your love letters

I never was a big fan of smells. I was first introduced to the world of smells and fashion generally by my godmother, Christiane. She is an incredible woman who could has an astounding appearance and sticks out in my backwater town called Neunkirchen in Germany. She had an incredible impact on my interest in fashion. Twelve-year-old Philipp was completely baffled of her. How she can still make a whole room become silent with her entrance in her now seventies, is truly magnificent. Needless to say, her way of perseverance as a single mother with a successful career during her time, is to this day a great inspiration for myself. Her input and opinion were always a guiding hand during hard and unknown times during my childhood.

 Anyway, to that time she said to me: “Philipp, a smell is the most subtle and powerful way to make an impact. No matter how someone may appear to me, if I experience a mesmerizing smell, it will for sure make me turn my head.” Guided by her we bought that day my first ever smell: One Million by Paco Rabanne. Looking back, a kind of lame choice. But then I really liked it because of its design. The actual smell, although good, wasn’t really the reason for my choice. Nevertheless, I still have the empty bottle somewhere here.

Over the next years I struggled really hard with the appearance of my body. Puberty, confusion in sexuality and an undiagnosed bipolar illness made me completely loose hold of my life and with it, the interest in fashion. Perfumes were still amazing in my eyes/nose, but why should I bother when all the rest wasn’t pretty anyways? I know, puberty body dysmorphia was real. Thankfully, I got the hang again after becoming eighteen. With rebuilt confidence I started caring for my appearance and developed a favourite wardrobe to feel comfortable and handsome. The topic of perfumes was sadly still ignored by me. Maybe because of the earlier sentiment in puberty, who knows? I just never tried to find something although the section was always interesting in all the stores. Circa two years ago I came across a sponsorship of your brand and a TikTok influencer. All people in social media were completely mind blown by your smell dead of night. As a university student with low income, I was of course not sure, if the money would be worth it. I mean, it is a smell from America with something called oud which means translated in to German: “eagle wood”. And then I couldn’t even test smell them! But still my godmother’s words rung in my subconscious, so I took the leap and ordered your test smell set which is still a lot for me as a student (No critic here. I love them and understand the price point that it totally valid.) Surprisingly enough, I wasn’t a fan of deadofnight. Slightly disheartened, I tried the other smells one after another.

Finally, I came to silencethesea. It smelled divine. As a passionate scuba-diver I was always drawn to the sea, even though it is far away from my hometown. But this smell… it immediately brought me back to those memories of the beach and sailing on the boats to the next diving adventure in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea in Croatia, Spain, France... Never have I thought that you can resonate with a smell so much. It is truly mind-blowing. That was the moment when I finally understood why people, like my godmother, took so much value and time in their perfumes: it’s the memories we connect while experiencing these things. A flowery smell might be completely alienating for me, but another might be reminded of their dear grandmother. This actually happened to my mom, while testing your kit. I had to give away lostinflowers nearly immediately. Other people might think that silencethesea is way too intense for their likes, but to me… it just resonates. I never had that before in a perfume. Funnily enough while going out clubbing, I prefer the smell fallintostars, since it is more outgoing and not as intense as silencethesea. Especially since that one has a more calming effect to me. I actually met my boyfriend like that. Just like my godmother mentioned, he turned around because of that smell in a club. Ironic, isn’t it? So strangelove reopened the world of smells for me. All of your creations are unique and incredible. I don’t think that I will ever change to another creator at least as a main smell. Even though it sounds cheesy but these smells… they bring me back to my twelve-year-old me who was completely new to this kind of world and needed a guiding hand. The most unique thing about your brand is that all of your creations bring for specific associations. It doesn’t matter if it is silencethesea, fallintostars, or another smell. All of them have the ability to make people feel, remember and recognize. You can be really proud of that.

P.L.F.

