It’s been a trying couple of years for many luxury brands, but despite the ongoing challenges that have come with the pandemic, some are still coming out on top. Luxury perfume house The Harmonist is one such example of this, having enjoyed meteoric success in 2021 as it almost tripled its revenue – and now, some exciting expansion plans are afoot as the brand is prepared to open its doors to new customers in Germany, Austria, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan by the end of 2022.
Founded by Lola Tillyaeva (Till), The Harmonist is inspired by the guiding principles of Feng Shui, and each scent is carefully crafted to help the wearer find balance, harmony and wellbeing. This unique and bespoke approach to fragrance design has helped propel the brand to the forefront of the niche fragrance industry in a relatively short time, and today, The Harmonist is a highly sought-after brand that high-end perfume enthusiasts are queuing up to get a whiff of.
Hotly tipped within the industry as one of the top perfume houses to watch, by the end of 2022, The Harmonist will have expanded its distribution from five to eleven markets – no small feat when you consider that this means almost doubling in both reach and size.
Sustainable luxury fragrances by The Harmonist
The Harmonist business model is built on the principles of sustainability, utilising only the highest quality ingredients and sourcing them ethically and sustainably. It also uses recyclable materials at every possible touchpoint, including its Pochet glass-refillable bottles inspired by ancient alchemists, deluxe packaging, and vegetal wax candles.
Wellbeing activist, entrepreneur, author, humanitarian and visionary Lola has fast become recognised as an inspiring voice within the wellness and beauty space, having published her popular self-care book Be Your Own Harmonist: Awakening Your Inner Wisdom for Physical, Mental and Emotional Well-being in September 2020.
Originally hailing from Uzbekistan, she has many strings to her bow when it comes to creative projects and is the brains behind the Paris-based Maison de l’Ouzbékistan – a gallery that showcases the rich cultural heritage of Uzbekistan. Also a devoted philanthropist, in 2002 Lola founded the You Are Not Alone Foundation, which aims to provide homes and education to severely underprivileged children in Uzbekistan.
Born of her passion for ancient philosophies and a love for beautiful fragrances, The Harmonist is a unique and forward-thinking concept that goes far beyond simply creating appealing scents alone. Lola’s innate understanding of the wider role of the fragrance and its impact on the wearer makes this fast-growing brand stand out from the crowd and win it a legion of loyal fans.
“For me, perfumes are about more than just scents,” she explains. “They can affect our emotions and impact our memories. The Harmonist scents consider the energy of the wearer and help them find wellbeing and harmony in their lives. I am truly humbled to witness how The Harmonist has grown in just six years while staying true to the principles it was founded on.”
How Lola Tillyaeva (Till) brought her vision for The Harmonist to life
Lola’s love for fragrances shines through in all that the brand does, but how exactly did such an affinity for them develop? As it happens, it’s something that has been with Lola from a young age. Back in the Soviet era, in a small apartment in Tashkent, she found herself captivated by a French perfume she discovered by chance one day, stored safely on the top shelf of her mother’s wardrobe.
Accidentally pouring the contents of the bottle over her favourite teddy bear as she pulled it down from its precarious position balancing atop a chair, the scent of the ‘Fiji’ fragrance would stay with her for years to come as she cuddled the bear at night, sparking an unwavering love for jasmine, an ingredient which is embodied throughout The Harmonist’s collection.
It wasn’t just a love for fragrance that was born that day, but also a fascination with France – and as an adult, Lola spent many years living in Paris. This experience inspired her to find a way to translate the language of Feng Shui elements into the language of fragrances, and it was then that the first seed of the idea for The Harmonist was formed.
Of course, bringing the idea to life wasn’t an easy one. Long hours were spent building a solid foundation, with preparations for the perfume house’s eventual launch ongoing for almost three years before the big day finally arrived. Having established a professional and experienced team to help bring her dream to fruition, it wasn’t long before The Harmonist’s unique range began making waves in the market and garnering a great deal of interest, with impressive demand almost from the off.
The Harmonist’s fragrances encourage wearers to turn their attention inward, and to become in tune with themselves and their surroundings.
“The concept behind The Harmonist is based on understanding yourself better, discovering your own ‘I’,” explains Lola. “We invite the wearer to redirect their attention from outside to inside and our scents consider the wearer’s own energy, combined with premium natural ingredients and the world-renowned craft of French perfumery.”
The inter-connected yet opposing forces of the five elements, which underpin each of The Harmonist’s scents, work synergistically together, with their subtle oppositions both enhancing and diminishing. The brand encourages those seeking to find their perfect fragrance to first find their own personal guiding element through a sequence of online questions. This, in turn, serves as the basis for determining their perfect scent, going into the process with a greater understanding of the energies opening within them.
For those looking for a unique and captivating way to express themselves through the medium of fragrance, The Harmonist truly does offer something special – so it’s unsurprising that this forward-thinking brand is enjoying such immense success. There’s no denying that 2022 is set to be an exciting year for Lola and this breath-taking perfume house – and here at LLM, we can’t wait to see it unfold.
To keep up with Lola’s musings and inspiring fragrance-related content, head over to her Instagram account.
