Heritage
A house, in its own words
The origin of Untamed Perfumes traces to 2021, when Sunyata Calogeros-Smith established the house following her departure from a career in somatic psychotherapy. This background in therapeutic work focused on the relationship between body, mind, and emotional experience appears to have shaped her approach to fragrance creation, viewing scent as a medium for exploring psychological and sensory landscapes. Calogeros-Smith describes herself as Canadian-born with strong connections to Greek heritage, and her given name carries Sanskrit origins, suggesting a multicultural identity that informs the brand's eclectic thematic range. Her neurodivergent identity (AuDHD) reportedly plays a role in how she perceives and constructs fragrance, emphasizing intensity of sensory experience and attention to detail that mainstream commercial perfumery often overlooks. The name Untamed itself reflects a philosophy of embracing natural instinct and wildness rather than conforming to industry conventions. Within its first year of operation, the house released multiple fragrances including Mevlana - In The Medieval City (inspired by Rumi's teachings), Chocolate Earth, Running With The Wolves, and Shaped by The Wild, establishing a catalog that covered diverse thematic territory. The 2022 releases Salish Sea, Black Bird, and My Greek Lover further expanded the range, drawing from Pacific Northwest coastline, avian imagery, and Mediterranean identity respectively. By 2024, the house introduced Dancing In The Flames and Ghost, demonstrating continued creative evolution and willingness to explore emotionally complex territory.
The philosophy underlying Untamed Perfumes reflects its founder's background in somatic psychology, treating fragrance as a form of embodied experience rather than mere aesthetic product. Calogeros-Smith approaches scent creation with the understanding that olfactory perception engages the body and nervous system in ways that differ fundamentally from visual or auditory art forms. This perspective manifests in compositions that aim to evoke specific emotional states and sensory memories rather than conforming to conventional classification systems or market expectations. The brand's thematic choices reveal a preference for narratives rooted in nature, mythology, personal identity, and spiritual traditions. Titles like Running With The Wolves, Shaped by The Wild, and Mevlana suggest interest in states of heightened experience, communion with natural forces, and traditions of contemplative practice. The founder's somatic psychotherapy background implies familiarity with how the body processes emotional content, knowledge that appears applied to fragrance construction as a form of sensory therapy. Untamed operates without marketing language emphasizing luxury positioning or mass appeal, instead targeting collectors who value authentic artistic expression over commercial polish. The absence of attributed perfumers for individual releases suggests the founder maintains consistent creative direction across the catalog, treating the house as a unified artistic practice rather than a platform for multiple independent noses.