Standing on fourteen islands, Stockholm is located where Lake Mälaren to the west meets the Baltic Sea to the east. Seven centuries of history have polished the cobbled streets of the old town, Gamla Stan, and patinated the colorful facades of the buildings. Through the Stockholm 1978 fragrance, the perfumer pays tribute to this city,  dear to his heart and his childhood. The aldehyde notes evoke the neat lines of the city’s architecture, while the trail of black pepper takes us to the famous fika time, the coffee break which is an institution in Sweden. This iconic Vilhelm fragrance leads us into a whirlwind of freshness distilled by green notes of lemon, almonds and geranium, then evolves into the deep notes of patchouli. The structure of this fragrance echoes the contrast between the hectic city life and the calm of the vast green spaces around Stockholm. The perfume is presented in a bottle that is both retro and modern, designed by Pierre Dinand, reminding of a hockey puck, the perfumer’s favorite sport. The stripes represent movement and speed; the bakelite cap is engraved with a tulip, emblem of the Swedish flora.

For Morning Chess, the perfumer plunges us back into his childhood memories. The green scent of bergamot reminds the wilderness of western Sweden, near the town of Falkenberg. This is where the perfumer used to spend its childhood’s long summers watching his grandfather playing chess. At this time of the year, the daylight seems endless and spreads all over the birches and pines composing the taiga. The sun falls over the city of Falkenberg, which seems to be suspended in time. The paved alleys of the town are surrounded by traditional Nordic wooden houses. The smell of sun-soaked wood is reflected in the notes of galbanum and fir balsam perfume, which mingle with the animal notes of leather. As a beloved family figure, Jan’s grandfather even gave the name to the fragrance brand itself.