The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
In 2016, Ellis Brooklyn founder Bee Shapiro collaborated with Romain State-backed perfumer Jerome Epinette to create Myth. The brand, born from Shapiro's background as a New York Times beauty editor, had already established itself in the niche of accessible luxury with a clean beauty ethos. Myth represented an attempt to capture something legendary without relying on the expected oriental or woody archetypes. Instead, Epinette built the fragrance around a modern floral structure softened by musks and grounded by clean woods, a composition that feels both timeless and distinctly contemporary.
The note selection in Myth reflects a philosophy of balance rather than boldness. The opening relies on high-impact ingredients that create immediate presence without aggression, while the heart uses florals that are recognizable yet not cliché. The blackcurrant and tiger orchid combination deserves particular attention, as it provides the fragrance's signature moment, that point where the composition feels both familiar and surprising. The drydown prioritizes skin intimacy over sillage projection, making Myth a fragrance designed to be discovered rather than announced.
The evolution
The opening of Myth announces itself with purpose, bergamot providing the citrus sparkle while blackcurrant adds a tart, berry-like richness and ambrette seed introduces a quiet musky warmth. This phase lasts perhaps fifteen minutes before the florals take their turn. Pink lotus emerges first in the heart, offering a watery, serene presence that differs from more common floral choices. Jasmine joins to provide depth and creaminess, while tiger orchid adds an unusual exotic note that elevates the heart above the predictable. By the time the fragrance reaches its base, the personality has shifted from statement to whisper. Musk wraps around the skin with intimate warmth, patchouli adds its characteristic earthy, slightly fermented note, and white cedarwood provides the clean finishing touch that prevents the drydown from becoming too heavy.
Cultural impact
Myth found its audience among people who want a signature scent without the theater. Launched in 2016, it became one of Ellis Brooklyn's most accessible entry points, a clean-floral musk that reads as effortless rather than calculated. Community feedback consistently describes it as clean, fresh, and versatile, with particular appeal for those new to fragrance or preferring subtle presence. Some experienced noses find it lacks complexity, but that's also the point. For every wearer who wants depth, there's one who wants exactly this: a warm, clean presence that doesn't argue.
