Vilhelm

Vilhelm Parfumerie was conceived in New York in 2015 by Jan Vilhelm Ahlgren, a Swedish-born accessories designer who came to fragrance through an unexpected path: seeking a custom scent to permeate the leather of the handbags he was designing, he began working with perfumer Jérôme Épinette, and the collaboration eventually became the project itself. The house takes its name from Ahlgren's grandfather — a figure of debonair mid-century European glamour — and each fragrance is anchored to an elaborately imagined narrative: childhood summers in a Nordic coastal cabin, the electric palette of early-1900s Paris, heat-drenched afternoons in unfamiliar cities. The line is produced in France and sits firmly in the contemporary niche tier, with most eau de parfums retailing between €100 and €200. Épinette has remained the house's most closely associated perfumer, though Vilhelm has also worked with Marc-Antoine Corticchiato and Bertrand Duchaufour on individual compositions. Stockists include high-end specialty retailers and niche fragrance boutiques across North America, Europe, and Asia. The brand's aesthetic is literary and quietly luxurious — clean but not austere, narrative-driven without becoming theatrical. Its growing catalogue has built a devoted following among fragrance enthusiasts who value storytelling as part of the wearing experience.