Heritage
A house, in its own words
The building that now houses Fischersund dates back to 1875, making it one of Reykjavik’s oldest wooden houses. Originally a merchant’s residence, the dark‑painted façade later served as a music studio for Icelandic artist Jónsi Birgisson. In 2017 four siblings—Inga, Jónsi, Sigurrós and Lilja—joined their father Birgis to launch a perfumery and art collective within those walls. Their first numbered fragrance, Fischersund No. 23, arrived that same year, marking the start of a series that would grow to include over a dozen scents by 2024. The brand’s early years focused on translating the stark Icelandic landscape into scent, using local moss, sea spray and volcanic mineral notes. In 2019 the release of Fischersund No. 8 attracted attention from niche‑fragrance blogs for its blend of Arctic thyme and smoked birch. A collaboration in 2021 produced Útilykt Spray – 66°Norður x, a limited‑run aerosol that referenced the country’s northern latitude. 2022 saw the launch of Flotholt, a candle‑inspired perfume that paired Icelandic birch sap with ambergris‑free synthetics, reflecting the collective’s growing interest in sustainable alternatives. By 2024 the Faux Flora series (No. 1 and No. 3) demonstrated a shift toward botanical abstraction, using lab‑crafted aromachemicals to evoke imagined flora. Throughout its history, Fischersund has remained a family‑run operation, with each new scent reflecting the siblings’ evolving artistic dialogue and the house’s storied past. Fischersund treats fragrance as a visual medium, aiming to paint scenes with scent rather than merely mask odor. The siblings describe their work as an extension of the house’s artistic legacy, turning the space into a laboratory for sensory experiments. They prioritize authenticity, sourcing ingredients that echo Iceland’s natural extremes—cold ocean mist, volcanic ash, wild arctic herbs. Sustainability informs their choices; the collective favors locally harvested botanicals and avoids animal‑derived musks. Each fragrance is released as a limited numbered edition, a decision rooted in the belief that scarcity encourages deeper personal connection. The brand also embraces collaboration with visual artists, often pairing a new scent with a gallery installation in the storefront. This interdisciplinary approach reflects a conviction that scent, sight and sound can co‑exist in a single experience, inviting visitors to linger and contemplate rather than simply purchase.