Heritage
A house, in its own words
The story of THoO begins with a friendship that crossed continents. In 2016, Andrea Casotti, an Italian master perfumer, met Mohammed Abu Nashi, an oud specialist based in Jakarta. Their shared fascination with agarwood sparked a collaboration that combined Casotti’s training in European fragrance houses with Abu Nashi’s deep knowledge of traditional oud sourcing and processing. The partnership was announced in several niche perfume blogs and confirmed by The Perfume Society, which described the brand as born of that cross‑cultural dialogue. Early releases – Golden Powder, Dates Delight, and the first Crop (2016) – showcased the duo’s intent to treat oud as a versatile ingredient rather than a background note. By 2018, THoO expanded its narrative with The Time, Just Before, and Live In Colors, each adding a new facet to the brand’s evolving palette. The 2021 Crop edition and the 2022 Ruby Red further cemented the house’s reputation for iterative development, revisiting core themes while introducing fresh twists. Throughout its history, THoO has remained a small‑scale operation, preferring limited production runs that allow close monitoring of quality. The brand’s growth has been documented in independent fragrance forums and YouTube review channels, which note the consistent release schedule and the steady refinement of its olfactory identity. While the house does not claim industry awards, its presence in niche perfume round‑ups and its inclusion in curated lists of notable oud‑centric fragrances attest to its impact within the community. THoO’s creative vision rests on a simple premise: treat oud as a living material that can be shaped, layered, and re‑imagined. The brand’s statements, as reported by So Avant Garde, emphasize respect for the ingredient’s cultural heritage while encouraging experimentation. Each fragrance is approached as a dialogue between the raw agarwood and the surrounding notes, rather than a backdrop for a single star component. Sustainability features in the philosophy; the house works with producers who practice responsible harvesting, aiming to preserve the trees that yield the precious resin. Transparency is another pillar – THoO often shares the geographic origin of its oud, noting that many batches come from Southeast Asian forests where traditional extraction methods are still used. The brand also values craftsmanship over trend chasing, preferring to let the scent’s structure dictate its presentation. This mindset translates into a modest release cadence, allowing the team to refine formulas based on real‑world feedback rather than market pressure. In interviews, Casotti has spoken about the importance of balance – a balance between the weight of oud and the lightness of modern accords, between heritage and innovation, and between artistic expression and responsible sourcing.