The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Love & Crime was born from a daring 1905 Boston prison escape that fascinated Ex Idolo's founders. Mazie Coyle smuggled a saw inside a wedding cake, helping Thomas Howard break free. That bold romance of risk and devotion inspired the house to translate sweetness layered with secrecy into scent, launching the fragrance in 2018. The founders wanted to honor the audacity of the escape while celebrating the tenderness that made it possible, building a fragrance that mirrors both the sharp tension of the jump and the soft comfort waiting on the other side.
The founders selected these specific notes to embody the narrative duality at the heart of the story. Red Mandarin Orange and Pink Pepper represent the tension, danger, and alertness of the escape itself. Sugar and Floral Notes echo the sweetness hidden within the cake and the sweetness of reunion. Cocoa and Vanilla cake ground the composition in warmth and indulgence, the reward for devotion that defied walls and rules. The note structure tells the story without a single word of narration.
The evolution
Love & Crime begins with Red Mandarin Orange and Pink Pepper, capturing the tang of citrus and the adrenaline of the moment before the jump. This sharp, alert opening feels like the seconds before a door swings open. Within minutes, Sugar rises to meet Star Anise, the heart becoming sweet and aromatic, like the inside of a cake concealing something dangerous. The Floral Notes soften the transition, keeping the middle phase from overwhelming. As hours pass, Cocoa and Vanilla cake emerge as the base, the payoff for a risk well taken. The drydown feels warm, indulgent, and utterly devoted, a quiet ending to a loud beginning.
Cultural impact
Since its 2018 debut, Love & Crime has resonated with a generation that values bold, gourmand experiences, influencing social media trends where users share the scent’s sweet‑spicy contrast in seasonal wardrobes. Its blend of red mandarin orange and pink pepper sparked a wave of similar citrus‑spice creations, encouraging niche houses to explore playful yet sophisticated profiles. The fragrance’s popularity at boutique events and its frequent inclusion in curated playlists underscore its role in shaping contemporary fragrance culture, reinforcing the appeal of narrative‑driven scents that balance bright top notes with a comforting cocoa‑vanilla base, ultimately cementing its status as a modern classic within the gourmand segment.
