Reviewing Indian Fragrance Brand Rahasya at Selfridges

The moment in time we occupy is one of sensory overload. Mere seconds are granted to entities to capture and enrapture their audience. As the world grappled with each other for the prime spot in the minds of the public, a trio of Indians decided to take a step back and craft a brand that would leave a lasting impression. Sai, Utkarsh and Sachit saw that there was a space in the perfumery market for an Indian brand and took it upon themselves to build something that would bring forth the storied stories of India as their brand Rahasya launched at Selfridges a month ago. 

Fragrances have existed in India long before civilization existed in the West; earliest records going back to Indus Valley. Today the country is one of the world’s largest exporters of fragrant raw materials like sandalwood, rose, jasmine etcetera. Tom Ford, Givenchy, Byredo, Jo Malone, Guerlain, Bvlgari, Dries Van Noten, Le Labo, Diptyque, Kenzo, CDG and more have made fragrances inspired by India; Prada launched one in January influenced by the wonderful “Chai” of the nation. It is a story told far too many times already - companies will be enamoured by the Indian subcontinent, traverse tortuous terrain in order to absorb what they deem worth it, package the product in pretty paper and sell it across the globe. However time and again we find ways to take our own beauty and art all over the world in a manner that will be positive to us as a community instead of us being used for inspiration or as the next “fad.” Rahasya promises to tell the tales of Indian fragrances and the memories they evoke in all who set foot on the land of spices. As Pier Paolo Pasolini wrote – of his travels across India in 1961 – “Moment by moment there is a smell, a colour, a sense which is India: every fact, even if the most insignificant, has the weight of intolerable novelty.” and the brand brings forth an assortment of fragrances to cover the diversity of the country. 

Rahasya’s debut collection launched in the winter of 2024 with the scents Chapter One, Cutting Rain, Oud Mangifera and Love Marriage. Created in collaboration with Indian origin perfumer Kajal Gujar the collection is a group of stories familiar to not just people of Indian origin but also those that seek the distinct cultures of South-East Asia. Chapter One is true to its name as the original scent, developed after visits to Delhi’s famed bookstore Faqir Chand (a family owned operative frequented by the founders). As someone who grew up in Delhi’s world of independent bookstores I find myself transported back to those aisles upon catching a whiff from a sample. The friendly owners chewing cardamom or cloves in the wooden establishments, the smell of leather, paper and ink and the overwhelming scent of joy, hope and fantasy coming alive as you gather all the books you want. There is something so beautiful about how a smell can drag you back into your memories and remind you of the sensation of being at home, at peace. 

Cutting Rain was the one I was dying to try out; petrichor is one of the most tantalising sensations one can experience particularly in India. In certain areas across the country where concrete still hasn’t taken over the consciousness, the addictive smell of flowers, soil and trees after rain seizes the senses. After the extreme summers of the country, the onset of monsoon is celebrated with warm tea and gossip sessions amongst neighbours as kids play in the rain. Rain is considered a blessing from gods, one that can only be called upon by the most pious and devoted, it symbolises freedom, fertility and fresh starts. Another important note is that the founder trio called the fragrance Cutting Rain; in India the word Cutting is also used as a slang word, oftentimes with Chai (Indian masala tea); it means to split one cup of tea amongst two people. It is a way to share the joy of sitting in the shelter of a small shop and splitting a cup of tea over conversation or silent company. Similarly, CuttingRain symbolises sharing the joy of blissful rain with others and the scent lives up to the story. With tea and florals as the heart of the fragrance building upon the base notes of sandalwood, leather and cashmeran the smell is something of monsoon in gardens, sipping tea sitting on verandahs overlooking flowers and trees bearing fruits. 

Oud Mangifera and Love Marriage round out the collection. The former is an ode to the famous Indian Alphonso mango; it smells something like a mango cart in a typical Indian bazaar, it smells like summer. Filled to the top with mangoes from around the country and the incense sticks lit around to ward off any flies, an experience only gained by exploring the streets of the city. On the other hand, Love Marriage sounds ironic given the culture of arranged marriages in the country. The love however is evident within the two communities that come together to celebrate the process and the future that beckons the two joining in matrimony. The great Indian wedding is a spectacle that has been tried and tested for eons, never losing the charm and exuberance that makes it an experience like no other. Thousands of flowers and spices attack the nose, a symphony like no other, complimented by the base notes of rum and vanilla and the middle note of pistachio. Quintessentially Indian a fragrance, regardless of which corner of the country you land in. 

This was followed by the Magizhchi (Tamil for deep, persevering joy) collection that launched earlier this year, with Chai Addiction, Hill Station and Rickshaw Rhythms. Hill Station builds on the story started with Cutting Rain; where the latter tells a tale of rain all across the nation, the former takes one on a trip through the hills. Notes of spices, rain accord, petrichor produce a strong scent of wonder and wanderlust, of treks and trails, of euphoria and escapism. Chai Addiction feels like coming home, coming to India and getting that scalding hot mug of chai with extra milk and sugar with a hint of ginger, cardamom and love. Even coffee people will agree that sometimes all one needs is a potent cup of tea to soothe and comfort. Rahasya’s world of rains, petrichor and the comfort of sipping tea whilst enjoying the smell of rain-soaked soil wouldn’t be complete without Chai Addiction. It reintroduces Chai as a main character in this universe after it played a supporting role in the previous collection. Building upon this, Rickshaw Rhythms joins the cast as a character with distinct features and lore yet one interconnected with the main characters. Possibly the highlight of this collection, evoking memories of sitting in three wheelers as the rain splashes around, the wind in your hair as the driver navigates through traffic and for a split second you feel like everything will be okay; the sorrows and anger have been blown away by the breeze, the heat and dirt drowned in the rain and the skies signalling a fresh start. The journey in the rickshaw becomes more than a ride, it becomes a reminder to enjoy the daily rituals, the simple changes of weather and what they signify. With this collection the brand has shown their ability to properly tell a story instead of losing themselves in the diversity of the country and not being coherent with their fragrances.