Foerster and Johnsen

Förster and Johnsen was established in New York in 2010 by Michael Forster and Walter Johnsen, two veterans of the beauty industry who shared an interest in aromachology — the study of how fragrance affects mood and behaviour. Their debut collection of seventeen compositions, launched simultaneously at industry shows in 2010–2011, was organised around human emotional states: Energy, Confidence, Freedom, Serenity, Love, Courage, Happiness. Each scent was offered in two concentrations — eau de toilette and eau de parfum — alongside a unisex spa formula, giving the range a clinical coherence unusual in a fledgling niche house. The project drew attention for its ambition and thematic discipline, though the brand maintained a relatively low commercial profile in subsequent years. Förster and Johnsen occupies a niche in the history of mood-driven American perfumery: an early attempt to bring the language of wellbeing to a fragrance portfolio at an accessible price point.