The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
003 Bangkok arrived in 2025 as part of Cottee's Traveler's Plan collection, a fragrance project built around places experienced and remembered. Lam Siu Chung of CPL Aromas composed this chapter as a unisex citrus aromatic, using the city as its organizing idea. The notes suggest Bangkok's warm, unhurried character through a bright meeting of bergamot and lemon, sharpened by pepper, then opened into blackcurrant and white flowers. Amber and vetiver give that vivid beginning a steadier base. It's a place rendered as atmosphere rather than a checklist of landmarks, and the composition's strongest quality is its easy movement between brightness, spice, floral air, and earthy warmth.
The interesting part is the handoff from sparkling citrus to dark fruit. Bergamot and lemon make the first impression feel clean and brisk, but blackcurrant introduces a darker, juicier register. White flowers keep that fruit from becoming heavy, lending a soft floral lift in the middle. Amber and vetiver change the temperature again: one brings warmth, the other brings a dry, earthy edge. Together, they make the composition feel less like a single-note citrus splash and more like a full day observed in changing light.
The evolution
At first, the fragrance is all brisk movement. Bergamot and lemon give it a clean, citrus-bright surface, while pepper adds a small dark flicker at the edge. As that opening settles, blackcurrant brings a richer fruitiness, and white flowers soften the transition with a clean floral hush. The composition then turns warmer underneath. Amber gives the remaining hours a soft, golden weight, while vetiver keeps the base from becoming too sweet or too smooth. The final impression is less about a loud citrus opening than about the quiet contrast it leaves behind: bright fruit, airy flowers, and dry earth. With an expected 4-6 hour wear time, the scent settles into a close, polished trail rather than staying loud.
Cultural impact
Cottee's identity sits at the meeting point of urban intimacy and personal record-keeping. 003 Bangkok belongs to that Traveler's Plan register, where a city is approached through atmosphere and observation rather than grand escape. Its place is especially relevant for wearers who enjoy place-based fragrance as a quiet, collectible way to remember a trip.
The House
CotteeCottee is a small Shanghai fragrance house shaped by café life, photography, and travel. Its current concept, Traveler's Plan, frames eight perfumes as pages in a personal record. The brand offers an intimate alternative to grand perfume narratives: scented chapters, close observations, and compositions built around places experienced rather than places merely imagined.
The Creator
Lam Siu Chung, CPL AromasChung's signature leans toward functional fragrance, particularly candles where he has received internal CPL recognition. He works extensively with AromaHydro technology, pushing boundaries in how fragrance performs in different contexts.