 I bought the sample kit on the promise of a fun name and the presence of oud.  Every time I take a spray from any of the samples, I feel deeply fortunate to have landed on a family of perfumes that, each and all, touch and delight me in one way or another, with the poetry of the name, the quality of ingredients, the skill and talent that put them all together. Perfumes are a fascination for me. Over the years, I have bought dozens of samples that tend to the high end of what is available (Amouage, Creed, Henry Jacques, Baccarat, Ensar Oud, Chanel, Roja Dove, Killian,- many many samples - bought through Luckyscent) and developed a fun, low-calorie sensual exercise to wind out the day: I take several (in this case 5) scents and put them on various places on my hands and arms. This gives me a chance to visit them one at a time, in combination or in sequence and observe how they dry down, how they interact with my skin and how long they last.  Always, always, strangelove was a pleasure that began lovely and dried down to a beautiful scent which always produced a smile. I hope no one saw me sniffing my own hands and arms- I don’t mind looking   peculiar but not as a public spectacle- but my friends understand. strangelove is the only line that I have ever completely embraced, every offering, and that surprises me. Day to day my preferences differed so, since they all made the grade for use, I wore one or another over several weeks going into months.   None of them ever disappointed so I was left with a tough decision: sell a kidney and buy them all at once or let nature tell me which one to start with. I will eventually buy all but where to start? Nature made the decision easy…. I lined up all the sample bottles and, after all those months of sampling, bought the one with the least left.  It was close but meltmyheart was the one and the first of five major purchases to come and I think I can swing keeping most of my organs to boot. Expanding context, strangelove perfumes reassures me that there is still a business who has integrity and holds to a higher standard.  Thanks for existing.

 D.M.

 

I still remember the first time I was spoken to about your brand from a very year friend. It had just hit lockdown, the roads were empty, the atmosphere was dull, we didn’t quite know what to expect and what was coming, all we knew was it’s time to be cooped up at home and with a newborn in my arms that’s exactly what I did! Strangelove came to me like the light at the end of the tunnel, when you think your entire life has come crashing down, I discovered one of my most loved and worn scents. Being a perfume enthusiast it’s of course my passion to understand, explore and elaborate my smelling and scenting journey and there it was; meltmyheart all the way from New York! It was almost Christmas and to be honest it was the perfect, lone winter scent I gifted myself. I have to admit, it is the only gourmand fragrance I proudly own and the fragrance took me away. It reminds me of cold British winters when my nan would bake dark chocolate chip cookies, I can almost taste them in my mouth. Its sensational blend of spices, chocolate and oud is phenomenal. It lasts so long and living in a colder country I feel like it really elevates during the cool days. 

Where I live, in a small town not many people around me can understand complex fragrances especially oud and I just feel strangelove have done the blend so well, it’s accepted and a very likable scent which makes it a great compliment getter. I don’t have to worry about what the guys behind will stay standing in the queue at Zara! And only when I thought strangelove had topped it with this beautiful scent and the golden lids and the aesthetics of the bottle and design I discover, deadofnight and can I just say which I’m sure you’ve heard so much already. It is my absolute favourite scent from the brand. IT IS MINDBLOWING! What a creation! I have always been into dark, deep, woody fragrances and I have to say it has made its way to my signature scents collection. The amber, rose and oud is a combination which is loved globally and what makes deadofnight more interesting is the bursts of the citrusy notes. Again, an absolute sensational fragrance, it’s complex and extremely well blended, silage is fantastic and certainly fills the room with ambiance which you won’t forget! Again, a likable oud scent for those who aren’t used to the depths of oud and in my opinion it is unisex. I therefore gifted it to a friend of mine on her wedding day as her wedding day scent. From New York to UK, and now from UK to Qatar. I am sharing my love!!! 

R.A.

5 years ago, I was a young makeup artist working for a luxury cosmetic brand, and was chatting with some people in the store I was working at that day about my upcoming wedding and the fact that I needed a special fragrance. One of the women came over to me and said, “I have this fragrance that would be so beautiful on you, I’ll bring it next time I see you.” For the record, she wasn’t in fragrance trying to make a sale, she was genuinely excited to show me what she envisioned as my wedding scent. 

