Heritage
A house, in its own words
The name What We Do Is Secret first appeared in 2005 when the founders registered it as a DBA for an art studio. Within a few years the studio expanded into fragrance, launching its inaugural perfume line in the late 2000s. The first publicly noted fragrance, Sweet Dreams, arrived in 2003 and was revisited in 2012, establishing a pattern of revisiting themes with fresh interpretations. In 2012 the house released What We Do In Paris Is Secret, a floral‑fruity composition credited to master perfumer Dominique Ropion; the collaboration was highlighted on the brand’s Instagram feed and confirmed by third‑party fragrance blogs. Subsequent releases—Paris*L.A. (2014), Messy Sexy Just Rolled out of Bed (2016), And The World Is Yours (2018), Freckled and Beautiful (2020), and L'Anonyme Extrait (2023)—show a steady cadence of new creations roughly every two years. Throughout its evolution, WWDIS has kept production in France, working with local ateliers that specialize in extraits, a format that emphasizes concentration over dilution. The brand’s history is marked by a consistent commitment to secrecy as a creative catalyst, a principle that informs both its naming conventions and its limited‑edition release strategy. While the house does not publish sales figures, its presence in niche fragrance forums and independent reviews indicates a dedicated following among collectors who value rarity and narrative depth. What We Do Is Secret treats perfume as a private conversation between creator and wearer. The brand’s guiding idea is that every scent should conceal a story that only the wearer can decode. This philosophy discourages overt marketing language; instead, each fragrance is introduced with a brief, often cryptic description that hints at mood, place, or memory. The house values craftsmanship over trend, preferring ingredients that have a clear provenance and a tactile quality. Sustainability is addressed through selective sourcing; the brand works with suppliers who can trace raw materials back to their origin, whether that be a lavender field in Provence or a sandalwood grove in Indonesia. Collaboration is selective; the partnership with Dominique Ropion for the 2012 Paris release demonstrates a willingness to bring established talent into the house’s secretive framework, but only when the perfumer’s vision aligns with the brand’s narrative focus. The overall creative vision is to produce scents that feel like whispered confidences, encouraging wearers to keep the experience personal and intimate.
