Part 1. People

A nomad by destiny and by choice I spent a lot of my life in Aotearoa, the Māori name for New Zealand which literally translates to ‘The Land of the Long White Cloud’. It is a remote country of two main islands situated at the far reaches of the globe and until the last few decades a little detached from the rest of the World in terms of Niche Perfumery. However global reach being what is it and fuelled by the increasing interest of international and national consumers, a number of New Zealand brands have emerged, some with a legacy of time behind them already and some relatively new, but always with that particularly kiwi determination to succeed and overcome that seems to be inherent in New Zealanders. My younger life there was spent in part trying to source and afford to add to my 1970’s perfume collection, all the grand classics of the age were available, mainly from large department stores, imported, of course, and their gilded perfumery counters, YSL, Givenchy, Arpege, Estee Lauder, Cacharel, Guerlain to name a few. These arrived from distant shores, seemingly a world away. This will be a three-part voyage to the Antipodes and I start with two women I greatly admire who are examples of passion, courage and the desire to create something uniquely New Zealand, created with the power of place and the cultural references.

Tiffany Witehira Founder Curionoir – Ponsonby Auckland

Tiffany carries with her a quietly, powerful presence that emanates from her heritage, of Māori descent and Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe), Tiffany’s heritage and identity are evident in her artistic approach, defined by Whakapapa or her (lineage/ bloodlines). It can be summed up in the Māori word – Mana. In Māori culture, Mana is a supernatural force that can reside in a person, place, or object, giving them authority, influence, and spiritual power. Add in a dash of French and Italian ancestry and you have the perfect potency for her creative and artistic endeavour. In Māori culture as with so many indigenous peoples the interconnectivity of all things is prevalent and considered, the whole rather than the sum of parts. Her exposure from an early age to all aspects of this culture has influenced her artistic direction and added considerably to her palette of perfumery materials.

Her tipuna wahine (great-grandmother) worked with New Zealand native plants to practice Rongoā Māori, or traditional medicine, an early exposure to plants and their applications. Her desire to produce New Zealand inspired perfumes grew out of a combination of curiosity, personal memories, cultural influences, nature and emotions.

Prior to establishing her brand Curionoir, Tiffany had worked in the fashion world, whilst looking after her newborn son she spent sleepless nights, her curiosity around plants and scents had her delving into the world of raw materials and perfumery formulations, an evolution she describes as ‘completely organic’. Working in a slow, intense and deliberate way accessing all manner of influences, her very first creation was a hand carved, perfumed candle that was inspired by a dream, highly personal, ‘The Lilith Doll’ candle became an icon for the brand and the expression of her commitment to craftsmanship over mass production.

Curionoir was created as a brand in 2011 as an initially studio-based enterprise, producing artisan candles, eventually Tiffany opened a boutique in Auckland city’s Ponsonby district in 2016, the name Curionoir, Curio being an object that incites a curiosity and Noir, reflecting back on the origins of the project during those sleepless night sessions. Her boutique is indeed a curious place, nothing to suggest from the outside what lies within, its shop front windows are obscured completely by vintage brown velvet curtains, heavy and concealing, even a furtive glance inside the doorway reveals little, just a passageway with a singular chair at the back.

One truly has to engage with one’s curiosity and a little courage to enter further and discover what lies behind these layers of concealment. Opening into a darkened, minimal space that is calming and engaging in the same moment and here are arrayed her perfumed creations, perfumes are all at Extrait strength, hand blown glass vessels and clay urns filled with perfumed candles and a display of beautiful handblown artisanal perfume bottles. Collaborations with other artisans of note are also displayed.

The entire environment is designed to give you the sense of entering a liminal world, one where you have time to discover and explore, limiting your other senses and highlighting the sense of smell. Pre-covid, Tiffany did extend her business model to encompass selling in the UK and to customers in the EU and UAE as well, this project was initially launched in late 2018 and early 2019 through partnerships with stores including Harrods. However, with the Covid lockdowns and the implications of Brexit, running a small scale, crafted perfume brand from New Zealand and then shipping across the world became quite the expensive, logistical nightmare. When I spoke with Tiffany regarding this back in early March this year, she was really content to just sell within NZ and Australia to her regular customers and to stay true to her philosophy of slow production and small scale, keeping her global footprint small. Those who know, always know where to find her and her exceptional artistry.

