Heritage
A house, in its own words
Nanette Lepore was born in Youngstown, Ohio, to an artist mother and a schoolteacher father. After studying fashion at the University of Cincinnati, she moved to New York City and opened a small boutique in the Garment District in 1992. The shop quickly became a gathering place for local artists, poets and emerging designers, fostering a community that celebrated bold color and unconventional silhouettes. By the late 1990s Lepore’s ready‑to‑wear line gained national attention, and the brand expanded into accessories and home décor. In 2004 the fashion house introduced its first fragrance, simply titled Nanette Lepore, a light, floral‑citrus Eau de Parfum that debuted in department stores such as Macy’s. The following year the brand released Shanghai Butterfly, a scent inspired by a trip to China and named for a local species of butterfly. 2007 saw the arrival of Love Bird, a playful composition that referenced the designer’s fascination with romantic motifs. 2009 added a second eponymous fragrance, Nanette, which emphasized a more mature floral profile. After a quiet period, the brand revived its fragrance activity in 2020 with two releases: Colors of Nanette, a palette‑inspired scent, and Beautiful Times, a celebration of nostalgic moments. 2021 introduced Enchanted Flora, a garden‑evoking fragrance, while 2022 brought Beauty Abroad and Everlasting, both reflecting travel‑inspired narratives. The most recent addition, Soulful (2023), focuses on warm, woody accords. Throughout its evolution the fragrance line has remained under the creative direction of Nanette Lepore herself, ensuring that each bottle feels like an extension of the runway collection. The brand treats scent as another medium for storytelling. Lepore’s design philosophy—bright hues, unexpected pairings and a sense of optimism—carries over into the olfactory realm. Rather than chasing trends, the fragrances aim to capture a feeling: the excitement of a new collection, the calm of a garden stroll, or the energy of a city street. The creative process begins with a mood board, often drawn from the season’s color palette or a travel diary, and then translates those visual cues into aromatic notes. Sustainability is approached through careful ingredient selection; the brand prefers suppliers that meet EU safety standards and offers transparency about synthetic versus natural components. Community also matters: limited‑edition releases have been tied to charitable events, reinforcing the idea that beauty can be shared. In interviews, Lepore has emphasized that a perfume should feel like a personal accessory—something that can be layered, mixed and worn with confidence, much like a signature handbag.