 Enter the tiniest bottle of Strangelove meltmyheart. I took a whiff and instantly fell in love. It smelled like home. Every time I put it on, I felt like ME. I felt grown up, too. Back then I was a broke 23-year-old girl, and this fragrance made me feel like a WOMAN. I ended up saving that little bottle and using it for every wedding event. My shower, my rehearsal dinner, and then the actual wedding day. Day of my wedding, I put on meltmyheart, and the hairstylists, makeup artists, and photographers all saying “what perfume are you wearing, you smell like an angel” which is probably the best compliment to receive on your wedding day. Bonus points that my husband loved how it smelled too. I still keep the empty little bottle in my makeup bag, and every time I open it, my brushes and makeup still smell like meltmyheart. Often times when I’m touching up a friend’s makeup on a late night out, they’ll say “your brushes smell so good” and I can’t believe after all these years the smell still lingers. 

 meltmyheart did melt my heart, and it is such a special fragrance to me. My wedding day was one of the best days of my life, and i am about to celebrate 5-year anniversary to my beautiful husband on September 15. Although I haven’t been able to repurchase the fragrance yet, I can’t wait for the day that I can. Thank you for creating a unique fragrance that made my wedding day even more special. Celebrating love is such a beautiful thing, and having a scent to help lock in those special memories is a true gift.  

E.C.

 My wife’s love affair with strangelove began just before our 40th wedding anniversary when I thought it would be lovely gesture to make a purchase, as she had a friend who also loves it. My wife has been my career for the last 15 years, looking after me while I went through a significant illness and finally (and luckily) a double lung transplant. I then had a brain hemorrhage and, in 2018, a broken back. Through all this my wife was my rock and such a strong woman. The least I could do was make a purchase of her favourite perfume – God knows she deserved it. 

Her love affair with fallintostars (her favourite) continues to this day. Our daughters-in-law love it too and say they can smell it on our grandchildren even after she has left to go home. She can’t smell it on herself which, according to our daughter, is a sign that the scent is totally right for her.  Thank you for your kindness and support over the recent years. She loves all of your perfumes and will continue to be a very satisfied and permanent customer.

 S.W.

Let me tell you how much I love strangelove’s lostinflowers: it was the ONLY perfume I chose to take with me to the Milan Esxence perfume expo last year. Surrounded by thousands of bottles of fine fragrance, strangelove’s extraordinary tribute to white florals garnered me so many compliments I stopped counting. I was wearing the perfume oil rather than the eau de parfum, and one drop of this potent concoction surrounds you in a “heaven-scent” mist of gardenia, champaca, and lily of the valley. Combining with the dusty straw-like element of marigold and the slightest skank and depth of oud, lostinflowers is an unforgettable and head-spinning magic carpet ride through a heavily-scented boudoir. Dazzling, hypnotic, and sexy as hell, lostinflowers is the sin qua non of white floral perfumes.

 R.H.

As a perfume collector, weak in the knees over ‘fumes that are special, I've circled your company like a shark since the inception. Helena Christensen (c'mon, who could resist) and Elizabeth Gaynes, the heavy-lifter behind the brand. I finally bit the bullet after spotting the minis, invented some reason I deserve them and added to cart. Then the worst happened. I fell in love. meltmyheart. So, I waited for the next reason I needed to splurge- self-care and all that- and ordered what I thought was meltmyheart. In my haste, I actually ordered deadofnight. Now I'm on love with that one, too, but needed to grow my oud nose to really wrap myself around it. The strangelove team was kind enough to send me my intended order, and I sent deadofnight back. You know what happens when one gets away; it lingers. So now the body oil has appeared on your website. Targeting, targeting... In the meantime, I wore meltmyheart to a backyard BBQ in upstate NY and two women who I'd meet once, without seeing me, said, "She must be here. Something smells incredible." We hugged because we're women and I wanted to supply a deep, close inhale. I'm quite generous that way. They wanted the details and your info, and they got them. I hope they pull the trigger, because more people in upstate NY should smell like strangelove.

 C.J.

It was a chance encounter on a crisp autumn afternoon when I stumbled upon strangelove, nestled in a cozy corner of a charming, cobblestone street. The store's enigmatic aura beckoned me inside, and as I ventured deeper into its fragrant depths, I was enveloped in a whirlwind of scents that defied my imagination. It was as if I had stepped into a secret garden of memories, where each fragrance held the key to a different chapter of my life. The first whiff of lostinflowers transported me back to my grandmother's garden, where I spent countless summer afternoons chasing butterflies and listening to her tales of bygone eras. The delicate blend of jasmine and violet awakened the nostalgia buried deep within me, and I could almost feel the warmth of her smile. As I moved on to meltmyheart a scent so rich and sultry, it reminded me of that unforgettable night under the stars when I fell in love for the first time. The fragrance was a symphony of passion, igniting the embers of that long-lost romance. Strangelove has a bewitching ability to evoke emotions I had long forgotten, and with each bottle I collected, I amassed a treasure trove of cherished memories. The scents became an intricate tapestry of my life, a perfume diary that told the story of my journey. To me, strangelove is more than just fragrances; they are an exquisite journey through time, and a testament to the power of scent to resurrect the past and weave it into the fabric of my present.

