19-69
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.
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.”