How much can you decipher about a brand from its boutiques?
Strolling past Ex Nihilo’s new Hong Kong flagship discreetly nestled on the second floor of IFC Mall, you might not immediately associate it with “perfumery” – and that’s exactly the impression co-founder Sylvie Loday intends to create.
“Ten years of freedom,” Loday remarks about her independent brand, which marks its 10th anniversary this year, aiming to be the “Tesla of the beauty world.”
Furthermore, the brand’s futuristic flagship resembles a cutting-edge scientific laboratory more than a traditional perfume store. Ex Nihilo has been a pioneer in creative collaborations and innovative machinery in the industry, making strides in blending beauty and technology.
At the core of the brand’s identity lies a research-driven personalization program, allowing customers to customize their own scents in-store. However, this only scratches the surface of why Ex Nihilo remains a dominant player in the competitive perfumery market.
The Paris-based fragrance house has also introduced “Blue Talisman,” a special scent crafted to celebrate its 10th anniversary, in collaboration with self-made perfumer Jordi Fernández from Spain.
Loday takes us on a journey to discover how the brand cultivated a devoted following worldwide and why Hong Kong is its next frontier.
Tell us about the story behind Ex Nihilo’s name. How does it embody the brand’s identity today?
One day, we took everyone by surprise by opening our first store. This resonates with our ethos, as “Ex Nihilo” means “created from scratch” in Latin – we started it all from a blank canvas. It was truly an entrepreneurial adventure from day one.
Ex Nihilo is all about a 360-degree, multisensory experience, pioneering this trend long before major luxury brands, especially fragrance houses, caught on. How did that journey begin?
Ironically, not being perfumers allowed us to think outside the box and bring fresh, disruptive ideas to the fragrance experience, crafting it as a holistic, 360-degree journey. The journey begins in-store, where you discover materials and the Osmologue (Ex Nihilo’s customizing device).
We found the conventional image of the all-powerful creative director outdated because true creativity emerges when you collaborate with those who complement your skills. Collaboration is in our DNA, drawing inspiration from various artistic fields, including fashion, architecture, industrial design, and photography.
How does Ex Nihilo epitomize the fusion of beauty and technology?
I like to refer to us as the “Tesla” of fragrances because disruption is at the heart of our brand DNA. The Osmologue, our cutting-edge robot, bridges traditional craftsmanship and high-tech. It expertly weighs, blends, and creates your unique composition within minutes, allowing you to depart with your signature scent promptly, eliminating the long waiting times.
Before opening our first store, we dedicated an entire year to developing the brand concept and designing the store experience. We continuously explore and imagine the future of personalization. This unending pursuit of innovation sets us apart. We aspire to push boundaries and offer the best of both worlds.
Even before major brands popularized collaborations, Ex Nihilo committed to perfumery as an art, collaborating with artists. How do you identify and work with emerging talents to craft new scents?
Today, the market is saturated with so-called collaborations that often appear as marketing stunts. We have been collaborating with emerging artists for a decade, carefully nurturing authentic connections. Each collaboration is a blank canvas, extending a creative opportunity to young talents across various domains. We aim to be more genuine and long-term than most brands.
How does Hong Kong’s multicultural landscape align with Ex Nihilo’s ambitions and brand identity?
Women in Hong Kong are sophisticated and discerning, yet they appreciate delightful surprises. They have a natural flair for style, and from my experience, they use their fragrance to complement their outfits. It makes perfect sense for us to offer creations with strong, immediately addictive personalities. They aren’t all that different from Parisian women.
How has your multicultural background influenced specific scents, designs, and values that you’ve brought to the brand? What unique characteristics have your co-founders contributed?
My diverse olfactory memories, from my birthplace in the US to my current home in France, have significantly shaped Ex Nihilo’s essence. This rich tapestry of experiences and travels is reflected in scents like Fleur Narcotique or Lust in Paradise, store designs celebrating a new French touch, and business values rooted in inclusivity, innovation, and global inspiration. Our fragrances are a fusion of the world’s finest aromas, carefully selected with a Parisian taste, combining the most exquisite natural ingredients with cutting-edge biotech components.
In essence, the combination of my engineering background, Olivier’s international perspective, and Benoît’s creativity and communication skills has allowed Ex Nihilo to stand out in the world of perfumery, offering fragrances that are not just masterfully crafted but also resonate with a diverse global clientele. It’s a collective effort to elevate our brand beyond fragrances, encompassing the experiences and emotions they evoke.
The new boutique’s design draws inspiration from Hong Kong’s vibrant culture, neon lights, and electric skyline, set against breathtaking views of the harbor and nature. Why is it essential for each boutique to reflect its surroundings, offering a unique retail experience in the beauty industry?
Each Ex Nihilo store is a unique destination in its own right, prioritizing comfort, experience, and exclusivity. The store embodies the “French touch,” resembling an art gallery and aspiring to be a cultural hub for fragrance enthusiasts. The design stays true to Ex Nihilo’s roots in Paris, at 352 Rue Saint-Honoré, initially conceived by renowned French designer Christophe Pillet and later refined by our in-house team.
The creative challenge in Hong Kong was integrating the essence of 352 Saint-Honoré with the city’s aesthetics, preserving luxury while incorporating local architectural details to enhance its identity. The use of noble materials like white marble, wood, and brass adds texture and sophistication to the space. Pantone 293 Blue, Ex Nihilo’s signature color, harmoniously coexists with the finest details. It’s all about providing a sensory journey, playing with Calacatta marble and blue frosted resin to reflect light. The mirrored ceiling pays homage to the Parisian boutique and draws inspiration from the waters surrounding Hong Kong Island, infusing futuristic maritime aesthetics.
Why was Hong Kong the right choice for Ex Nihilo’s expansion, and why is this the perfect time for the move?
Hong Kong emerged as the ideal next step for Ex Nihilo’s expansion due to its dynamic and sophisticated fragrance market. The city’s discerning clientele appreciates luxury and possesses a strong affinity for
