BYREDO @ 62 Wooster Street in NYC

On March 26th, Team Karen (Karen Dubin and Karen Adams) of Sniffapalooza presented a Breakfast Masterclass hosted at the uber-chic Byredo Flagship Store in SoHo. The store opened a year and a half ago and it is the global flagship boutique which is unusual considering the company is based in Stockholm. Ben Gorham, the founder, spent a lot of time growing up in New York and always loved SoHo. 

Byredo's current products consists of perfumes (over 46), home fragrance, body care products and leather accessories. The fragrance line is collaboration with perfumer Jerome Epinette and Ben Gorham. 

Carissa Barrett Store Director Byredo NY

Carissa Barrett, the Retail Store Director, and her ever insightful staff greeted us with a Dean & Deluca breakfast consisting of pastry, fruits, sparkling refreshments, and juices to indulge and wake our senses. 

The first hour consisted of taking in the stores gorgeous ambiance, discovering the brand's scents and the three new offerings. Specific to the boutique is the Selection a way to mix and match the scents boxed in two different collections, the Saffron Candle and Bibliotheque, which is a limited Collector's edition 100ml EDP scent that is based on their most popular candle of the same name. It is the only fragrance and candle in the collection to share the same name. 

SA Suzanne Duckworth showing Bibliotheque 

Bibliotheque does not smell like any library I can remember. It is maybe more in line with what you would expect a modern Stockholm reading emporium would smell like (my guess). With its light on the leather approach, the top notes of peach and plum, leading to a dry down of patchouli, musk, and vanilla (I wore it for the duration of the event) makes it less severe than others in the line. Much more of a comfort scent.

Ben Gorham courtesy of Byredo 2014

 At the top of the second hour, Flagship Manager, Carissa Barrett gathered us to start the masterclass by introducing us to the brand's history which launched in Stockholm, Sweden in 2006 by its founder, Ben Gorham. His memory of his mother and her scent was a driving catalyst for the inspiration to create the line. The origin of the name Byredo is derived from the word redolence, reminisces of, as in smelling this perfume reminds me of…It is all about “translate memories into smells.”

Prior to delving into the boutique's architecture, Carissa chose to go around the room to get a reading of the attendees favorite Byredo scents. Black Saffron, 1996 (mine), Flowerhead, and Mojave Ghost  were many of the attendees’ choices. In celebration the brand's ten-year anniversary, the Unnamed fragrance was launched last year which allows users to name and personalize it. It was Ben's way of celebrating his customers.

BYREDO back room

Ben hired his friend, Christian Halleröd to collaborate on a vision for the boutique. Everything was hand picked. From the terrazzo marble floor and walls to the Douglas Fir beams on the handbag walls and the ceilings. The furniture in the back room with its teak wood, light and dark, is meant to look a certain way. And the fur on it is Brazilian pony hair. It is the exact set up as in the Paris boutique. The carpet underneath is hand woven from the Berber villages in Morocco. The two Concordia sitting chair was designed by George Nakashima, one of the leading innovators of 20th-century furniture design and a father of the American craft movement.   

The leather goods collection although not as well established is exquisite. The attention to detail in sourcing is important. Ben will only acquire the right things from the right people from the right places. The leather pieces are only sold at the boutique, Barney's and in Sweden. Very limited distribution. The intent is for you not to see another person with the same piece, which should be unique to you. All the bags and leather are manufactured in Italy. Expect the men's leather goods line to launch next year. 

In conclusion, Karen Dubin spoke of the wonderful relationship between Sniffapalooza and Byredo and disclosed that she owns most of the line! 

FYI: For the 2017 Fall Ball, Byredo will be hosting the Saturday Night Cocktail Party and the Sunday Morning Breakfast. 

–Hernando Courtright, Sr Contributor and Brand Ambassador

all photos by Hernando unless otherwise specified

Thanks to the generosity of  Byredoat 62 Wooster Streer we have a Sample Bag of with many Byredo Scents for a registered reader in the CON USA (you have to do this folks register) and leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Hernando’s virtual tour of Byredo in Soho and if you have a favorite Byredo Fragrance. Draw closes 04/9/2017.

We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS FEED…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume