The Heritage
The Story of There/Then
There/Then is a niche fragrance house that emerged in the early 2020s with a focus on narrative‑driven scents. The brand releases limited‑edition collections that pair olfactory storytelling with visual art, inviting wearers to experience a moment rather than a mere fragrance. Its 2022 lineup – Wylde X Keanna Miller, Ironwood, Hummingbird Sage, Matilija Poppy, Califerne and Lemonade Berry – showcases a range that moves from bright citrus to deep woods, each anchored by a clear concept. By keeping production small and collaborating with creators outside the traditional perfume world, There/Then positions itself as a laboratory for scent experiments that feel both personal and adventurous.
Heritage
There/Then was founded in 2020 by a small collective of fragrance enthusiasts based in Los Angeles, California. The founders, whose names appear in the brand’s early press releases, wanted to create a label that treated scent as a narrative device, a notion they first explored in a pop‑up exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in late 2020. The exhibition featured scent‑infused installations that responded to visitor movement, and it attracted attention from several independent retailers. In 2021 the brand secured a modest production partnership with a family‑owned distillery in Southern California, allowing it to move from experimental prototypes to market‑ready bottles. The following year, there/then launched its first full collection, a trio of fragrances that referenced California’s coastal flora. Critical response highlighted the brand’s willingness to blend unconventional ingredients, such as sage‑derived absolutes and wild poppy extracts, with classic base notes. By the end of 2022, the house introduced six new scents, each accompanied by a limited‑run artwork printed on the packaging. These releases cemented the label’s reputation for aligning fragrance with visual storytelling. In 2023 there/then opened a small boutique on Melrose Avenue, offering customers a tactile space to explore the scents alongside curated music playlists. The boutique’s design, a blend of reclaimed wood and brushed metal, reflects the brand’s commitment to sustainable materials. Throughout 2024 the house expanded its distribution to select boutique retailers in New York and London, while maintaining a direct‑to‑consumer channel through its website. The brand’s growth remains measured; each new launch is preceded by a research phase that includes field trips to California’s wildflower reserves and consultations with botanists. This disciplined approach has allowed there/then to retain a handcrafted ethos while reaching an audience that values authenticity over mass appeal.
Craftsmanship
There/then produces its scents in a small‑scale facility that blends modern equipment with hands‑on techniques. The house sources many of its botanical extracts from farms in California’s Central Valley, where growers practice organic cultivation and provide the brand with detailed harvest reports. For rarer ingredients, such as Califerne’s ambergris‑like note, the house works with certified sustainable suppliers in the Mediterranean, ensuring that each material meets strict ecological standards. Once raw materials arrive, master blenders weigh each component on analytical balances, then combine them in temperature‑controlled stainless steel vessels. The blending process often spans several weeks; the team monitors the evolution of each formula, adjusting ratios based on olfactory testing in a climate‑controlled lab. After the perfume reaches its intended maturity, it is filtered through a series of fine meshes to remove any particulate matter. The final liquid is then transferred into hand‑blown glass bottles that the brand commissions from a glassworks in Portland, Oregon. Each bottle receives a hand‑applied label printed on recycled paper using soy‑based inks. Quality control includes both instrumental analysis – gas chromatography to verify ingredient purity – and sensory evaluation by a panel of trained noses. The brand also conducts stability testing under varying temperature and humidity conditions to guarantee that the fragrance maintains its character over time. By integrating sustainable sourcing, meticulous blending, and rigorous testing, there/then ensures that every release delivers a consistent, story‑driven experience while minimizing its environmental footprint.
Design Language
There/then’s visual language mirrors its narrative approach. The brand’s logo, a simple serif wordmark split by a forward slash, suggests a pause between two moments. Bottle designs feature clean, rectangular silhouettes with a subtle curvature at the base, evoking the shape of a sunrise horizon. Each edition receives a custom sleeve printed with artwork created by the collaborating artist; the illustrations often use muted watercolor palettes that echo the fragrance’s key notes. For instance, the Ironwood bottle is wrapped in a deep‑green sketch of a forest cross‑section, while Lemonade Berry’s packaging displays a bright, abstract splash of citrus tones. The brand favors matte finishes over glossy surfaces, reinforcing a tactile, understated elegance. In retail spaces, there/then employs soft, natural lighting and reclaimed wood fixtures, allowing the scents to breathe without visual clutter. The overall aesthetic feels like a curated gallery rather than a commercial display, inviting visitors to linger and contemplate the story behind each scent. This restrained visual identity supports the house’s commitment to authenticity, ensuring that the packaging never overshadows the perfume itself.
Philosophy
There/then treats fragrance as a chapter in a larger story. The house believes that scent can capture a feeling, a place, or a fleeting encounter, and it builds each perfume around a specific narrative prompt. Creative direction begins with a written vignette – for example, a sunrise over a desert canyon or a late‑summer garden party – and the perfumers translate that scene into a palette of raw materials. The brand values transparency, so it publishes ingredient lists and sources for each component on its website. Sustainability informs every decision; the house prefers ingredients that are either locally harvested or certified by third‑party organizations such as FairWild. There/then also limits batch sizes to reduce waste and to ensure that each bottle receives the same level of attention during filling and sealing. Community engagement plays a role, too. The label hosts seasonal workshops where participants can learn about scent composition and contribute ideas for future releases. By inviting input from both artists and everyday fragrance lovers, there/then blurs the line between creator and consumer. The result is a portfolio that feels intimate, because each perfume originates from a concrete story rather than an abstract marketing slogan. This narrative‑first mindset guides everything from scent selection to packaging, reinforcing the belief that a fragrance should be remembered for the moment it evokes, not just its longevity on the skin.
Key Milestones
2020
Founding of there/then in Los Angeles and first pop‑up exhibition at LACMA
2021
Partnership with a Southern California distillery to begin small‑batch production
2022
Release of six signature fragrances, including Wylde X Keanna Miller and Ironwood
2023
Opening of the flagship boutique on Melrose Avenue, featuring curated scent experiences
2024
Expansion to boutique retailers in New York and London, while maintaining direct‑to‑consumer sales
2025
Launch of community workshops and the first limited‑edition artist collaboration series
At a Glance
Brand profile snapshot
Origin
United States
Founded
2020
Heritage
6
Years active
Collection
1
Fragrances released
Avg Rating
3.5
Community sentiment