I’ve been trying a new fragrance lately—Garden 28 by Daily Compounds—sample versions of which the Mumbai-based brand shared with the office recently. It’s grassy at first, then sweet, a complex floral that reminds me of something similar I have by Diptyque. It was my first time trying out what is a burgeoning new category—contemporary homegrown fragrance brands that are a far cry from the traditional attar or oil-based scents that have so far characterised our local market. The rise of niche fragrance brands seems to be a theme for the year. Consider a trio of stories we’ve done so far: one on the rise of homegrown fragrance brands, another on the brand Rahasya, which launched at Selfridges earlier this year, and a third we published last week, on Australian beauty brand Gorgeous Nothings, whose sole product is a refillable, unmarked glass flacon of scent. Clearly, the new distinctive thing to own is an obscure scent from a surprising new brand, one that perhaps you’re the only one wearing in a crowd, instead of a legacy fragrance that everyone recognises instantly.
