Byredo 1996 Inez & Vinoodh was launched in 2013, created by Jerome Epinettee and Ben Gorham, in collaboration with with Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin (Inez and Vinoodh). Inez & Vinoodh are fashion and art photographers, having snapped Lady Gaga, Bjork, Vogue. They collaborated to make this private perfume to give to their friends at Christmas. The story goes that people loved it so much, they decided to release it to the general public. Its inspiration is the photo "Kirsten 1996". Ben Gorham describes this as "an olfactory snapshot not only of the image but of our emotional response to it."
Top: Juniper Berries and Black Pepper
Heart: Violet, Leather Accord and Orris
Base: Patchouli, Black Amber and Vanilla
Founded in 2006 in Sweden Byredo perfume's creator Ben Gorham (former basketball player) wanted to create perfumes of quality while keeping their production in Sweden. Gorham had been fascinated with fragrance much of his life. When he meet Pierre Wulff, a perfumer, Byredo came into being. Currently Gorham works with Olivia Giacobetti and Jerome Epinette to create his line of perfumes
From Fragrantica - "It calls to mind leather coats, old books and sunny autumn days. It is an enchanting scent. There's something about it that's comforting, I enjoy wearing it around the house just for me, and something about it that is nostalgic-- just as the name would suggest. It's sensual in a detached, bookish sort of way which on the right person makes it a great signature scent. I'm a nerd who loves all things brainy, old-fashioned and beautiful, so for me, it is just right."
Candy Perfume Boy - "1996 dries down to robust amber that retains bitter hints of the leather and violet leaf. The vanilla really comes into its own in the base, creating a creamy, velvety texture to temper the harsher, smokier notes. At times 1996 teeters on the edge of becoming ‘delicious’, but there is just the right proportion of the rough versus the smooth to ensure that it stays uncomfortably (the discomfort is what makes it intriguing) on the boundary."
Basenotes - "Oddly, 1996 reminds me of wandering around a dusty, sun-dappled library; the scent has a rather papery, bookish appeal, melded with a sweetness that pulls you in and makes you love it. In a word, it's intriguing, both for the wearer and those around them. When I've chosen 1996 as my scent of the day, I've had three people come up to me and ask what fragrance I'm wearing, and they all have the same quizzical expression."