Filigree & Shadow
Fragrances as an art of emotions.
Filigree & Shadow is an independent perfume atelier in West Seattle, founded in 2013 by self-taught perfumer James Elliott. The house's name borrows from a Fever Tree song, and Elliott — an olfactive synesthete who associates scents with sounds — composes in melodic themes rather than conventional fragrance families. In 2020 Elliott shifted from alcohol to distilled water as the carrier for the entire range, in part to escape the shipping restrictions on flammable perfume. The result is a catalogue of certified vegan, water-based perfumes that read as quieter, skin-close versions of indie compositions: smoky teas, dusty florals, mineral and resinous abstractions. Distribution stays small, mostly through the brand's own site and a handful of indie-fragrance specialist retailers.
- Woody100
- Aromatic100
- Citrus78
- Warm Spicy74
- Amber70
- Floral67
- Fresh Spicy
DNA over time
Each column is an era. Each colored band shows that family’s share of accord weight across every perfume the house released in that window. Bigger band = the house leaned harder on that family.
