The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Zurie by Ezra came out in 2013 as part of BENCH/PH's early designer collaboration series, this one paired with Ezra Santos. The partnership produced a composition built around white florals and warm woods, the kind of palette that reads as quietly luxurious rather than flashy. Santos brought his design eye here, and the result feels considered rather than accidental: a white floral heart cushioned by iris and narcissus at the top, sandalwood and Java vanilla anchoring the base. There's nothing brash in the opening, nothing aggressively sweet in the drydown, just a careful calibration of materials that feels intentional from the first spray to the last trace on skin. The name itself carries a certain softness, a quiet nod to something personal rather than a marketing hook.
What makes the composition interesting is the tension between its named origins. Egyptian iris and French narcissus bring a powdered, almost vintage quality, while Spanish orange cuts in with brightness that keeps the whole thing from collapsing into sweetness. Guatemala magnolia and Italian jasmine carry the heart, both lush and slightly indolic, which gives the floral accord depth instead of that flat soapy quality cheaper white-floral compositions fall into.
The evolution
The opening announces itself with Spanish orange, bright and slightly bitter, the kind of citrus that doesn't pretend to be a sport scent. Within the first 10 minutes the narcissus and iris start pushing through, powdery and green at the same time, almost like the scent of stems just snapped. The transition feels organic rather than layered, as though one accord is simply morphing into the next without any hard edges between them. The jasmine arrives next, and this is where the composition shifts character: that creamy, slightly animalic quality of Italian jasmine takes over, and the orange recedes into a supporting role. By the two-hour mark the sandalwood and Java vanilla have settled into a warm, soft base that clings to skin.
Cultural impact
Zurie by Ezra occupies a small but specific corner of Filipino fragrance history. Released in 2013 under the BENCH/PH label in partnership with designer Ezra Santos, it marked one of the local collaborations that brought couturier sensibilities into the bottle. The composition itself leans on a white floral heart cushioned by iris and narcissus, with sandalwood and Java vanilla anchoring the base, a palette that feels rooted in classic perfumery traditions rather than imported wholesale.
