Heritage
A house, in its own words
Dean and Dan Caten were born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up surrounded by the country’s vast forests and open roads. In 1995 they moved to Milan and opened a fashion label that quickly earned a reputation for tailoring that blended street culture with classic Italian craftsmanship. The label’s name, DSQUARED², reflects the twin partnership and the squared symbol that appears on every garment. In 2007 the brothers extended their creative vision into fragrance, releasing He Wood as the inaugural scent of the DSQUARED² perfume house. Press releases from that year describe He Wood as a celebration of raw timber, a theme that would become a recurring motif. The launch marked the first time the fashion house offered a scent that could be worn beyond the runway, and it set the tone for a series of wood‑focused releases. The following years saw a steady stream of new fragrances: He Wood Rocky Mountain Wood arrived in 2009, drawing inspiration from North American peaks; He Wood Ocean Wet Wood followed in 2010, adding a marine freshness; 2011 introduced both He Wood Silver Wind Wood and the unisex Potion, expanding the palette to include aromatic and gourmand notes. In 2013 the brand released Potion Royal Black, a darker, more intense interpretation of the original formula. Intense He Wood appeared in 2014, amplifying the original’s cedar and sandalwood with richer spices. The line continued with He Wood Cologne in 2017, a lighter, citrus‑spiked version designed for everyday wear. Most recently, Original Wood launched in 2022, updating the house’s signature woody DNA with contemporary accords and a sleek bottle redesign. Throughout its history, DSQUARED² has maintained a clear focus on the interplay between the twins’ Canadian roots and their Italian fashion sensibility. The brand’s fragrance milestones align with its broader fashion narrative, each scent acting as an olfactory extension of the label’s runway collections and street‑style ethos. The Caten brothers view fragrance as an extension of personal identity, a belief that stems from their own experience of moving between cultures. Their creative vision emphasizes authenticity, encouraging wearers to express both their rugged side and their polished side. Interviews with the designers reveal a commitment to storytelling through scent, where each composition references a place, a memory or a mood rather than abstract concepts. DSQUARED² values transparency in its ingredient choices, preferring natural woods, spices and fresh greens that can be traced back to reputable suppliers. The brand’s statements on sustainability note that it seeks out responsibly harvested materials, though specific certifications are not always disclosed. In practice, the house collaborates with perfumers who share a respect for balance and contrast. The resulting fragrances often juxtapose raw, earthy notes with bright, energetic accents, mirroring the twins’ own blend of Canadian wilderness and Milanese sophistication. This approach reflects a broader philosophy that luxury should feel lived‑in, not merely displayed. By grounding each scent in a tangible narrative, DSQUARED² invites consumers to connect scent with memory, turning everyday moments into personal statements.
