Two weeks after Ormaie’s launch, Bouygues says the response has been encouraging. In the first week, the perfume sold at a rate of five bottles a day at Barneys New York’s flagship, which is considerable for an unknown, niche brand with a production quantity of only 3,000 bottles per scent.

Form and content.
Form and content.
Image: Ormaie

Bouygues says Ormaie’s small size and comparatively low overhead expenses allow them to be nimble and experimental. “Unlike other companies with 50-person teams, we can make a decision quickly…Maybe a glass of wine, we can discuss what direction to follow.”

“Financially, our model may sound absurd, but we’re a small maison, and we have low [operational] costs,” Bouygues says. “We wanted to be happy with what we’ve done, and we hope people like it.”

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