Heritage
A house, in its own words
The origins of Chase remain modestly documented. According to the brand’s own website, the house was founded in 2022 by a small team of fragrance enthusiasts who shared a background in both perfumery and design. Their aim was to create a line that would break away from conventional gendered marketing, instead letting the concept of a chessboard guide the creative process. The first public offering arrived in early 2023, a single unisex eau de parfum that garnered modest attention in boutique circles. By 2024, Chase unveiled its signature chess collection, releasing ten distinct fragrances – White and Black versions of Knight, Bishop, Rook, King, Queen, and the newly added White and Black King. Each launch was accompanied by a minimalist visual campaign that highlighted the stark contrast of the board’s squares. The brand’s limited‑edition strategy has kept production runs small, fostering a sense of rarity that appeals to collectors. While Chase does not yet claim major industry awards, it has been featured in niche fragrance blogs such as Fragrantica and niche‑focused newsletters, indicating a growing awareness among connoisseurs. The house continues to operate out of a studio loft in New York City, where the founders collaborate with freelance perfumers and source raw materials through established European suppliers. Chase frames its creative vision around the concept of strategic balance. The founders describe the brand as an exploration of opposites – light versus dark, order versus chaos – using the chessboard as a metaphor for scent composition. Rather than adhering to seasonal trends, the house focuses on timeless structures that can be revisited and reinterpreted over time. Sustainability is approached pragmatically: the brand selects ingredients that meet REACH standards and works with suppliers who can certify ethical harvesting, especially for natural extracts like cedarwood and bergamot. Transparency is a stated value; each fragrance’s brief includes a note‑by‑note breakdown and a short story explaining the piece it represents. This narrative approach encourages wearers to think of fragrance as a personal move on a larger board, aligning scent choice with mood and intention. The brand also emphasizes community engagement, inviting collectors to share their own “opening moves” on social platforms, thereby turning the act of wearing perfume into a shared, interactive experience.