Anselm Skogstad of DER DUFT: We Stay Away From Fairytales

Written by Kristina Kybartaite-Damule

“It’s primarily the minimalistic approach to storytelling that distinguishes DER DUFT from its counterparts”, says the founder of the brand, Anselm Skogstad in the interview for PlezuroMag.

Anselm Skogstad / Photo: Nadine Elsässer

A rebel of fragrance world - this is how I would call DER DUFT. Minimalistic yet high quality bottles with a heavy, magnetic cap; avoiding to tell complicated stories; and unique, artistic fragrances, not following any trends and not seeking to please the masses. These perfumes never give a thought “umh, I have smelled this before…”

While the fragrances of DER DUFT are not the crowd-pleasers, they find their connection with true fragrance enthusiasts. Not only they are remarkable, but also seek to spread the positivity. “If DER DUFT as a brand and collection of perfumes creates something positive, maybe something surprising in you, I believe we did win already”, says Anselm Skogstad.

Can you share the narrative behind your journey into the world of fragrances? What were you doing prior to founding DER DUFT, and how did your passion with fragrances begin?

I always loved beautiful scents, found in nature, our immediate surroundings or when captured in a perfume.

Prior to founding DER DUFT “the scent”, I was working internationally as a visual artist and photojournalist. This work exposed me to scents I wish to remember and others I would prefer to forget.

While I travelled through Asia, it became clear to me, that I was actually searching for a significant change in my life, personally and professionally. As a result, I had to let go of future goals within the world of art and photojournalism.

I began exploring perfumes excessively and realised my potential to focus on a very new challenge and adventure - DER DUFT.

Anselm Skogstad / Photo: Nadine Elsässer

When did you decide to establish your own fragrance brand? Could you tell us about the process involved in bringing this vision to realisation? Did the conceptualisation begin with the brand name, visual identity, or the olfactory compositions?

DER DUFT was founded in 2020, the actual “revelation” to change course in life and to move away from the visual arts happened a few years prior.

The focus has been what is inside the bottle, the perfume, “the scent” itself. All perfumers share the freedom in creating something individual and personal.

For me as the brand’s creative director it felt like being part of a personal olfactory study, an opportunity to create something special, something different. Also accepting that this may not necessarily be mass pleasing.

What distinguishes DER DUFT from its counterparts in the perfume industry?

It’s primarily the minimalistic approach to storytelling that distinguishes DER DUFT from its counterparts. DER DUFT chooses to stay away from sharing complicated stories or even fairytales.

We are proud of our goal - creating timeless scents in modern composition.

Anselm Skogstad / Photo: Nadine Elsässer

Could you elaborate on the philosophy behind creating fragrances that diverge from mainstream trends? How do you perceive the role of artistry and uniqueness in your brand's identity?

Our goal is never to follow any trends, instead, to take users on an olfactive journey where fragrance enthusiasts would find perfumes they have not encountered before.

All of this is possible because the perfumers have complete freedom while creating perfumes for DER DUFT.

Our perfumes are unique, full of character and might not appeal to the masses. It’s about connecting with them and creating your own association and story.

As a photojournalist, do you believe your visual sense influences the creation of fragrances at DER DUFT?

Perhaps, subconsciously. I admire those who can, or at least say they can quickly see images while smelling a complex perfume. To me, this requires much more creativity and talent, than an olfactive training.

Please tell us about your inspirations. What motivates and ignites your creativity when creating a new fragrance?

DER DUFT is primarily about the perfumers and simply offering them a platform, where they can portray their best work without any restrictions. The creative process of selecting the final perfume and choosing a name for it, is a process I love being part of.

Often, beauty is in simplicity and the name “DER DUFT” is as simple as it gets. It’s about the scent, the smell of what is inside the bottle. — As for the individual names of our perfumes, I like to come up with something I personally enjoy and connect with as well.

Although we are a German brand, we also like to focus on the international market and decide on names people can interpret and associate freely. That freedom seems logical and crucial to us. The name of each perfume should be a hint of inspiration but not a set guideline or signpost of the olfactory journey itself!

Anselm Skogstad and Kristina Kybartaite-Damule / Photo: personal archive

Your collaborations with esteemed perfumers such as Nathalie Feisthauer, Miguel Matos, Anne-Sophie Behaghel, Antonio Alessandria and Prin Lomros are noteworthy. Could you shed light on the collaborative process with them? How do you approach and navigate collaborations of this nature?

It has been a great joy working with all of them - what a true diversity of personalities and expertise. I am very grateful for these collaborations and feel privileged to have worked with such amazingly talented perfumers.

Each collaborative process has been a uniquely creative journey and an experience I would not want to miss.

In addition to collaborating with perfumers, you've also crafted several fragrances yourself. What were the challenges encountered during the creation of your own perfumes, from concept to final product?

Creating GRASSE and MONOPTEROS has been a joyful and exciting process. However, I would feel presumptuous, describing myself a “perfumer” although the term has a wide spectrum of interpretation - from self-taught to those who studied the craft for many years.

My intense training in Grasse has been terrific, allowing me to create perfumes I am proud of.

Are there specific scent profiles or ingredients that particularly captivate you when undertaking the creation of new fragrances?

I love when a perfume evokes one thing in me when I smell it: making me smile. An unusual combination of notes or a surprising twist in the creation is what might do that. It is something that does not happen all too often. But when that smile does appear, ohh does it feel good! Although, I do have individual notes I like better than others. However, there is no set rule as to which notes or combination of notes may create that desired joyous smile!

Anselm Skogstad / Photo: Nadine Elsässer

Finally, what message or impression do you aim for customers to derive from their encounter with a DER DUFT fragrance?

If DER DUFT as a brand and collection of perfumes creates something positive, maybe something surprising in you, I believe we did win already.

In the end, we believe that a smile is both powerful and contagious!

Thank you.