Heritage
A house, in its own words
Der Duft was founded by Anselm Skogstad in 1999. Skogstad trained at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery in France, the historic heart of classical fragrance creation, where he developed a deep grounding in traditional perfumery techniques. Following his training, he pursued the creation of a fragrance house that could express his personal vision of scent as narrative. Skogstad personally creates each fragrance for the brand, approaching every composition as a distinct story with its own emotional and sensory arc. The house emerged more publicly around 2020, when it began releasing multiple fragrances including Grasse, Cinematic, Pride, and Bubble. This period marked a significant expansion of the brand's public presence. Skogstad's background as both founder and working perfumer gives the house a direct connection between creative direction and actual composition. Each scent is described as a narrative, sometimes developed in cooperation with perfumers Skogstad deeply admires, adding collaborative depth to his personal creative output.
At Der Duft, fragrance is understood as narrative. Each scent carries a story, an emotional texture that the wearer inhabits rather than simply applies. Skogstad approaches composition as a form of storytelling, where ingredients are chosen not only for their olfactory properties but for the memories and associations they conjure. This narrative-first philosophy shapes everything from initial concept to final dry-down. The brand embraces classical French perfumery as a reference point, aiming for elegance and balance that feels timeless rather than trend-driven. Collaboration is part of the creative philosophy as well. While Skogstad personally creates most fragrances, he works with other perfumers whose work he respects, treating these partnerships as meaningful encounters between different creative voices. The result is a collection that maintains a cohesive point of view while remaining open to diverse interpretations of what a fragrance story can be.