David-Lev Jipa Slivinschi
David-Lev Jipa Slivinschi traded film sets for fragrance formulas in his early twenties, arriving at perfumery through a hunger for storytelling that couldn't be contained by a camera frame. The Romanian creator channeled years of visual and narrative training into building Toskovat, a Bucharest-based atelier where every bottle functions as a short story you can wear. His work quickly attracted attention from specialty retailers and collectors drawn to fragrances that refuse to exist as mere pleasantries. The Maker's Residency at San Francisco's Fumerie Parfumerie cemented his reputation in the American market, introducing his layered, concept-driven approach to an audience hungry for meaning in their scent choices. Beyond Toskovat, he contributes to Caeleste Parfums, demonstrating a range that spans intimate storytelling to broader artistic collaborations. Jipa Slivinschi approaches each creation like a screenplay, building tension, atmosphere, and resolution into every accord.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How David-Lev composes
The perfumer favors complex, layered constructions that shift dramatically over the wearing period. He employs dark, smoky, and resinous base materials to anchor his narratives, often building around contrasts between warmth and astringency, sweetness and decay. His work frequently features unexpected combinations that create tension, using ingredients like burned woods, animalic notes, and unconventional spice arrangements to achieve his signature atmospheric quality. Jipa Slivinschi's technical approach prioritizes longevity and sillage, producing fragrances that announce presence without apology.
Philosophy
What drives David-Lev
Jipa Slivinschi constructs fragrances that function as memory triggers, aiming to place wearers inside specific moments or emotional states rather than offering generic aromatic pleasure. He views perfume as a narrative medium capable of exploring uncomfortable territory, citing themes like capitalism, darkness, and collective guilt as legitimate subject matter for fragrance. His creative process starts with conceptual frameworks before he reaches for ingredients, ensuring the story drives the structure. This approach demands that wearers engage with the work rather than passively enjoy it, making each fragrance an invitation to participate in something larger than a beauty product.
The houses
Maisons David-Lev composes for
In the same league