Feng shui as a perfumery brief, each scent tuned to one of the five elements.
The Harmonist splits its line across wood, fire, earth, metal and water, and builds each composition to sit in that element rather than to chase a trend. The result is a wardrobe that hangs together unusually well, and a house that makes more sense worn than read about.
- Origin Paris, France
- Founded 2013
- Known for The five elements, Hypnotizing Fire
- Here 1 fragrance
- Founded
- 2013Paris flagship and first ten scents in 2016
- Founder
- Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva)
- Concept
- Feng shui's five elements, yin and yang, in scent
01
A UNESCO delegate from Tashkent
Lola Tillyaeva was born in Tashkent in 1978, took degrees in international law and a doctorate in psychology, and spent a decade as Uzbekistan's permanent delegate to UNESCO. Feng shui gave her the brief for a perfume house, which she founded in 2013. She built the collection with Guillaume Flavigny, a Givaudan perfumer, and in 2016 opened a flagship at 36 Avenue George V in Paris with ten fragrances, alongside a boutique in Los Angeles.
02
Five elements, two energies
Feng shui reads the world through wood, fire, earth, metal and water, and gives each element a yin and a yang side. The original ten fragrances map one to each of those energies. Consultations in the Paris boutique, and a quiz built on birth date and birthplace, point each client to a dominant element. Hypnotizing Fire is yin fire: pimento berries, clove and pepper tree over Bulgarian rose, patchouli and praline, settling on Madagascan vanilla and benzoin.
03
Opaque glass in black and white
CBA Design shaped the bottles after the phials of traditional Chinese medicine and finished them in black and white, a nod to yin and yang. The glass comes from Pochet du Courval and is opaque, so light stays off the perfume, and every bottle can be refilled. Formulas run at 25 to 36 per cent concentration and are made in France. In 2022 the house won an Allure Best of Beauty award.
Who founded The Harmonist?
The Harmonist was founded by Lola Tillyaeva (Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva).
Where is The Harmonist based?
The Harmonist is based in Paris, France.
When was The Harmonist founded?
The Harmonist was founded in 2013.
Who composed The Harmonist fragrances we carry?
Guillaume Flavigny.