Heritage
A house, in its own words
Regalien emerged in Istanbul in 2016 when brothers Bilen Besen and Varol Besen turned a lifelong fascination with flowers into a commercial venture. Their first public offering, Aqua Notte, arrived the same year and introduced a marine‑fresh profile that resonated with local perfume enthusiasts. In 2018 the house released Antidote, a composition that paired citrus top notes with a smoky base, signaling a willingness to experiment beyond conventional Turkish scent palettes. The following year, Posh and Marrakesh arrived, the latter drawing on the spice markets of North Africa while the former explored a sleek, minimalist aromatic structure. 2021 proved prolific: Turkuaz, Ala and Meftun each explored different facets of the Mediterranean, from sea‑salted greens to sun‑baked herbs. The 2023 releases, Ceremony Flu and Efil, continued the brand’s narrative of seasonal celebration, with Ceremony Flu evoking the fleeting aroma of spring blossoms and Efil offering a nocturnal, incense‑laden journey. Throughout its evolution, Regalien has partnered with the MG Gülçük & Firmenich fragrance team, a collaboration that brings technical expertise from a global scent laboratory while preserving the founders’ creative control. The brand’s growth has been marked by a steady expansion of retail presence in boutique perfumeries across Europe and the Middle East, yet it remains anchored in Istanbul, where the founders still oversee formulation and packaging decisions. This blend of local roots and international partnership defines Regalien’s heritage as a modern Turkish house that respects tradition while forging new olfactory paths. Regalien’s creative vision rests on the idea that scent can act as a bridge between past and present. The founders speak of honouring the rituals of Ottoman perfume making—hand‑picked botanicals, slow maceration, and reverence for natural ingredients—while translating those practices into a language that speaks to today’s global collector. Each fragrance is conceived as a narrative moment, whether it is the quiet contemplation of a night market or the exuberant burst of a spring festival. The brand values transparency in sourcing, favouring regional growers who practice sustainable harvesting, and it maintains a policy of limited batch releases to ensure consistency and avoid over‑production. Regalien also emphasizes the sensory experience of the bottle, believing that visual design should echo the scent’s character, creating a cohesive story that begins before the first spritz. This philosophy is reflected in the brand’s commitment to collaborate with established fragrance houses such as Firmenich, allowing the founders to focus on concept while leveraging technical expertise for stability and safety. In interviews, the brothers have highlighted a desire to make perfume an accessible form of personal expression, encouraging wearers to interpret each note in their own context rather than prescribing a fixed mood.