We believe…
We believe that there are too many bottles of perfume and not enough soulful fragrances
We believe the soul of a fragrance comes from the intention with which it is created and the attention with which it is prepared
We believe fine perfumery must create a shock – the shock of the new, combined with the shock of the intimately familiar
We believe that fine perfumery must be irreverent
We believe it is more humane to test cosmetics on New Yorkers than on animals
We believe celebrities should pay full price
We believe the future of luxury (hence of perfumery) lies in craftsmanship
We believe in the soulful power of thoughtful hands: hand-picked roses, hand-poured candles, hand-formulated perfumes and handshake agreements
We believe in the passionate souls who work close to us
We believe in Hafiz’s take on life: “Act great, dear. Always act great”
We believe New York made us this way, with a dose of Wabi-Sabi and a few lines from Thoreau
We believe we/you should put away our modern tools and take the time to smell the roses along the way
We believe that we are only young once, but we can be immature forever
And we believe that explanation kills art. Therefore, forget about all of this!
DEBORAH ROYER

“Twenty years after opening our first lab in New York’s Nolita neighborhood, we wanted to mark this milestone with a book, Le Labo: The Essence of Slow Perfumery. Part archive, part meditation, part invitation — it gathers personal essays, images, and reflections that celebrate two decades of quiet craft, soulful creation, and care.”
Global Brand President & Creative Director
Le Labo Fragrances
Brooklyn, New York
20 YEARS OF SLOW PERFUMERY
Twenty years ago, we opened the first Le Labo lab on Elizabeth Street in New York City’s Nolita neighborhood, quietly sparking what would grow into an artisanal movement of the senses.
Through our craft of Slow Perfumery — individually hand-blending fragrances on site and to order, each born at the moment of its request — we sought to return to perfumery’s roots while creating
space for genuine connection, attunement, soulful beauty, and the kind of self-discovery that can only emerge when we dial down the noise and consciously listen.
Over the last two decades, we’ve been welcomed into cities across the world, and Le Labo has become an interwoven global community of kindred spirits that extends far beyond us. This milestone anniversary magnifies how time has drawn us closer to our founding intention while continuing to illuminate the path ahead — strengthening our belief that scent can (re)awaken the deepest truths about ourselves.
THE ESSENCE OF SLOW PERFUMERY
