The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Originally released as 01 Nomad, this fragrance was renamed 01 Sunda after its initial launch, though both names remain in circulation. The name Nomad spoke to the brand's intention: a scent built from ingredients that travel. Juniper berries and cedar leaves sourced from the high Himalayan Mountains anchor the composition in real geography. Himalayan cedar, in particular, carries a cooler, more austere character than its Virginian or Atlas counterparts, a deliberate choice for an opening that reads as elevated rather than rustic. Kevin Verspoor structured the fragrance around tonka bean as the declared protagonist, with everything else in service to that sweet, powdery warmth.
What makes 01 Sunda distinctive is the way tonka bean drives the composition rather than merely supporting it. Here it announces itself early and stays, creating a warm, powdery presence that persists throughout the wear. Himalayan cedar sourced from altitude brings a mineral coolness that prevents the tonka from reading as merely sweet. The combination creates something powdery-warm without being heavy, a balance that many Oriental fragrances struggle to achieve. Palmarosa, a grass oil with a geranium-rose character, adds an herbal nuance that most wearers do not expect from an Oriental.
The evolution
The opening arrives crisp and dry. Juniper leads, green and almost astringent, followed immediately by Himalayan cedar's cooler, more austere bite. Bergamot appears briefly as citrus lift before the composition settles. The opening reads as elevated and botanical, not sharp or aggressive. Within the first hour, heliotrope enters with its characteristic almond-cream sweetness, softening everything that came before. Black pepper adds a dry warmth that builds gradually rather than announcing itself. The heart of 01 Sunda is warm and slightly sweet, with palmarosa giving an herbal complexity that prevents it from reading as simply floral. The drydown belongs entirely to tonka, sandalwood, and a clean gray musk, powdery, warm, close to the skin. The juniper never fully disappears; it lingers in the background, keeping the warmth honest.
Cultural impact
01 Sunda arrived as a gender-neutral fragrance, designed to be worn by anyone regardless of how they identify. The original Nomad name, later changed to Sunda, spoke to themes of movement and exploration. Unisex from the start, it offered something different in a market still dominated by gendered fragrance marketing. The scent itself reflects this open approach: the cool cedar and warm tonka work together without leaning into either masculine or feminine olfactory stereotypes. This positioning gave the fragrance an edge in a cultural moment when the fragrance industry was beginning to reconsider its reliance on gender categories.
