Svetoslav Rusev
Svetoslav Rusev operates from Sofia, where he built Maison Scentique alongside Georgi Ananiev in 2018. The brand began as an extension of Soy Candles Factory Ltd, where Rusev served as General Manager, applying his industrial background in cosmetics to the craft of fine fragrance. His entry into perfumery proper came through collaboration with Sezer Sabah on Insomnia for the Faviol Seferi label, a 2017 release that demonstrated his appetite for rich, nocturnal compositions. Rusev occupies an unusual position in contemporary perfumery: he understands the manufacturing side as intimately as he does the artistic one, having spent years overseeing candle production before translating that material knowledge into niche perfumes. His partnership with Ananiev brought structure to ideas that had been developing for years. Maison Scentique now produces both home fragrances and wearable perfumes from their Sofia base, reflecting Rusev's belief that scent should inhabit every corner of daily life.
The hits
Notable creations
The signature
How Svetoslav composes
Rich oriental structures anchor Rusev's work. Insomnia showcases his affinity for layered sweetness: caramel and rum open with theatrical warmth, coffee and ylang-ylang provide an earthy, slightly heady heart, and the overall effect suggests late-night indulgence. He gravitates toward materials that feel almost edible in their richness. His background in candle-making gives him a particular sensitivity to how scent performs in space, which translates to fragrances with strong sillage and presence when worn. He favors duration over subtlety, compositions that announce themselves confidently and stay the course.
Philosophy
What drives Svetoslav
Rusev approaches fragrance as an ambient experience rather than a fleeting moment. He designs for presence, for spaces that hold scent the way memory holds feeling. His work suggests someone who considers how a person moves through their day, where fragrance lingers, where it rises and fades. Rather than chasing novelty, he returns to materials with proven emotional weight: resins, warm woods, the deep sweetness of caramel and coffee. He speaks less about trends and more about what a composition needs to feel complete. This pragmatic idealism defines his practice: ambitious in vision, grounded in execution.
The houses