The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The name says it all. Art Deco, that fever-dream of the 1920s, all geometric confidence and gilded excess, cities electrified and optimistic. Seunghyun Lim took that era's spirit and translated it into scent: warm, golden, quietly romantic. Not a literal interpretation. More like the memory of it, what the era would have smelled like if it had a perfumer.
What makes this work is the balance. Vanilla and tonka bean could tip into gourmand territory easily, but the rose and sage pull it back, add an herbal coolness that keeps the sweetness from cloying. The musk doesn't project; it nestles. Ambrette seed, derived from musk mallow, adds that rare close-skin quality that makes the whole thing feel worn rather than applied. It's a composition about restraint, even when the notes are rich.
The evolution
The opening hits bright. Orange zest and ambrette seed arrive together, citrusy, slightly nutty, with a hint of warmth. Within twenty minutes, the rose emerges, softened by sage. This is the heart: aromatic, floral, intimate. The vanilla and tonka bean don't announce themselves so much as arrive. By the second hour, the fragrance has settled into skin, warm, powdery, close. It doesn't fill a room. It marks you as someone who knows what they like.
Cultural impact
Art Deco joins a growing catalog from Seoul's independent fragrance scene, where natural materials and intimate compositions are valued over projection and sillage metrics. The 2023 release lands in a moment of renewed interest in quieter luxury, fragrance as personal ritual rather than statement. Those who gravitate to it tend to appreciate restraint over spectacle.
The House
Circle of LimCircle of Lim is a natural perfume house operating from Seoul, South Korea. The brand, founded by perfumer Seunghyun Lim, crafts fragrances that seek to translate nature's invisible energy into wearable form. Since launching its first collections in 2023, the house has released several distinct scent expressions, including Picnic Basket, Art Deco, Oblivion, Lost Generation, Mister Bungalow, and Watercolor, each arriving as an Eau de Cologne or Eau de Parfum. Wander's End followed in 2024, expanding the house's portfolio further. Circle of Lim positions itself as a bridge between the breath of humanity and the natural world, creating scents intended to feel connected to place, memory, and organic experience.
The Creator
Seunghyun LimWorking exclusively with natural aromatics, Lim builds her compositions from essential oils, absolutes, and botanical extracts. She never turns to synthetic materials, even when they might offer more practical solutions.
