Nikki Sherritt-Lewis
Nikki Sherritt‑Lewis grew up with a mixtape of indie records and a sketchbook of color swatches. While studying at college she landed a junior role at Arista Records, convinced that music would be her lifelong stage. A backstage conversation with a visual artist sparked a curiosity about scent as another form of composition. She left the label, enrolled in a botanical perfumery workshop in Portland, and spent months extracting essential oils from wildflowers she gathered on weekend hikes. In 2015 she launched Rebel & Mercury in Seattle, a line that reflects the city’s rain‑kissed forests and its gritty club scene. Every bottle leaves her studio, hand‑blended in batches no larger than a few hundred milliliters, and carries the same restless energy that once drove her to chase a record deal. She collaborates with local growers, insists on transparent ingredient lists, and mentors emerging noses through informal workshops. Critics note that her scents feel like a private concert, each note arriving on cue, then fading into a lingering afterglow. Though she has no formal degree in chemistry, her ear for balance and her hands‑on lab practice have earned her a loyal following among collectors who value authenticity over hype.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Nikki composes
Nikki’s signature technique is a slow, tactile blending process. She begins with a crystal‑clear base of carrier oil, then adds freshly distilled citrus peels, hand‑pressed resins, and a whisper of smoked woods. Rather than relying on synthetic accord libraries, she favors raw materials such as California sage, Bulgarian rose absolute, and sustainably harvested ambergris‑free musk. She often ages her mixtures in reclaimed glass jars for three to six months, allowing the components to meld naturally. The result is a texture that feels both airy and grounded, a scent that announces itself without shouting. Her compositions favor contrast—bright green leaves beside deep, earthy roots—creating a balanced tension that resolves only on skin.
Philosophy
What drives Nikki
Nikki believes that perfume should read like a handwritten letter—personal, unguarded, and rooted in place. She lets a single botanical story dictate the structure of a fragrance, then builds supporting layers that echo the original mood. Sustainability is not a buzzword for her; she sources wild‑crafted absolutes from growers who practice regenerative harvesting, and she caps each batch before the oil loses its peak vibrancy. The act of blending becomes a meditation, a moment to listen to the subtle shift of a top note as it settles into heart and base. In every creation she seeks a quiet honesty that invites the wearer to pause and notice the world around them.
The houses