The Heritage
The Story of Gabar
Gabar is a fragrance house that bridges Southeast Asian heritage with a London‑based atelier. Founded in 2020 by Phway Su Aye and Susan Wai Hnin, the brand translates the Burmese word for “world” into scent, offering a line of numbered perfumes that explore place, memory and texture. Each bottle arrives from a small workshop in Oxfordshire, where the founders oversee blending, testing and packaging. Gabar’s catalogue, which includes Galone (2025) and the No. III Swim (2021) series, invites collectors to travel through olfactory stories that feel both personal and universal.
Heritage
The story of Gabar begins in the tumultuous year of 2020, when two Burmese entrepreneurs, Phway Su Aye and Susan Wai Hnin, decided to turn their love of scent into a business. Both grew up hearing the aromas of Myanmar’s markets, temples and monsoon‑soaked forests, and they felt those memories deserved a contemporary expression. After relocating to London, they secured a modest studio in Oxfordshire where they could hand‑craft each fragrance. The brand’s first releases arrived in 2021: No. I Float, No. II Ground and No. III Swim, a trio that introduced the numbered‑series concept and signaled a commitment to narrative‑driven perfume. In 2024 the house expanded its palette with No. IV Rise (Nolita) and No. V (Ludlow) Lull, each referencing a specific locale while maintaining the brand’s core aesthetic. 2025 saw a rapid rollout of three new scents—Galone, Nagar Min and Balu—demonstrating Gabar’s growing production capacity and its willingness to explore new olfactory territories. Throughout its first five years, the brand has remained rooted in its Burmese origins while cultivating a global audience, a balance reflected in its tagline “Rooted in Asia, crafted in London, made for the world.”
Craftsmanship
All Gabar fragrances are blended by hand in a workshop located in Oxfordshire, a region known for its artisanal perfume houses. The founders work closely with a small team of perfumers, guiding each step from raw material selection to final bottling. Ingredients arrive from a mix of sources: sustainably harvested teakwood oil from Myanmar, locally grown English lavender, and laboratory‑crafted aroma chemicals that provide stability and depth. The brand prioritises natural extracts when they align with the scent story, but it does not shy away from synthetics that enhance longevity or nuance. Each batch undergoes a three‑stage quality check—olfactory evaluation, stability testing, and visual inspection—before the perfume is decanted into its signature glass vessel. The bottles are produced by a specialist glassmaker in the UK, featuring a minimalist silhouette that reflects the brand’s modern aesthetic while allowing the perfume’s colour to become a visual cue. Labels are printed on recycled paper, and caps are made from reclaimed metal, underscoring Gabar’s commitment to reducing environmental impact while maintaining a premium feel.
Design Language
Gabar’s visual language mirrors its olfactory ambition: clean, understated, and anchored in geography. The bottles present a simple cylindrical form with a brushed metal cap, allowing the liquid’s hue to speak for itself. Typography on the label uses a sans‑serif typeface that feels contemporary yet legible, while the brand’s logo—a stylised globe rendered in muted earth tones—references the meaning of the name. Packaging boxes are crafted from thick, uncoated cardstock, printed with subtle line drawings that hint at the scent’s inspiration, such as a river’s curve for No. III Swim. In promotional imagery, the brand often pairs the perfume with architectural or natural backdrops from Myanmar or London, reinforcing the dialogue between origin and present. This restrained aesthetic avoids overt luxury cues, instead inviting the consumer to focus on the story each scent tells.
Philosophy
Gabar treats fragrance as a bridge between culture and contemporary life. The founders articulate a belief that scent can carry stories of place, so each perfume is built around a single reference point—a river, a street, a season—rather than a generic mood. Their creative process starts with field research: gathering local botanicals, listening to oral histories and noting the textures of everyday life in Myanmar. Once a concept is defined, the team translates it into a formula that respects both traditional ingredients and modern synthetic accords, ensuring the final scent feels authentic yet wearable. Gabar also emphasizes sustainability; the brand sources many raw materials from ethical farms in Southeast Asia and limits waste by producing in small batches. Transparency guides their communication, with the founders often sharing the inspiration behind each launch in interviews and social media posts. This open‑dialogue approach invites collectors to understand the narrative behind the bottle, not just the fragrance itself.
Key Milestones
2020
Founders Phway Su Aye and Susan Wai Hnin launch Gabar in London, naming the house after the Burmese word for “world.”
2021
Release of the first three numbered fragrances: No. I Float, No. II Ground, and No. III Swim, establishing the brand’s narrative‑driven approach.
2024
Introduction of No. IV Rise (Nolita) and No. V (Ludlow) Lull, expanding the series to include location‑specific inspirations.
2025
Launch of Galone, Nagar Min and Balu, marking the brand’s most prolific year and showcasing new ingredient partnerships.
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
United Kingdom
Founded
2020
Heritage
6
Years active
Collection
1
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
4.3
Community sentiment
Release Rhythm