A measured and clear woman with a vision she is staying true to, ask any New Zealander about Curionoir and yes, they know the brand, of course. Her perfumes are all singular works of artistry at the highest level, they are unique, I have had the privilege of writing many and find them complex and fascinating.

I fell head over heels with Curionoir Purotu Rose, from first inhale, not only for its intense olfactory offering but for the interwoven inspiration that exudes like the airs from rain- soaked petals, awash with tears. It was inspired by the moments captured at her Grandfathers Tangi or Maori funeral, the roses flanking the entrance, lives represented in buds and flowers, full and blown, enveloped with the scent of newly dug earth and smoky vapours from the feast pit. So much more than a eulogisement, it emanates deep beauty in a most pure, melancholic, motionlessness that stills and is an unadulterated emotion.

Orpheus Incarnate arose out of an abiding love of nature and the culmination of a deep catalyst, a book authored by Ann Wroe, Orpheus- The Song of Life. I, too, have read this book and it is quite indescribable, compelling and hypnotic, the same can be said of this perfume. It is a lulling, a lullaby, sweet, compelling intoxication that surrounds and cajoles us into a dream-like state. Of an otherworldly, breathtaking trance, Orpheus Incarnate is a mystic experience.

Each pluck of the Orphic lyre an enchantment, each string plucked a droplet that ripples out upon the surface of reality before submerging beneath into the unseen realms. It is the whispering of ancient trees, bending to a listening ear, the concentric waves upon the pond of dreams, the reverberations of rock and stone, of spellbound creatures of wood and valley. The Charmer, the Seer, the Prophet, Interpreter of the Gods. Inhale deeply of its vapours and you will see as Rilke and countless poets, musicians and writers see, with uncompromised eyes.

Another of her compelling creations is 415AD, this is a deeply historical and emotive, almost shocking piece of work, inspired by Hypatia of Alexandria and her exceptional life and tragic death, 415AD is the year of her death at the hands of a mob. Tiffany wanted to honour her in the creation of this perfume and took this even further by only using a palette of raw materials that were available in the year 415AD, it is an exceptional creation, green and resinous, a concentrated sap-like perfume drawn from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions during that period. It weaves sinuously on skin akin to a sacred oil, bringing ancient narrative into life in the modern era.

Tiffany Witehira creates as she lives, drawing close the threads of ancestry, family, traditions, cultural and historical references. Her contentment to remain steadfastly true to her origins of small scale, artisanal and to remain grounded on her territory of birth sets her apart, there are no yearnings for global expansion or distribution, just those perfume aficionados who seek her out and continue to make their way behind the brown velvet curtain. If you find yourself on Ponsonby Road, be certain to step inside.

Brooke Lean, Co-Founder – The Virtue – New Plymouth

A house that has found a name for itself and a cult following in New Zealand and further afield is ‘The Virtue’, created by Brooke Lean and her friend Gina. Pre 2016, Brooke who was born and raised in a provincial town in Taranaki, New Zealand, a predominantly rural area, far away from the larger cities, was a commercial photographer, she had previously travelled the world and returned to NZ to make a home life for her and her young family. The demands were high as she worked primarily as a wedding photographer, there finally came a point where a change of direction was called for. She had a particular slant on photography, always associating visual memory with a particular scent, each of her photographs evoked a scent, a trail of perfumed traces that invited her to follow.

Her talented eye and aesthetic sense had always drawn her to contrasts of light and form, pivoting towards interiors and curated styling, led to both of them opening what was essentially a ‘concept store’, in New Plymouth, full of quirky ideas and pieces of curated curiosity. It has been described as ‘otherworldly and hedonistic in the best sense’, an immersion in beauty. Constant, still, this ‘crossover’ she had experienced, photographs that carried a unique perfume within the visuals stayed with her and the seed of an idea to create these perfumes from photographs she had taken, memories from aspects of her life took root. When you reside far away from the global centres of perfumery this is no mean feat. As Brooke explains – ‘starting The Virtue from New Zealand never felt like a disadvantage to me. If anything, it became the point of difference. There’s something about living at the edge of the world that sharpens your perspective a bit. The landscape here is wild, isolated, beautiful – and I think that naturally finds its way into the work. We don’t have centuries of perfume tradition in New Zealand so there is a freedom in that. We can build our own language around fragrance without too many rules.’

