Heritage
A house, in its own words
Jason Wu was born in Taiwan and raised in Canada, later establishing his fashion label in New York. His rise to prominence came when Michelle Obama wore one of his designs for President Obama's first inauguration in 2009, bringing widespread attention to his emerging label. Wu subsequently built his fashion house into a recognized contemporary brand. In 2017, at age 34, Wu debuted his first fragrance at Saks Fifth Avenue during New York Fashion Week, marking his entry into beauty and personal care. This launch represented his first foray into beauty products under the Jason Wu label. He worked with senior perfumer Frank Voelkl at Firmenich, one of the world's major fragrance houses, to develop the scent. The debut fragrance incorporated Arabian jasmine sourced exclusively from Bhutan, a detail Wu has cited as connecting to his childhood experiences in Taiwan. He has described wanting his first fragrance to be perfectly representative of him and his personal story. His second fragrance, Velvet Rouge, arrived in 2019, expanding the collection while maintaining his design aesthetic. Wu has spoken about fragrance as an essential finishing touch, stating that one is not fully dressed until they have donned a scent. This philosophy positions fragrance as the final layer of personal presentation in his view. For his debut fragrance, Wu insisted that the scent must be perfectly representative of him and his story, suggesting a deeply personal approach to fragrance creation rather than a purely commercial one. The connection to his childhood, particularly through jasmine, indicates that Wu draws on formative memories and cultural heritage as creative inspiration. His fashion background influences his approach to fragrance as an extension of personal style, where scent functions as an invisible accessory. Wu appears to value authenticity and personal narrative over trend-following in his creative process, choosing ingredients and accords that carry personal meaning. The decision to use Firmenich as a partner suggests access to high-quality raw materials and professional perfumery expertise.