Brand Deep Dive: Byredo
Founded in 2006 by industry newcomer Ben Gorham, Byredo is a Swedish atelier that exemplifies an indelible entrance into fragrance nouveau. A blend of ‘by’ and ‘redolence’, a Shakespearean word meaning something with strong olfactive, thought-provoking properties, Byredo is one of the most successful modern fragrance brands to achieve global scale.
“Coming from an ethnic background, growing up listening to hip-hop and going to an all-black and Latino high school, understanding culture and race, and travelling a lot, I’m keen to dispel the idea that brands need a cultural identity. I would just say, mine doesn’t have one – it’s as diverse as myself.”
- Ben Gorham
The Founder
Born in Sweden in 1977 to an Indian mother and Canadian father, Ben Gorham grew up a natural basketball player. Standing 6’5”, he played as guard at Ryerson University in Toronto, where he sought to continue his career professionally after graduation. However, Gorham soon ran into visa issues that required him to abandon his pro aspirations. This mishap leads Gorham to a formative transition time in which he worked a series of jobs including construction until deciding to enroll in Stockholm Art School. Initially most of his focus remained on visual media, until Gorham meets Swedish perfumer Pierre Wulff in 2004. Wulff introduces Gorham to the world of fragrances and their power to evoke the collective memory. This leads Gorham to begin rapturously experimenting with candle-making and scent development that encapsulates his own childhood memories. Having no previous work experience within the industry, Gorham began working with renown perfumers Jerome Epinette and Olivia Jiacobetti to liquify abstract, sacred memories into physical product. Seven months later, Gorham launched his first scent Green, which was based on his father’s memory and established Byredo one year later. As of 2022, Gorham remains the Creative Director while Byredo is majority owned by Spanish conglomerate Puig, owner of fashion houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Paco Rabanne as well as beauty brands including Penhaligon’s, L’Artisan Parfumeur, and Dries Van Noten.
The Brand
Founded in 2007, Byredo breaks the French tradition so engrained in fragrance culture by establishing a quintessentially Swedish brand in ethos, construction, and aesthetic and doing so all through the eyes of an industry outsider. Byredo responds to the platitudes of early 2000’s fragrances by highlighting the relationship between raw material and raw memory. One of Byredo’s biggest differentiators from other brands lies in its ability to effectively storytell, with every fragrance conveying a different story.
At the brand level, Gorham describes this as a part of the self-expression process — “Learning to gauge yourself and know that you do not have to spell it out for everybody, that people are intelligent, complex, and emotional — that’s an important part of any experience.” At the product level, this is seen in each fragrance’s description. For example, take Mumbai Noise, a warm, spicy blend of tonic beans, amber, and coffee, that embodies Gorham’s memory of walking the streets of Mumbai filled with incense, coffee, and various soundscapes alongside his mother. There’s a guarantee when you smell this perfume, this memory concretizes in your mind.
Today, Byredo produces over 30 unisex fragrances, 12 candles, and a series of makeup and body care products. Byredo organizes its fragrances by five olfactive families: woody (e.g. Bibliothèque), amber (e.g. Accord Oud), fruity (e.g. Eleventh Hour), floral (e.g. Blanche), and citrus (e.g. Mister Marvelous). Byredo’s branding is easily recognizable by its black and white, minimalistic packaging starred with a ‘B’ that pays homage to the number 13, Gorham’s basketball number. Their latest release includes a perfume collaboration with skincare entrepreneur Susanne Kaufmann and Byproduct, a series of accessories.
Top Sellers
Sources: Byredo, The Guardian, Vanity Fair, Into The Gloss, Coveteur
