The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Sunken Garden was launched in 2021 by perfumer Ernesto Sanchez Bujanda. Its name points toward a hidden garden, a place where cultivated beauty meets damp earth, herbs, and shaded stone. That idea unfolds through a deliberate contrast. Bergamot and juniper bring light and fresh air, while coriander and ambrette add herbal spice. White lotus, jasmine, magnolia, and lavender absolute create the floral center. Beneath them, ambergris, Haitian vetiver, cedarwood, and incense give the composition a mineral, quietly smoky foundation. The result feels less like a bouquet than a garden glimpsed after rain.
The unusual part is the handoff between two kinds of green. Juniper berries and coriander bring a brisk, almost windblown quality, while ambrette lends a soft, musky texture. Then the floral notes arrive with genuine creaminess rather than sweetness. Lavender absolute keeps that floral heart from becoming decorative, giving it an herbal edge. At the base, ambergris and Haitian vetiver provide mineral depth, while cedarwood and incense turn the garden toward something darker, as if sunlit leaves give way to shaded bark and a thread of smoke.
The evolution
The opening lands brisk and clean. Bergamot flashes bright, coriander brings a green spice, and juniper adds a cool, peppery snap. Ambrette softens the edges almost immediately, giving the air a musky skin. As those notes recede, the composition becomes noticeably creamier. White lotus and magnolia settle over jasmine and lavender, producing a dense floral middle with powdery and aquatic touches. The garden metaphor shifts from sunlight to shadow. Vetiver rises with dry, earthy minerality, cedarwood brings a clean woody grain, and incense adds a restrained smoky thread. Ambergris smooths everything into skin. Moderate projection makes the scent feel present without announcing itself across a room.
Cultural impact
Sunken Garden connects fresh floral notes with a darker garden mood. Bergamot, coriander, and juniper establish brightness before ambrette introduces a softer musky texture. White lotus and magnolia blend with jasmine and lavender to form a layered floral heart, touched by powder and water. As the composition settles, vetiver, cedarwood, and incense bring dry wood, mineral earth, and a restrained thread of smoke, while ambergris gives the final impression a smooth, close-to-skin finish.
The House
YeYe ParfumsYeYe Parfums is an independent, artisanal perfume house founded by Ryan York and Ernesto Sanchez Bujanda. The brand operates as a small-batch fragrance studio, handling every stage of production internally, from initial concept through final composition and bottling. Ernesto Sanchez Bujanda, who serves as co-founder alongside Ryan York, brings an unusual background to perfumery, having trained as an industrial engineer in Venezuela before discovering his passion for fragrance creation. The brand crafts scent work that draws from the histories of established perfume houses while pursuing its own distinct creative path.
The Creator
Ernesto Sanchez BujandaHis compositions resist easy categorization. Bujanda favors atypical combinations that challenge the wearer to reconsider familiar materials.
