Heritage
A house, in its own words
The story of twentysecondofmay begins with two former art curators, Luisa Graßl and Morgan Fassbender, who met in Berlin’s contemporary art scene in the early 2020s. Their shared fascination with how scent can capture a moment led them to launch the brand, reportedly in 2022, under the name twentysecondofmay – a reference to a personal date that marked a turning point in their creative partnership. Early development took place in a shared studio on Berlin’s Kreuzberg district, where they experimented with both natural absolutes and modern synthetics to articulate the concept of “harmony in duality.” By 2023 the duo secured a modest production facility in nearby Brandenburg, allowing them to move from prototype to limited‑run releases. The 2025 launch of four distinct fragrances – Bee’s Home, Roots of Kente, Sunbeds & Daydreams, and Frosted Flame – marked the brand’s first public offering and was accompanied by a modest press rollout that highlighted the narrative focus of each scent. In 2026 the house expanded its distribution network, establishing partnerships with boutique retailers in Europe, North America, and Asia, and began shipping directly to consumers worldwide. Throughout its brief history the brand has maintained a lean structure, relying on a core team of perfumers, a small batch manufacturing partner in France, and a network of freelance visual artists for packaging and marketing. This approach has kept the label agile, allowing it to respond quickly to emerging olfactory trends while preserving the intimate, story‑centric ethos that defined its inception.
twentysecondofmay frames fragrance as a temporal conduit, a way to hold a fleeting feeling in a tangible form. The founders describe their creative vision as “harmony in duality,” a principle that guides every decision from scent architecture to brand messaging. Rather than chasing trends, the house seeks moments that exist at the intersection of past and present – a childhood garden, a distant market, a sunrise over a cityscape – and translates those memories into layered compositions. The brand’s statements emphasize authenticity over hype; they avoid generic claims of innovation, instead letting each perfume speak for itself. Sustainability is woven into the philosophy, with a commitment to responsibly sourced ingredients and recyclable packaging. The label also values transparency, providing consumers with ingredient lists and brief notes on the inspiration behind each launch. By treating each fragrance as a story rather than a product, twentysecondofmay invites wearers to engage in a personal dialogue with scent, encouraging reflection rather than consumption for status.