The Story
Why it exists.
Trance emerged in 2012 when perfumer Véronique Nyberg was tasked with translating J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin’s century‑old apothecary spirit into a modern unisex ode. The house, rooted in a 1856 Berlin drugstore that once served imperial courts, sought a scent that could echo the city’s clash of tradition and avant‑garde. Nyberg answered with a single Turkish rose, a nod to the brand’s historic rose tinctures, set against a daring herbal core.
If this were a song
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Midnight in Berlin
Klaus Doldinger
The Beginning
Trance emerged in 2012 when perfumer Véronique Nyberg was tasked with translating J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin’s century‑old apothecary spirit into a modern unisex ode. The house, rooted in a 1856 Berlin drugstore that once served imperial courts, sought a scent that could echo the city’s clash of tradition and avant‑garde. Nyberg answered with a single Turkish rose, a nod to the brand’s historic rose tinctures, set against a daring herbal core.
Choosing Turkish rose as the sole top note gives the fragrance an immediate, almost ceremonial bloom that feels both timeless and immediate. The heart’s blend of spices and assorted blossoms injects a restless energy, while the base of absinthe and cistus absolute introduces a bitter, resinous finish that mirrors Berlin’s gritty nightlife and its lingering perfume‑lab legacy.
The Evolution
At first spray, the Turkish rose bursts like a freshly cut bouquet in a sun‑lit courtyard, its petals bright and unapologetically sweet. Within minutes, the spice‑laden heart unfurls, cinnamon‑kissed pepper and soft blossom whispers mingle, creating a warm, slightly peppery veil that refuses to fade. As the clock moves past the half‑hour mark, the absinthe’s green, aromatic bite surfaces, tempered by the earthy, woody depth of cistus absolute. The drydown settles into a lingering, slightly bitter resin that clings to skin for six to eight hours, whispering of midnight alleys and quiet cafés. Even after the scent fades, a faint rose trace remains, a reminder of the initial bloom.
Cultural Impact
Trance emerged in 2012 as a bridge between Berlin’s historic perfume heritage and a modern, gender‑fluid aesthetic, quickly becoming a reference point for rose‑centric compositions in niche circles. Its Turkish Rose top note revived interest in Middle‑Eastern floral sourcing, prompting several houses to explore similar botanicals. Over the past decade the scent has been featured in runway shows, art installations, and curated scent‑pairing events, influencing a wave of rose‑spice hybrids that balance tradition with avant‑garde sensibilities.
The House
Germany · Est. 1856
J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin traces its roots to a modest chemist’s shop opened in 1856 by Joachim‑Friedrich Schwarzlose, a piano maker who turned to pharmacy and colonial goods near Berlin’s Gendarmenmarkt. Over more than a century the house moved from serving local patrons to supplying the German imperial court, then endured two world wars before re‑emerging in the 2010s with a contemporary line of niche fragrances. Today the brand balances historic craft with a Berlin‑centric aesthetic, offering scents such as Parfum Captive #1 (2017), Leder 6·9 (2024) and Finale (2025) while keeping production small and ingredient‑focused.
If this were a song
Community picks
A late‑night jazz trio with smoky sax and subtle piano mirrors the rose’s elegance and the absinthe’s bite, creating a soundtrack as layered as the fragrance.
Midnight in Berlin
Klaus Doldinger