This was in itself an organic progression, there was no business plan or future projections, just the desire to create something personal and with depth of meaning. Not a traditionally trained Nose, she just followed her inspiration and created mood boards that accompanied each photograph, working with Perfumers from Grasse, France to breathe life into them. Since 2016, The Virtue concept store has developed into an artisanal perfume brand, firmly rooted in New Zealand life and values, drawing on memory, travel and local histories. The Virtue Collection encompasses vivid and emotional perfumes, incense and candles and has developed a following in New Zealand, expanding her client base beyond New Plymouth to the rest of the country and since 2025, internationally.

Over the time that her brand has been in existence, Brooke has seen massive shifts within the NZ perceptions around perfume, when she first started, perfume still sat within most people’s consciousness as a beauty product, now people in New Zealand are treating it much more like art, identity, mood and ritual.

“People have become more curious, they want to know why something smells the way it does, where inspiration comes from, what memory or emotion lies behind it, forming a connection with the maker, they are wearing fragrance much more intentionally. Thanks to the global shift in artisanal perfumes, people have realised that perfume can have personality, it can be weird, thought provoking, mood enhancing’

‘Also, I feel that people in NZ are connecting much more with the honesty and humanity behind the brand, there is a ground swell of new confidence with New Zealand creatives, they are starting to realise that we don’t need to imitate Europe or anywhere else to make good perfume. Our perspective is valuable precisely because it comes from somewhere different. That shift is still happening and it’s very exciting”.

Brooke also spoke of the value of starting her brand in a small town like New Plymouth, ‘it helped me creatively, being in a small town helped me to think and to focus, the ocean, the weather, the mountain, there is less noise here. Also being away from major centres of influence and trends meant I was not trying to keep up, that distance helped me to forge The Virtue’s unique identity.’

After attending Esxence 2025, the perfume fair held in Milan each year, Brooke connected with representatives from Boots UK. In October 2025, the Virtue made its UK debut, launching in the exclusive, luxury fragrance Boots boutique in Broadgate Central, London, not bad for a kiwi girl from a rural city at the far end of the world.

'I realised early, however, that building a niche brand in New Zealand, at some point you need to think globally, but I never wanted to lose the New Zealandness of it as that’s the soul of the brand. So, we are just focused now on carefully expanding while still keeping the brand creatively led. As well as launching in the UK (as above) we are in Australia and working on some beautiful collaborations. I also have many future ideas around objects, spaces, films, creating a fuller world around The Virtue. For me, the most exciting part is still the same as it was in the beginning, finding new ways to translate memory, image and feeling into something physical people can carry with them'.

‘I created 1987 from a very early memory, to mimic my memory of my first schoolteacher, the year I started in school, a nostalgic white floral, enveloping and powerful’.

Castro was created from her memories of travel in Cuba, blending tobacco, rum and smoked woods.

Back Beach is a storm driven scent inspired by the rugged and majestic coastline of her native Taranaki.

Mary Mary, a perfume in two parts, was inspired by local folklore of Mary Katherine Lyons, an Irish immigrant who arrived in New Plymouth in 1882 who mysteriously disappeared. Part 1 – The Personification of her Life – her femininity and charm, is a a delicate yet strength infused perfume with a vintage powderiness and in Part II- Brooke moves away from her earthly life and focuses on where she disappeared , the coastline of the Taranaki coast, it is atmospheric and tragic in its expression. Combined they are a ‘deserved tale retold’.

In Brooke’s own words, ‘I am a Wanderer with Purpose’, immersing in the light and dark of life and always following her creative instincts.

These two women are key driving forces, along with others, behind the rising interest in Niche Perfumery in New Zealand and in New Zealand brands internationally, women that embody the character of Kiwi’s, known the world over for their determination, community cohesiveness, dynamism and great pride in their country. They are the spirit of this ‘dare to do’ philosophy. Driving forward with vision, striving to create their own path and leave a mark. In the next article I will explore in depth three other prominent New Zealand brands, Frater, One Way Bridge and Abel that again take their own uniqueness in NZ perfume culture and in doing so, find their place both nationally and internationally. New Zealand, those two islands at the foot of the world are etching a place within the global niche perfumery culture, well and truly being noticed.

CURIONOIR PERFUMERY
76A Ponsonby Road, Grey Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand
+64 9 360 4090

THE VIRTUE
112 Devon Street West
New Plymouth
New Zealand