About émigré

Émigré has been designed as a space for guided discovery, where every brand offers its own unique perspective. We focus on independent and niche perfumery, with a particular emphasis on craftsmanship, knowledge of ingredients and perfumer-driven creativity.

We believe that niche perfumery can be more than just exclusivity: fragrance can also be wearable art — personal, expressive and meant to be lived. Émigré aims to provide a space for fragrances that challenge, surprise and move, without losing sight of the fact that perfume, ultimately, can be something intimate and everyday.

An émigré is someone who leaves their country to settle elsewhere. The name reflects the founder’s move from the United States to the Netherlands, but also a broader idea: scent moves with us. Regardless of where you come from or who you are, there is always a scent that can resonate with your story.

Émigré was founded and is led by James Elliott, an independent perfumer originally from the United States. With his former perfume house Filigree & Shadow, James developed fragrances that were featured in publications including The New York Times and Dazed Beauty, and were included in international fragrance databases such as Basenotes. His work has included commissioned fragrance compositions for both the Frye Art Museum and the National Nordic Museum in Seattle, as well as initiatives to support independent perfumers and fragrance creators, including the Seattle Perfumers Discovery Set and the annual Scented in Seattle Holiday Market.

With years of experience in fragrance formulation, brand development and independent perfumery, Émigré aims to be a place where discovery, curiosity and craftsmanship take centre stage.