101 GUIDE TO COMMODITY
There’s no ‘one-fragrance-fits-all’ philosophy when it comes to finding your signature scent. And no one knows that better than Commodity. Formulating aromas that are simple, memorable and modern, the brand’s perfume collection offers three different intensities (Personal, Expressive and Bold) to give you total customisable control.
Intrigued? Us too – which is why we sat down with Commodity’s Re-founder and Creative Director, Vicken Arslanian, to uncover everything we need to know about the brand’s history, signature Scent Space theory and so much more…
IN THIS ARTICLE
- The Making of Commodity
- The Meaning Behind Commodity
- The Inspiration Behind Commodity's Fragrances
- How Commodity Stays Ahead of The Curve
- What is Commodity's Scent Space
- Best Commodity Products
- What's Next For Commodity
THE MAKING OF COMMODITY
Launched in 2013, Commodity was brought to life by a crowdfunding platform that raised money for new and innovative ideas, dubbed Kickstarter. “At the time, Commodity was the first niche perfume brand to offer a try-at-home and buy online approach, with artistic perfumers and scents at its heart. It was an immediate success and launched in retail stores worldwide” says Vicken. However, in 2019 the company was forced to shut down due to its meteoric growth. Cue: Vicken… “I’ve been a serial brand builder in the niche perfumery world for the past 15 years, so when the opportunity came up to buy Commodity, I jumped on it.”
WHAT IS THE MEANING BEHIND THE NAME ‘COMMODITY’
Bringing a whole new meaning to the word ‘commodity’, the renowned perfumery is built on its dualities. “On one hand, it reflects the abundant, commoditised nature of the fragrance industry. On the other, it speaks to the immense value that lies in artistry — how even a commodity can become precious when it’s scarce. I love this interplay of casual and profound.” And if that wasn’t enough, the brand’s dual nature is also showcased throughout its branding, with a logo that uses to opposing fonts (one serif and one sans-serif) and a colour palette that’s black and white to reflect balance. Impressive, we know!
WHAT IS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND COMMODITY’S FRAGRANCE STORIES
Understanding that simplicity is luxury when it comes olfactory offerings, Commodity’s approach to creating fragrances is guided by clarity and intention. “The theme of each fragrance needs to be easily understood by the consumer. From the name and the scent to the colour coding, all the aspects of designing a fragrance must align to tell a cohesive story. Our aim is to be elemental and intuitive when creating a fragrance.”
A case in point? The brand’s latest scent, Juice.
“Our most recent creation has an interesting backstory. When I acquired Commodity in 2019, the first thing I did was remove all florals from the assortment. I’ve always had an aversion to classic florals and didn’t want to have any. I even promised myself that I would never make one. But by 2022, I decided that it wasn’t fair to deprive our community of a floral just because I didn’t like them. So, I set out to make a “non-floral floral.” The perfumers I worked with knew that I didn’t like florals, so they started with a heart of a flower but “masked” or covered the flower with other notes so I wouldn’t recognise it. Nathalie Benareau, one of our perfumers, started with a heart of Bulgarian rose and then covered it with jammy, fruity notes of raspberry, pulpy strawberry and rhubarb. The result was a vibrant fragrance that felt distinctly un-floral. We called it Juice, and now it’s our second best-selling fragrance.
HOW DOES COMMODITY STAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE
Designing to thrill and excite, Commodity is renowned in the olfactory world for always being one step ahead. “What sets Commodity apart is its role as an experimental playground — a space where I can bring to life concepts I’ve been thinking about for decades while building other brands. We design what excites us and trust that it will attract like-minded individuals. By focusing on this vision, we’re able to innovate without being constrained by trends.” With this mindset and mission, the brand has achieved many of its greatest achievements, including its unique Scent Space collection.
WHAT IS COMMODITY’S SCENT SPACE
Referring to a line of perfumes defined by their intensity or presence, Commodity’ signature scent space selection indicates how strong or subtle a fragrance feels when you wear it, essentially defining the scent's projection and longevity. “This concept was two decades in the making. Over the years, I noticed a recurring frustration among fragrance wearers – while they may like a particular scent or brand, they’d be dissatisfied with its projection. Some people like fragrances that stay close to their skin, while others like fragrances that project across the room. If the performance of the fragrance wasn’t to one’s liking, they would look for another brand, which is rather frustrating.”
With that in mind, Commodity decided to put the control of projection back into the consumer’s hand by dreaming up versions of each fragrance. The collection includes a Personal, Expressive and Bold iteration of each blend. “Unlike traditional practices that increase or decrease fragrance concentration to modify projection, we kept the concentrations consistent across all three versions. Instead, we add certain notes to naturally alter projection.”
BEST COMMODITY FRAGRANCES
So now we know, the who, what, when and whys, it’s time to reveal the best Commodity offerings on the market right now… Noses at the ready!
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR COMMODITY
“We just opened our first flagship boutique in New York. My dream would be to open a second store in London!”
Watch this space…
Cult Beauty’s Senior SEO Copywriter, Trifonia started out in the industry when bold brows were just becoming a ‘thing’, and shares a passion for all things fashion and beauty. Currently embracing her curly girl journey (after endless years of straightening her strands), she is finally reverting to her natural ways! When Triffy isn’t busy testing out the latest curl-saving solutions, you’ll find her binging the latest reality TV show or on a long walk listening to her ever-evolving country music playlist.
