The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lantern Reed arrived in 2019 with the nose behind it credited to Kershen Teo, and the composition reads as a deliberate test of how much weight natural materials can carry when nothing underneath is doing quiet corrective work. Prosody London markets itself with attention to natural, organic, vegan, and cruelty-free positioning, and that philosophy shapes the fragrance from top to bottom: the grapefruit, the vetiver, the myrrh, the orris root, all of it arriving as recognizable botanical material rather than smoothed abstraction.
The heart of Lantern Reed is where the formula earns its complexity, because the orris root does serious structural work in the middle of the composition, lending a powdery, rooty depth that holds the citrus in place rather than letting the top notes collapse into simple brightness. Peony leaf and magnolia leaf contribute green character through their foliage rather than through any floral sweetness, keeping the heart grounded in something leafy and slightly bitter instead of perfume-y.
The evolution
The opening of Lantern Reed arrives with immediate green sharpness, grapefruit and lemongrass cutting forward while bergamot softens the edges with its own rounder citrus warmth, and magnolia leaf underneath providing a wet, plant-like quality that keeps the top from feeling purely fruity. There's something almost citronella-like in the first stretch of wear, the bug-repellent brightness of lemongrass reading alongside the sharper grapefruit pith rather than the fruit's sweeter juice. As the composition moves into its heart, myrtle and orris root begin to assemble and the initial sharpness softens into something more herbal and slightly bitter, the iris character coming through as crushed stems and root rather than anything resembling a petal.
Cultural impact
Lantern Reed occupies a specific niche territory: it's a botanical-forward composition that doesn't hide its material origins, and the wear experience reflects that honesty from the first spray through the final hours. One wearer described it as a 'summer evening' scent, the kind of phrase that captures the way the fragrance moves through green, citrus, and earth without ever becoming loud or attention-seeking. The appeal lies in how composed it remains across its lifespan, holding its structure without ever crowding the wearer or the room.
The House
Prosody LondonProsody London crafts small-batch, natural perfumes from its London base, founded in 2018 by Singapore-born perfumer Kershen Teo. The house specializes in 100% botanical and organic fragrances, each composed from rare essential oils and natural materials. Prosody London produces niche scents for men who prioritize authenticity over mass production, with ten named fragrances released between 2018 and 2020 including Rose Rondeaux, Lantern Reed, Oud Octavo, and Paper Flower Fan. The house operates as both perfumer and creative director under Teo's guidance, maintaining complete control over formulation and artistic direction. Prosody London has been selected by Indigo Perfumery for their curated collection of independent fragrance houses, placing the brand among established niche perfumers in the specialist retail space.
The Creator
Keshen TeoTeo's style remains in early public formation, but his affiliation with botanical perfumery offers clues. He tends toward natural materials with clear provenance—ingredients that carry their origins in their scent profile.
