19-69 was founded by Swedish artist, Johan Bergelin, and his wife Catharina, in 2015. The brand launched their first five fragrances in 2017, following a 2 year immersive creative process involving artists from Italy and Scandinavia. Each scent is composed inspired by a different era, culture or setting from Africa, Europe, the US and Asia. Art, music, trends and cultures have all left their marks on the fragrances both in terms of content, name and packaging.
Contains 2.5ml of seven fragrances: Capri, Invisible Post, Kasbah, L’air Barbès, La Habana, Purple Haze, & Rainbow Bar.
Chinese Tobacco is the interplay of opposites. East meets West, old meets new. A dreamy warmth of incense, cedar wood and vetiver meets the playful sweetness of vanilla.
Chronic is a tribute to the cannabis culture which became prominent in the 90s. This leafy scent is a vibrant and colourful expression of one’s self – a snapshot of the relaxed Southern Californian way of life. Potent yet persuasive notes are reminiscent of fresh greenery, moss and cannabis accord.
In 1969, a naked woman carrying a cross walked through the Copenhagen Stock Exchange. The performance act went under the name “Female Christ”. This scent is earthy, poignant and wholesome, intending to capture a moment in time.
Reminiscent of the 1960s Summer of Love, delicate top notes of petitgrain, tangerine and green fig meet a heart of fruity blackcurrant for depth, and cyclamen for a light airy quality. Invisible Post deepens into a woody base of sensual sandalwood and cedarwood, sweetened with a touch of tonka bean.
Inspired by the colourful party scene of Marrakesh during the 1960’s and 1970’s, Kasbah radiates a welcoming aura and captures the essence of a warming alcohol-fuelled euphoria. Oozing with energy, influence and escapism, Kasbah advocates liberation, tolerance, and exploration.
Capturing the golden musical era between the 1930s and 1950s, this fragrance will transport you to the streets of Havana. Spices, sparkly aldehyde and saffron are carefully entwined with the sweetness of vanilla and caramel. The smokey heart notes blend in with the depth of the base notes leaving an impression of oud and ambroxan.
Miami – a metropolis with deep roots in art and cultural diversity, surrounded by sunshine, white sand and the ocean. Referred to as ‘Paradise Lost’ in the 1980s. During this period Hotel Mutiny stood out as a lush oasis within the apocalypse and hosted a free trading zone and a never-ending party with gorgeous models, kingpins, and legendary artists. The TV-show Miami Vice has been a major influence on fashion and includes Armani jackets in pastels, rolled up sleeves. Miami Blue by 19-69 is dedicated to a place and era when champagne baths were on the charts.
Embracing the hippie movement and counterculture, like John and Yoko´s bed-ins in Amsterdam and Montreal, as well as the Woodstock Music and Art Fair (1969), Purple Haze sets the ambience for 19-69. Deep, powerful, quirky, and captivating, this fragrance contorts to the ebb and flow associated with free movement.
Rainbow Bar is evocative of the 1980s glam rock era in LA and the music scene and lifestyle of the US West Coast during the 1960s and 1970s. Elements like the sun, the blue skies, and the warm glow that embrace LA.
Aromatic and floral, with refreshingly clean with notes of grapefruit, magnolia flower and patchouli, Villa Nellcôte is inspired by the French estate which enabled the workings of The Rolling Stones back in their prime. A true representation of magnificent gardens and tranquil green land juxtaposed by the fierce production of rock music.
A blend of the finest vegetable waxes in a traditional formula from 1961. Hand crafted in Italy. Available in Capri, Chinese Tobacco, Chronic, Female Christ, & Miami Blue.
The project is named after the year 1969, which for Bergelin, encapsulates a moment in history in which freedom and tolerance were at an all-time high. It’s these same values that inspire the fragrances and the stories behind each of them. There are now a total of 30 gender-neutral fragrances, all of which are distinctive, enchanting, and multi-layered.
“The name of the brand 19-69 is a very powerful statement. The year of 1969 represents an era of freedom, tolerance and counterculture. It is also the year I was born and my way of putting my heart on the sleeve and say – This is real. This is who I am.“
— Johan Bergelin, founder
Bergelin has spent his life immersed in artistic practice, and has experimented with a variety of artistic disciplines. The early stages of his practice saw works manifest through photography, canvas, wood and PVC. Local to Sweden, Bergelin has developed an artistic practice spanning more than 35 years.
Each 19-69 fragrance is designed to engage multiple senses, stimulating a full sensory experience. For example, ‘Kasbah’ is inspired by a spontaneous journey through Morocco, with notes of white honey and sandalwood evoking the freedom of leaving things to chance. ‘Purple Haze,’ on the other hand, is inspired by a colourful character that Bergelin met in Florida, blending patchouli with a hint of nostalgia for the 1960s.
Unlike modern mass market fragrance, 19-69’s lineup continue to reveal new layers even after hours. As Bergelin puts it:
“This is liquid art.”
