THREE ELEMENTS