Heritage
A house, in its own words
Laurie Arbuthnot grew up exploring the forests of British Columbia, a habit that later guided her career in horticulture and botanical research. After three decades of work in plant science, she launched Wild Coast Perfumery in 2017, converting a modest space on Cowichan Road into a full‑service perfumery. The first storefront opened that same year, offering custom‑blended scents alongside a curated selection of ready‑made fragrances. Early releases—Tofino, Carmanah, Whistler, Sunshine Coast, Saltspring, and Abkhazi—all debuted in 2017, establishing a pattern of naming each perfume after a beloved BC locale. In 2018 the line expanded with Island Wildflower, a composition that highlighted native meadow botanicals. The brand’s growth remained steady; by 2020 it had secured a small‑batch production facility where every batch ages for six to eight weeks. 2023 marked the introduction of Saturna, a fragrance that incorporates rare poplar bud extract and reflects the archipelago’s wind‑carved cliffs. Throughout its history the company has kept a community focus, partnering with local conservation groups such as the Ancient Forest Alliance and donating a portion of proceeds to habitat restoration projects. The founder’s daughter, Haley Dawe, now serves as Creative Director, guiding visual updates while preserving the original ethos of place‑based scent making. Wild Coast Perfumery treats fragrance as a bridge between people and the land that inspires them. The studio believes that a scent should be traceable to a specific plant, mineral or micro‑climate, so it sources ingredients from BC forests, coastal dunes and cultivated gardens. The brand rejects synthetic shortcuts, opting instead for plant‑derived absolutes, essential oils and distillates that retain the chemistry of their source. Sustainability informs every decision: the perfumery harvests wild botanicals under permits that limit impact, and it uses reclaimed glass and recycled packaging whenever possible. Community stewardship forms a core value; the company supports forest‑conservation initiatives and educates customers about the ecosystems behind each note. Creative vision rests on storytelling: each fragrance is named after a location, and the scent profile aims to evoke the wind, water or earth of that place. This approach encourages wearers to pause, recall a memory of the Pacific Northwest, and feel a subtle connection to the region’s natural rhythm.