Cengiz Yatagan
Born in Istanbul in 1968, Cengiz Yatağan completed his education before relocating to Australia, where he spent two years in business. His path eventually led him to perfumery, a craft he has practiced for roughly 14 years. Working with a diploma in psychology, he approaches fragrance composition with a particular sensitivity to how scent shapes memory and emotion. Yatağan has built his reputation around his own independent creations, including the Hiss and Derun series, which together comprise eight genderless perfumes designed to be worn and combined according to the wearer's preference. His five unisex fragrances reflect a vision where the natural world and olfactory art meet in compositions meant for everyone. Now at the age of 56, he continues to compose with the freedom of an established independent perfumer.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Cengiz composes
Working from a psychology background, Yatağan composes with an instinct for atmosphere over spectacle. His materials draw from the natural world, and he builds compositions that move between animalic warmth, woods, and aromatic clarity. The Hiss and Derun collections reveal a deliberate tonal range, with each of the eight genderless scents functioning as a building block in a larger olfactory wardrobe. Rather than chasing trends, he favors structures that reward layering, letting individual notes shift in emphasis depending on what accompanies them. His approach rewards attention and personal reading. Each fragrance holds its own character while leaving room for interpretation, a quality that has made his work distinctive among independent perfumers.
Philosophy
What drives Cengiz
Yatağan's guiding idea is simple: fragrance should feel personal rather than prescribed. His unisex compositions strip away conventional categories of scent, treating each bottle as an invitation to wear what resonates rather than what a label dictates. The Hiss and Derun series turns this thinking into a creative system, with eight fragrances intended to be paired and layered so that each wearer assembles a personal signature. Psychology informs his work, giving him a keen interest in how scent triggers recollection and mood. He speaks of practicing perfumery with a degree of freedom, a position that suits someone who builds independent houses rather than working within a large corporate structure. For Yatağan, the finished fragrance is less a fixed statement than a flexible piece the wearer completes.
The houses
Maisons Cengiz composes for
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