The House · 2025

A New Year Conversation with Scent Artist Rei Nguyen

Published: 23 January 2025
Language: English
Reading time: 2 min

Read this piece in Vietnamese: Đọc bằng tiếng Việt

First published in Vietnamese on 23 January 2025. Translated in 2026 and kept to the original.

Portrait of Rei Nguyen in a grey blazer, smiling beside branches of yellow apricot blossom at New Year; text on the image: “Conversation with Rei Nguyen”

Rei Nguyen, the perfumer behind R Parfums’ creations, looks back on 2024 and shares the stories, inspiration and feelings behind each of her scents. Join us as Rei reflects on her journey through 2024 and looks ahead to the new creations of 2025.

The most meaningful scent of 2024: Shadow Éclat

Which scent meant the most to Rei in 2024?

Each year that passes leaves Rei with a few special scents, every one tied to feelings and memories of its own. Yet if she had to choose the single most meaningful scent of 2024, it would be Shadow Éclat, the work introduced at her solo exhibition “Letters from 221B Baker Street: Scents of Shadow”. Created for an exhibition inspired by two characters, Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty, Shadow Éclat is a reflection on a world of light and dark. It is the scent Rei sent out to you in December, after a period of careful refinement.

The greatest source of creative inspiration: travel and stories drawn from life

Where does most of Rei’s creative inspiration come from?

Rei’s inspiration comes not only from the laboratory but, above all, from travel and from the stories of everyday life. Every trip is a way of exploring the world outside, and a chance to look more deeply into the creator’s own inner world.

The message Rei hopes to carry through her 2025 scents: harmony and hope

What message does Rei hope to carry through the scents she creates this year (2025)?

The scents of 2025 will be more than a turning point for Rei: they will be a reminder of connection. Notes in harmony, full of hope, renewal and inner peace.

A scent message for everyone: wishing you a healthy, happy mind

If Rei could send one scent message to everyone, what would it be?

Scent can touch the emotions and bring the mind to rest. Rei hopes that through her scents people may find calm and happiness within themselves. Scent can be a tonic for the spirit, helping people feel lighter, more at peace, and more loving towards themselves and the world around them. Happy New Year.