Heritage
A house, in its own words
The company was founded in 2015 in Paris by three longtime friends—Jérôme, Thomas and Pierre—who met regularly at a small café on Rue du Faubourg Saint‑Honoré. Their shared fascination with vintage perfume archives and contemporary scent trends led them to launch a brand that would prioritize creative freedom over conventional market positioning. The name 109 references the street number of the building where the trio first discussed the venture, a modest space that later housed their first office and sampling room. In its inaugural year the house released a limited run of “Nineveh,” a fragrance that drew on ancient Mesopotamian incense rituals and set the tone for the brand’s interest in historical and cultural motifs. 2016 saw the introduction of “Julia,” a floral‑spicy blend created with perfumer Quentin Bisch, which earned a place on several independent fragrance blogs for its balanced composition. By 2018 the label expanded its lineup dramatically, unveiling a cluster of oud‑centric scents—Sidi Slimane, Snickarboden, Zafaran Obscur, Nabu and Skallgang—each developed in collaboration with perfumers Olivier Cresp, Ralf Schwieger and others. The year 2019 added “Lail,” a night‑inspired amber piece that highlighted the brand’s willingness to experiment with darker tonalities. Throughout its first five years, 109 Parfums maintained a steady output of two to three new releases per year, a cadence that allowed the house to refine its sourcing practices and deepen relationships with ingredient suppliers in Morocco, Italy and France. In 2021 the brand celebrated its sixth anniversary with a limited‑edition reinterpretation of “Sidi Slimane,” featuring a hand‑blown glass bottle crafted by a Moroccan artisan. The following year, 2022, marked the launch of a sustainability initiative that introduced recycled glass packaging for all new releases and a public commitment to disclose full ingredient lists on the website. By 2024 the house had established a modest but loyal following across Europe and North America, with its fragrances appearing in specialty boutiques and curated online platforms that focus on independent perfume houses. 109 Parfums frames each creation as a narrative fragment, drawing inspiration from geography, history and personal memory. The founders have repeatedly emphasized that scent should act as a bridge between the wearer and a specific moment or place, rather than merely a decorative accessory. This perspective drives the brand’s selection of raw materials: rare oud from the forests of Assam, saffron harvested in Iranian highlands, and vintage citrus oils from the coastal groves of Sicily. Transparency is a core value; the website lists every ingredient for each perfume, allowing consumers to understand the composition without relying on vague marketing language. The house also embraces collaboration, inviting perfumers with distinct stylistic signatures to interpret its thematic briefs. Rather than imposing a single aesthetic, the brand encourages its partners to bring their own creative vocabulary, resulting in a portfolio that feels cohesive yet varied. Sustainability informs the philosophy as well: sourcing agreements prioritize fair‑trade practices, and the company works with suppliers who can trace the provenance of botanical extracts. The brand’s editorial voice, found in press releases and product notes, reads like a knowledgeable friend sharing a story, using warm, conversational language while avoiding hyperbole. This approach reflects a belief that perfume should be approachable, intellectually engaging, and rooted in authentic experience.