The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Vert et Noir was created by Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and launched in 2016 as a bright, citric-green eau fraîche built around vetiver, vegetal notes, and ozone. Sudachi brings a juicy citrus accent to the opening, joined by aniseed, black licorice, black pepper, lettuce, melon, and a crisp green accord. The unusual freshness comes from this combination: melon and sudachi appear bright and sparkling, while lettuce, black licorice, and black pepper lend sharper, darker edges. Basil, celery, cucumber, cyclamen, freesia, and jasmine form a crisp aromatic heart, balancing green leaves with a light floral texture. For women and men, the composition moves toward patchouli, oakmoss, sandalwood, musk, and vetiver CO2, creating a deeper, drier conclusion beneath its lively opening.
The unusual part is the tension inside the green. Lettuce, celery, and cucumber give the composition a vegetal snap that feels less polished than perfume-house citrus, while ozone adds a cool, almost metallic atmosphere. Black licorice and black pepper interrupt that freshness with darker edges. Patchouli, oakmoss, and vetiver then pull the whole thing downward, turning a simple garden impression into something with weight, shadow, and a distinctly dry finish.
The evolution
The opening lands first, bright and almost brittle: melon and sudachi bring citrus brightness, aniseed adds a cool spiced accent, and black pepper and black licorice put a dark seam through it. As the scent moves inward, lettuce and basil bring green leaves, while celery and cucumber make the composition feel crisp, almost kitchen-fresh. Freesia, jasmine, and cyclamen soften the edges with airy floral texture, but they don't make the scent conventional. In the drydown, patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver CO2, cedarwood, sandalwood, and musk replace the leafy brightness with a darker, more mineral woody finish. The result is a fresh fragrance that can still feel quietly serious after the first hour, retaining traces of green and citrus while settling into moss, earth, and wood.
Cultural impact
Vert et Noir is built around a clear contrast of freshness and depth. Sudachi and melon establish a bright opening, while lettuce, basil, celery, and cucumber extend its green, vegetal character. Ozone contributes a cool atmosphere, and black licorice and black pepper introduce darker notes within the composition. As the scent develops, cyclamen, freesia, and jasmine add a light floral layer before the base settles into patchouli, oakmoss, vetiver CO2, cedarwood, sandalwood, and musk. This progression gives the fragrance an appealing tension, moving from juicy brightness and leafy greens toward an earthy, mineral, woody trail.
The House
DSH PerfumesDSH Perfumes is an indie fragrance house rooted in Colorado. Founder Dawn Spencer Hurwitz blends botanical ingredients with a keen sense of visual art, offering scents that feel like scented sketches rather than commercial statements. The line balances historic perfume structures with contemporary twists, inviting collectors to explore each bottle as a quiet study in aroma.
The Creator
Dawn Spencer HurwitzDawn’s signatures are rich, tactile woods, resinous amber, and finely tuned floral accords that recall the texture of a canvas. She favors natural extracts—cedar, sandalwood, frankincense, and hand‑picked botanicals—often pairing them with unexpected mineral or metallic notes…
