Heritage
A house, in its own words
NIMANY originated as a T-shirt label founded by Nima Behnoud in New York. The initial concept centered on clothing as a canvas for graphic storytelling, each design connected to a narrative or cultural reference. As the brand grew, Behnoud extended that narrative approach into adjacent product categories, eventually arriving at fragrance as a natural medium for storytelling through scent. The pivot to perfumery materialized in 2017, when NIMANY released four fragrances simultaneously: Delilah, Samson, Majnoon, and Leili. The pairing of these names suggests a conceptual structure, with each fragrance built around a legendary or literary figure rather than a generic scent profile. Delilah and Samson reference the Biblical tale of passion and betrayal, while Leili and Majnoon draw from the Persian romantic epic of Leyli and Majnun by Nizami Ganjavi. The Leili and Majnoon duo was specifically manufactured in France, signaling an intention to engage with established perfumery traditions rather than produce in-house. The launch coincided with Scentfest SF, a San Francisco fragrance event where the brand's debut was first encountered by the wider fragrance community. From its origins in apparel to its current position as a multi-category creative house, NIMANY's trajectory has been shaped by Behnoud's consistent interest in narrative and visual identity. NIMANY approaches fragrance as narrative art, treating each scent as an extension of a story rather than a standalone olfactory object. The Immortal Love series, which includes Leili and Majnoon, positions perfume within a literary and mythological continuum, drawing on figures whose stories have endured for centuries. This storytelling lens shapes everything from naming conventions to the emotional register of each composition. The brand's creative philosophy extends beyond fragrance into a broader design language that includes typography, graphic tees, watches, and accessories. Each product is conceived as part of a single visual and conceptual world, with Behnoud overseeing direction across categories. The decision to name fragrances after specific characters (Delilah, Samson, Leili, Majnoon) reflects a belief that scent can embody personality, conflict, and emotional stakes. NIMANY also embraces collaboration as a creative principle. The Leili and Majnoon project involved working with a mentor figure described in company materials as an extraordinary source of knowledge, history, taste, wit, and perspective, indicating the brand values intergenerational dialogue within the perfumery craft. The overall creative vision treats perfume as cultural artifact, a vessel for stories that predate the brand and will outlast any single release.