OUTLIERS & CO
Selected Scents Debrief · 24 July 2026

AIR · READ
Shinichiro Oba

A focused debrief on your selected samples for Run 1 — the confirmed direction, current formulation, and the refinements toward final. Share this page directly with the perfumer.

To
Mathieu Vannier and the IFF perfumer team
From
Seonjoon Lee (Kelvin)
VENUMENT × OUTLIERS & CO
Date
24 July 2026
Context
Selected lineup, Phase 1 / Run 1, ahead of the 30 Sept 2026 launch with United Arrows

Reference & Debrief

AIR 1 · 2X
Locked *
Perfumer · Shinichiro Oba · IFF Singapore

A dry, sunlit fabric scent — airy, slightly metallic, with a powdery texture and quiet depth. AIR is the medium that surrounds the fabric: breath, the air through an open window, the room itself.

“A crisp, green-tinged dryness that feels like fabric lifted into open air — cool, composed, and quietly sharpened by light.”

Top Bergamot, Mandarin, Fig
Heart Muguet, Mint, Ambrette Seed, Orris
Base Cedarwood, Cypress, Hinoki
  • LMR
  • VETIVER OIL JAVA MD LMR
  • GALBANUM AFGHAN RESOID LMR
  • PATCHOULI OIL INDONESIA MD LMR CSM
Debrief · 24 July 2026 · To: Shinichiro Oba

Locked. Please carry the current AIR (2X) build into the launch formulation as-is; no further reformulation required. We will confirm ordering quantities separately.

READ OB 1AM
Selected · refinements
Perfumer · Shinichiro Oba · IFF Singapore

A defined line — dry, clear, intentional. A quiet, focused space of wood, paper and air; the most legible scent in the line.

Top Bergamot, Black Pepper, Juniper Berry, Curcuma
Heart Cardamom, Olibanum, Patchouli, Orris
Base Sandalwood, Oakwood, Cedarwood, Ambroxan
  • LMR
  • to be confirmed
Debrief · 24 July 2026 · To: Shinichiro Oba

Read was an impressive sample to evaluate — a mature, beautifully balanced masculine harmony. The heart-to-base transition (orris, olibanum, sandalwood, ambroxan) feels remarkably stable and highly refined.

To give this solid structure more of Read’s poetic identity — personal contemplation, the tactile mood of paper and books — and to lift the somewhat conventional citrus opening into something younger and more contemporary, a few refined adjustments:

  1. Soften the classic top notes and introduce sage. The current bergamot, curcumin and cardamom opening leans a little too traditional. In the spirit of D.S. & Durga’s Cowboy Grass, we would suggest replacing that spicy warmth with an aromatic herbal bouquet of sage and thyme. The dry, cool, powdery nuance of sage in particular is an excellent way to render the dry texture of paper — perfectly honouring the name ‘Read’.
  2. Modernise the woody base (iris & coconut-musk nuance). The orris–olibanum–ambroxan base is beautifully solid but can read slightly authoritative. As in D.S. & Durga’s Radio Bombay, a subtle touch of iris and a sheer, plant-derived coconut musk (vegan musk) would bring a youthful, soft, organic texture between the rich sandalwood and the orris core.
  3. Fresh top layering (Ink-inspired) & brand synergy with ‘Pour’. To sharpen the opening hook around the juniper berry and pepper, we were considering the clear, fresh facet of elemi, reminiscent of Perfumer H’s Ink. And weaving a very subtle rose accord into the vetiver/woody heart would establish a clear brand-DNA link with its sister fragrance ‘Pour’ — completing a deeper, more contemporary masculinity.

Thank you as always — we are truly looking forward to experiencing the next version.

Next steps · Final samples · To: Shinichiro Oba

We would like to request the final samples for AIR and READ. Please submit at the concentration you judge best for the composition — we are open to your recommendation rather than a fixed 20%. Kindly note the intended concentration with each sample.

AIR · Eau de Toilette (United Arrows edition): for the Japan-exclusive EdT, could a lower concentration (~10%) of the current AIR formula serve as the Eau de Toilette, or would a dedicated EdT reformulation be needed to hold balance and projection at the lighter strength? Please advise.