 M.E.

Many people who own a number of perfumes often struggle to choose one that stands out the most. The more perfumes a person owns, the more limited and difficult the decision becomes. However, over time, things become clearer, and the bright halos of these numerous bottles gradually fade, revealing what is truly distinctive. fallintostars is one of these perfumes that has settled the matter for me. It is among the most important and beautiful fragrances I have ever tried. And for a personal reason, unrelated to evaluating the scent, it may be the closest to my heart. I do not see myself as the one who owns these perfumes as much as they possess me. These moments, pleasures, and joys, not to mention the line that takes you through unrelated realms of this entire universe, which is the line of memories.  A single glance at the perfume bottle is enough to stop the clock and make everything around you disappear, and all sounds fade away. Once again, the canvas of memories within you pulsates with life, becoming the essence of life, place, time, and things as well. The fragrance of your perfume has encompassed me with all these remnants of "roads, alleys, places, people, silence, and stillness." And most importantly, I have grasped, and even smelled, the scent of the leaves I loved in my childhood, which got lost with the passing of time. Those are the stories I used to read with complete passion, sneaking into beautiful worlds far beyond this reality.

 S.A.

My story with strangelove perfumes started when a friend introduced me to your collection and got me my first sample set. deadofnight was an instant and insistent love affair. I found it intoxicating and deeply sensual. This is the reason I chose to wear it on my wedding day on the tiny Hebridian island of Canna. It was a Summer's afternoon on the beautifully white Sanday beach. Just the two of us, no guests, no frills, no fuss. Just love and the sound of the waves, the smell of the sea and deadofnight. Whenever I wear it now, it takes me back to these deeply personal moments...when you look into the eyes of someone you trust and love, when you hold hands with someone you deeply desire...lost in your feelings and in your senses, experiencing the magic, being grateful for life.

 M.F.

I am an avid collector of perfumes and was in search of a grail fragrance for a very long time then I found fallintostars. My search was over, and it wasn't because fallintostars was a good fragrance, it was an olfactory journey through my most cherished memories. The scent seemed to hold the essence of every fall season I had ever lived, encapsulating the magic of falling leaves, the laughter of family gatherings, and the quiet contemplation of stargazing nights. fallintostars became more than just a perfume to me; it became a part of my identity because of how much I wear it people smell me before they recognize me and remember me by the scent trail I leave behind. I couldn't imagine leaving the house without a gentle spritz of its enchanting fragrance. It was my confidence boost, my secret source of strength during challenging times, and my constant companion on life's journey. Whenever I wore it, I felt like I carried a piece of the universe with me. The stars on the bottle seemed to shine a little brighter, and the scent wrapped around me like a protective cloak. It was as if the perfume had the power to transport me to the stars themselves, where dreams knew no bounds.

 As the months passed, fallintostars continued to be my faithful companion, witnessing my joys and sorrows, my triumphs and tribulations. It reminded me that life was a beautiful tapestry woven from moments, and each spritz was a reminder to cherish them all. To me, fallintostars wasn't just a fragrance; it was a vessel of memories, a gateway to emotions, and a constant reminder of the magic that exists in the world. It is a perfume I couldn't live without, for it had etched itself into the very fabric of my existence, forever guiding me as I fell into the stars.

 J.P.

My story with strangelove was nothing short of strange. It was definitely not love at first sniff. But as with most rom-coms or love stories that we often hear about, it never starts out that way. After all, what’s a love story without a few twists of events? 

