The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Kapitel 1 takes its inspiration from the Scandinavian forest. For Skandinavisk, the signature scent of the region isn't coastline or meadow, it is the boreal forest. Stéphane Coez crafted the fragrance from a brief centered on this Nordic woodland. The first chapter in the Kapitel series, it establishes the collection's direction with quiet confidence rather than showy spectacle. The composition captures the essence of dense evergreen groves, the texture of bark and needles underfoot, and the clean, crisp air that defines Scandinavian woodlands.
Three notes. Pine, lily of the valley, aquatic. It sounds simple, but the execution is more nuanced than the ingredient list suggests. Kapitel 1 lets pine lead without apology. The evergreen resinous quality takes center stage, offering a clean and straightforward conifer presence that feels authentic rather than decorated. The lily of the valley does not arrive to sweeten the composition, it arrives to soften. Its delicate floral character introduces a subtle green freshness that reminds you forests are not only about trees.
The evolution
The opening lands sharp and cold. Pine resin, conifer sap, the kind of green that bites. No sweetness here, no softening. Just the forest asserting itself. Twenty minutes in, the lily of the valley pushes through, delicate, white, almost soapy in the best way. Like finding wildflowers at the edge of a clearing. The aquatic note keeps everything grounded, preventing the florals from getting too precious. By the second hour, the composition has settled into something quietly confident. Soap-clean but not sterile. Woody but not heavy. The pine never fully disappears, it lingers in the drydown like a memory of the opening, softened by then into something that stays close to the skin for hours.
Cultural impact
Skandinavisk embodies a different approach to fragrance, one focused on place and atmosphere rather than status. The brand's Copenhagen roots inform its perspective on Nordic nature. Their work suggests there is an audience for scents that prioritize mood and environment over traditional perfumery expectations. The fragrance offers a way to experience the calm of northern forests through scent, making those landscapes accessible in an intimate format.
The House
SkandinaviskSkandinavisk is a Copenhagen-based fragrance house founded in 2012 by Shaun Russell, an Englishman who relocated to Denmark. Alongside co-founder Gerry (another English emigrant), Russell set out to translate the sensory language of Scandinavian landscapes into wearable scent. The brand draws from remote forests, coastal stretches, and rural meadows across Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Skandinavisk produces both home fragrances (candles, diffusers) and a collection of perfume oils that carry names and narratives rooted in Nordic geography and seasons. The brand operates with a studio in Copenhagen and maintains a distinct editorial voice that treats landscape as原料 rather than abstraction. Skandinavisk's fragrance range spans multiple collections, including the Kapitel series of perfume oils launched between 2020 and 2023, each named after chapter-like moments in a broader Scandinavian story.
The Creator
Stéphane CoezHis stylistic signature leans toward contemporary French elegance, characterized by clean lines, bright citrus accents, and a modern sensibility that never feels cold or distant. Coez demonstrates particular skill with fresh compositions that balance crisp top notes against ri…
