THE HARMONIST MAISON DE PARFUM
Launched in Paris in 2016 by Lola Tillyaeva, The Harmonist is the first maison de parfum to draw its inspiration from Feng Shui, the ancient art of creating inner and outer harmony through balancing the five fundamental elements of the Universe. Combined with exquisite French savoir-faire and the finest natural ingredients, this unique approach has propelled the young brand to the forefront of the luxury perfume industry. Internationally acclaimed, the company was recently awarded Allure magazine's Best of Beauty Award 2022. With a market spanning 13 countries including France, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil and UK, the brand’s deluxe fragrances are available in leading department stores and perfumeries around the world. The company’s largest market is the US, where The Harmonist has several times been nominated at the prestigious Fragrance Foundation Awards.
The Brand’s Philosophy
One of The Harmonist’s most distinctive qualities is the philosophy that informs all aspects of the brand’s activities, from crafting its exquisite elixirs to packaging its products. Feng Shui recognises two opposing yet complimentary forces, Yin and Yang, the creative duality at the centre of the Universe, as well as the five basic elements – water, fire, wood, metal and earth – that form the building blocks of our cosmos. Interdependent and in constant flux, when these fundamental energies are properly balanced, harmony abounds. It is this balance that forms the bedrock of The Harmonist.
This bespoke approach to perfumery is inspired by Lola’s quest to answer some of life’s most profound questions. Having studied Feng Shui for several years and seen its relevance to today’s turbulent world, she envisioned a perfume house that would translate these concepts into the language of scent. With unique fragrances calibrated to embody the qualities of each specific element, The Harmonist seeks to empower people to find their inner harmony through engaging one of our most evocative senses, smell.
Encouraging people to explore their unique resonance with these elements, The Harmonist is the first maison de parfum to offer a personalised experience attuned to your energy, enabling you to explore the alchemy of life, tune into your inner equilibrium and find harmony through scent.
“We believe that perfume is more than just a pleasant fragrance. The Harmonist is about inviting clients to listen to their inner self, rebalance their energy and discover a profound sense of harmony through scent.”
– Lola Tillyaeva, visionary behind The Harmonist
The Harmonist Scents
Created by renowned French perfumer Guillaume Flavigny of Givaudan, The Harmonist’s flagship fragrance line was launched in 2016, the company’s first year. Named The Element Collection, this signature set of ten sophisticated scents carefully crafted from select precious roots, seeds and other natural ingredients features parallel Yin and Yang fragrances for both men and women. Each of these deluxe perfumes explores the sensual depths and healing power of a natural element tempered with Yin or Yang. Unfolding gradually, the fragrances exude a long-lasting sense of harmony.
Yin Transformation
Following the success of the signature collection, in 2018 The Harmonist showcased a new fragrance, Yin Transformation, designed to capture the essence of Yin energy and empower the wearer to follow its bright, feminine pulse. The visionary behind the brand, Lola, describes Yin Transformation as “a fundamentally female energy - soft, compassionate, reflective and receptive.” Inspired in part by Monet’s Water Lilies, where sumptuous white flowers float effortlessly on the calm blue waters of a pond, the new fragrance centres around water, the ultimate Yin element, soft yet irresistible. Superbly balanced, Yin Transformation soon became one of The Harmonist’s most loved bestsellers, particularly among younger clients.
The Prequel Collection
The Prequel Collection was launched in 2020. Comprising carefully crafted twin scents inspired by our life-giving Sun and Moon, this deluxe duo perfectly expresses the Yin and Yang philosophy of balance, where two opposing yet complementary forces coexist in dynamic harmony. Like the fundamental energies of Yin and Yang, Sun and Moon are intimately linked, engaged in a celestial dance that breathes light and life into the world. The new twin elixirs – Moon Glory and Sun Force – reflect this harmony and balance.
The Yang Collection
The Harmonist’s latest line, launched in 2021, comprises five new radiant fragrances based on the original Yang collection. By allowing ingredients to better reveal their depth and character, the new fragrances channel the five elements – wood, fire, earth, water, and metal – into five vibrant scents that embrace bold, expansive Yang energy. Brand founder Lola describes them as “vibrant, assured aromas. Warm and radiant, they are designed to energize and nourish the wearer, much like the sun’s light.”
The Craft
To realise this vision of harmony through scent, The Harmonist reached out to acclaimed international perfumer Guillaume Flavigny of Givaudan. Lola describes this as a very fruitful collaboration, adding that Flavigny is “not only an astute perfumier, he is also able to sensitively interpret the messages of the five elements and encapsulate them in scent.” Using the finest ethically-sourced ingredients from all around the world, Guillaume and the team combine impeccable intuition with state-of-the-art perfumery to create their award-winning elixirs.
As Lola herself says:
“Creating a scent is very much like creating a piece of music – notes blend into chords, and the chords harmonise into a full-blown melody. Just like a good piece of music, a good fragrance encompasses a wide range of tonalities, the notes of different scents, if you will.”
With respect for the environment underpinning every aspect of the brand, The Harmonist not only sources its natural ingredients ethically but also puts sustainability at the heart of its packaging. A refill service is also available for the brand’s elegant fragrance bottles.