The year was 2020, the summer of an unexpected pandemic was just unfolding. I was able to obtain a sample of fallintostars, along with a bunch of other perfumes. We were dating, speed dating, swiping, whatever Gen-Zs call it nowadays. Trying to find a perfect perfume match that I could possibly fall head-over-heels over. At first sniff, granted I was not that familiar with oud let alone natural high quality ouds, fallintostars made my face squirm. A visceral reaction causing my nose to scrunch up. I was put off initially by the pungent, oily, and sour impressions it left on me. As you could imagine, I ended that date pretty quickly and abruptly. 

 But as time went on…days and weeks went by sniffing my perfume samples, vial after vial, I noticed myself revisiting fallintostars, spraying it over and over again. Maybe the walls I built up, started falling down. Maybe I started to see its charm beyond the facade. Maybe it had this chokehold on me that I was trying to resist. Whatever it was, I started to develop a deep connection with it, not only falling in love with it but fully understanding it. It showed me the most decadent floral touches from rosewood and narcissus. Revealed its power and warmth from the rich labdanum and natural ouds. Unveiled the mask from the beast and let out the most beautiful and affectionate heart. A sample that quickly vanished and turned into a whirlwind love story. And of course I made sure we made it official. Now cue the silhouettes shots over the sunset, symphonic violins playing in the background, fade to black and the credits rolling with an inspirational quote: 

“If anything, just remember. 
Love doesn’t just happen. It evolves. As do perfumes.”

 J.M.

I’m new to your story, but to me, fragrances have the power to evoke sense of desire, home, memories, and in some cases, confidence. I stumbled upon strangelove by chance, as I was in the market for a perfume that represented a new chapter of my life. What initially drew me in was the way that each scent was described and written up in an emotional way. It felt so personal, and I wanted to live in those moments. I was over the moon when I received the discovery box of each of the scents and wasted no time in figuring out which one fit me.

 fallintostars is everything I didn’t know I needed in a scent, and I tell everyone on a daily basis that there will never be another scent that is this exciting to me. I can’t help but smell my wrists all day long (because the staying power is unmatched) and hope that everyone is getting the same thrill smelling me as I am! It can feel daunting for me to live in a city surrounded by beautiful and accomplished people, but you’ve armored me with a scent that makes me feel powerful and beautiful.

 I.W.

I first encountered strangelove on the 6th floor salon at Harrods. I spend many an evening wandering up and down that floor trying and retrying the fragrances there. The strangelove perfumes on display were both impressive looking, and I have to say, quite intimidating at the same time. I think it was because they were so different to the other perfumes on the floor, which are all beautiful by the way. The perfumes had a definite niche quality to my nose, and each one had a strong identity of its own. And it was silencethesea that I was drawn to first. Never smelled anything like it. That brine smell was so mesmerizing and weirdly it reminded me of when was a kid and failed to take care when boiling water in the pan, resulting in a burned pan and completely evaporated water! The smell from the pan had that brine-like quality to it. I like abnormal smells.. paraffin (we had a paraffin heater when we were growing up), burnt matches, old wood sheds, etc. 

Being slightly nerdy about perfumes now I searched the internet for more information on the house, and quickly discovered that silencethesea wasn't universally loved as a fragrance! After trying the rest of the line I could see how different it is, which I admit still appears to me. I quickly came to know all the fragrances and fallintostars quickly became my strong second love. I now have bought silencethesea, fallintostars, and meltmyheart. courtesy of Harrods. I even have a perfume oil necklace, although it's still in its box as I don't think I'm ready to pull that look off vet. It may take a while, but I will try to get them all, which kind of says it all about the quality of this house. Oh, and those gold caps!

 J.D.

 As a perfume collector, I heard about the brand through a YouTuber I follow. He praised your use of exceptional ouds and the best raw materials in your compositions, so I ordered a discovery set. From the scents I tried, one has remained my favorite, not just within your brand but among my entire collection

On some rare occasions, art triggers such an emotional response that it almost brings tears to one's eyes. This was precisely the effect lostinflowers had on me. The magic of this fragrance instantly transported me to a calm, white, floral paradise, and reminded me of a long forgotten childhood memory of living in my grandmother's house. My room had a door leading to a garden filled with white Towers Tar would bloom at night, and This scent captures that essence perfectly. Each time wear it, it takes me back to that time when was eight, bringing with it all those wonderful and nostalgic memories from that special time in my life.

 R.C.