The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
004 Shanghai was composed by Harold Chan as an Oriental spicy scent for 2025 and placed within Cottee’s Traveler’s Plan collection. Its opening pairs pink pepper and cardamom with lavender, creating a bright aromatic impression before jasmine introduces a floral thread. Chocolate darkens the composition, while patchouli, oud, and cedarwood add depth through earthy, woody materials. As the fragrance develops, the cooler spice and herbal opening gives way to a warmer blend of chocolate, patchouli, oud, and cedarwood. The base settles into amber, musk, sandalwood, vanilla, and oud, leaving a soft sweetness and smooth woody finish. Pink pepper keeps the familiar lavender from feeling overly quiet, while cardamom adds a fresh aromatic lift.
The striking part of 004 Shanghai is the tension between lavender and the warmer materials around it. Lavender can read clean, herbal, or a little conventional, while pink pepper keeps it alert with a bright, peppery edge. Cardamom adds a cool aromatic snap, and jasmine provides a delicate floral thread through the middle. Chocolate pulls the composition toward something darker and sweeter, giving the lavender a richer context. Patchouli contributes an earthy character, while oud and cedarwood build a woody structure beneath the opening notes.
The evolution
The first impression opens with pink pepper, cardamom, lavender, and spices, combining a bright aromatic lift with a cooling herbal quality. Those materials establish the fragrance’s active character, but the richer notes quickly become more important. Jasmine adds a floral layer, while chocolate, patchouli, oud, and cedarwood form a darker, woody center. Together, the pepper and cardamom provide brightness, the lavender connects the aromatic opening to the deeper heart, and the chocolate gives the composition a soft sweetness. Patchouli adds earthiness as oud and cedarwood bring depth and structure. Amber and sandalwood shape the base with warmth, musk smooths the transitions between the materials, and vanilla leaves a gentle sweetness beneath the oud.
Cultural impact
004 Shanghai belongs to Cottee’s Traveler’s Plan collection, which is shaped by impressions of travel and includes a fragrance centered on Shanghai. The composition pairs everyday aromatic associations with a layered woody and spicy structure, giving the release a distinct place-based identity through scent rather than a single visual landmark. For scent explorers, the combination of lavender, pink pepper, chocolate, oud, and patchouli offers a clear point of view: the opening is aromatic and fresh, while the heart and base move toward earth, warmth, and smooth woods.
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
Harold ChanChan’s specialty lies in air care fragrances, compositions designed to express freshness, cleanliness, and atmosphere. His approach appears grounded in careful construction rather than conspicuous effects, with an emphasis on how scent sits in the air and changes a room over t…
