Want to smell like a million dollars? This man knows how to do it!

Aleksandra Nagel – Well.pl: You call yourself a “perfume sommelier”. What exactly does that mean?

Philip Birkholz: Before the Birkholz brand was even created, I was at dinner with a friend. There was also a sommelier there, who advised us on which specific wine to choose for a specific dish. I watched him attentively, I saw how he spoke with such passion and love. And then I thought – hey, I have this with perfumes, and scents are a very delicate matter, just like wine. That's how this term was created, and then the whole project. I wanted to create a space where people can really stop, fall in love with themselves again, dream about themselves. I wanted to create a space where they are really listened to.

What does your work look like step by step?

We have a permanent offer, but we also create perfumes to order, fully personalized. You make an appointment at our manufactory and we start a conversation. We ask many questions, sometimes very personal, and each conversation is different, we do not have ready-made scripts. It is always an interaction.

What question usually comes first?

I like to start by asking what your home looks like. Not your job, your kids, or your dogs—just the space you live in. That tells me if you’re a modern or classic person. Do you have old furniture, plants, do you live in the city or the woods? Where do you like to travel? The mountains or the beach? Those are the clues—who you are, and they help me figure out what you need.

Ok, if you asked me this question, I would answer that I live in a house with a garden outside the city. What does that tell you?

That's something. It means you need silence, contact with nature. You have an intense job in a big city, but you want space for reflection. I immediately think of something green, fresh or floral.

Philip Birkholz / press materials

And if someone comes to you and has specific expectations – for example, they say: "I want to smell like a queen."

Then I build something majestic – floral and woody, with a hint of spices. There are ingredients that immediately bring to mind aristocracy, for example amber – creamy, dignified, plus vetiver, patchouli. It is a royal scent, but not overdone.

What if I'm looking for a perfume that smells like a million dollars?

We have such a scent from the French collection – Saint-Tropez. It is a composition where “old money” meets “new money”. Wood, spices, a hint of fresh ginger and lavender, guava wood, myrrh. It is the essence of a classic celebration of life.

Birkholz Dark Amber / press materials

Or maybe owning niche fragrances is already a luxury status?

Niche perfumes have become a symbol not only of wealth, but above all of individuality. I have many young customers who save for months to buy a bottle for 300-400 euros. Because it's status. It's belonging to a world of uniqueness.

Niche or custom-made perfumes are becoming increasingly popular, but how are the “big players” on the market reacting to this?

Dior, Chanel, Guerlain – luxury fashion houses that had widely available perfumes in their offer, slept through this moment. Now they are starting to create niche lines of fragrances. Unfortunately, in my opinion, this is not a real niche, just another way to make money. The only fashion house that does it well is Louis Vuitton.

Birkholz / press materials

Can, paradoxically, a niche dominate the luxury fragrance market?

It's already happening, mainly thanks to social media. Ironically, niche perfumes have been around for 50 years, but they've never been such a big part of the pie. TikTok has turned everything upside down. Influencers are showing perfumes that nobody knew about before. Now the big brands are saying, "Oh my, we have to do something about this, because nobody wants to buy designer perfumes anymore, they want to smell like something special."

Can they do something about it?

It's not easy and I say that to anyone who dreams of creating a niche perfume brand today. To create a good niche brand, you need a great story and a strong vision. We are a family business – mom, dad, my brother, me. We produce everything by hand in Berlin, from the best ingredients. Every detail is perfected down to the smallest detail. These are the features of a good niche brand, plus of course you have to have money, a lot of money, but even with all that you are not sure that you will succeed, because the market is saturated.

Philip Birkholz / press materials

Is there a red line that a creator of luxury niche perfumes should not cross?

I have one main rule: I don't follow trends. Our new fragrance Sol e Samba inspired by Brazil smells of matcha, yuzu, fig - ingredients that are currently top of the perfume world, but when we created this fragrance, they weren't fashionable yet. At that time, everyone was making fragrances with cherries, I couldn't smell cherries, so I chose matcha. Two years have passed, and what? Now everyone is making matcha.

In the market of luxury goods, and especially luxury niche perfumes, you need to have a clear, specific plan and act in accordance with your own intuition.

Birkholz Sol e Samba / press materials

Do you believe that perfume can change people's lives?

I don't believe it, I know it. I have many messages from clients that send shivers down my spine. For example, a letter like this: "I have cancer. I wanted to give myself something. I bought your perfume and it gave me strength, hope. The disease went away." You read it and you know that it makes sense.

Many business people also believe in the power of perfume, just as they believe in the power of a luxury watch or a perfectly tailored suit. Does a niche scent help in negotiations?

The sense of smell is our most important sense. It decides in a split second whether we like someone or not. Before you say the first word at a job interview, your appearance and your scent are already “telling” about you.

We are all animals, really. So when you wear a perfume that is too overwhelming, too intense, too strong, too sweet, anything with the word “too” in it, you can turn someone off.

It is important to look for your own scented self and choose perfumes that strengthen you, but do not extinguish the other party. If the scent is too intense, you can fail in many negotiations, not only professional ones. If it is well-chosen - you can gain an advantage, because scent has power.

Birkholz Nights in Noto / press materials

Birkholz Perfume Manufacture is a family-owned German perfume brand, founded in 2017 by Philip Birkholz together with his parents and brother. The company is headquartered in Kleinmachnow near Berlin. From the beginning, the brand has focused on the niche perfume segment, focusing on personalization, high-quality ingredients and an artisanal approach to production.

Birkholz currently offers 38 fragrances divided into four collections, including the flagship Classic Collection and the more luxurious Black Collection , which includes perfumes with a 25 percent fragrance oil content. All products are handmade, and customers have the option to personalize bottles and labels.

Birkholz Family / Press Materials

A characteristic element of the brand is the so-called "fragrance bar" - a space where the client can, together with a consultant, select and adjust the fragrance to their own preferences. This concept is to refer to the experience of wine tasting and is a key element of the brand's image.

Birkholz positions itself as one of the most recognizable independent perfume brands in Germany.

Birkholz perfumes are available in Poland in the exclusive Quality Missala perfumery.