Heritage
A house, in its own words
Berlin has hosted perfume workshops since the mid‑19th century, a lineage documented by the Schwarzlose Berlin house, which opened its first shop in 1856 and emphasized quality from the start. Babylon Berlin emerged from this environment, launching its first collection in 2018 after a period of research into archival Berlin advertisements and scent formulas from the so‑called "Goldene Zwanziger" period. The founders—whose identities remain low‑profile—sought to revive the city’s forgotten olfactory stories, selecting German words that capture emotional states: Intrige (intrigue), Sünde (sin) and Liebe (love). The launch coincided with a resurgence of interest in Berlin’s cultural heritage, spurred in part by the popular television series that dramatizes the city’s turbulent years. By aligning its narrative with that broader cultural moment, the brand quickly found a niche among collectors who value historical reference as much as scent quality. Over the following years, Babylon Berlin expanded its distribution to select concept stores in Berlin, Hamburg and Vienna, and began limited‑edition releases that reference specific neighborhoods such as Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg. The brand’s growth reflects a broader pattern in German niche perfumery, where small houses leverage local history and artisanal production to differentiate themselves in a crowded market. The creative vision of Babylon Berlin rests on storytelling through scent. Each fragrance is conceived as a chapter in a larger imagined chronicle of interwar Berlin, a period marked by artistic experimentation and social upheaval. The brand states that it values authenticity, sourcing ingredients that were available to Berlin’s original perfume makers while allowing modern techniques to enhance stability and safety. Sustainability is a core value; the house prefers ingredients harvested under certified sustainable practices and uses recycled glass for its bottles. Rather than chasing trends, Babylon Berlin aims to create scents that invite contemplation, encouraging wearers to imagine themselves walking along the Spree at night, hearing jazz from a nearby club, or lingering in a dimly lit speakeasy. This narrative‑driven approach is reinforced by the brand’s modest marketing, which favors editorial features and curated events over mass advertising, allowing the perfume itself to speak for the house.