D.S. & DURGA are bringing the Brooklyn DIY scene to the world of fragrance

Once, when I was wearing a D.S. & DURGA fragrance called Steamed Rainbow, the man behind the counter in a corner shop liked it so much that he made me write it down on an old receipt. I obliged. While your perfume of choice is an inherently personal thing, and there can be a temptation to keep your signature scent a secret, the NYC-based brand is one that just begs to be shared. Founded by IRL couple David and Kavi back in 2008, D.S. & DURGA is all about immersive fragrances — scents that tell stories and properly endeavour to capture the minutiae of human existence, without being pretentious about it. Take their newest scent, Cowgirl Grass, a reprise of an earlier scent that’s for, as Kavi puts it, “ladies who wear jewel-encrusted belts and drive giant cars with lots of horsepower”. 

How does one go about creating a scent for such a niche sector of woman? While that might pose a problem to other perfumers, what also makes D.S. & DURGA so special is that every single one of their fragrances is made in-house, by David himself. Taking cues from the Brooklyn DIY movement, of which David and Kavi are both self-proclaimed pioneers, David is a self-taught fragrance mogul, having poured over old herbal books when they were starting out. Add in Kavi, who approaches bottle and box design like an architect, and it’s safe to say that they’re not being hyperbolic when they talk about creating perfume with the power to “inspire and influence people”.

I sat down with the founders of D.S. & DURGA to chat Cowgirl Grass, “aromatic worlds”, and why they’re bored with fragrances that pay homage to nan. 

From hand-stamping boxes in Bushwick to having your perfumes stocked in Space NK… How has your creative freedom evolved with scale?

We have access to more raw materials than we did in the beginning. The creative freedom hasn’t changed though — we make what we want and what we think our customers want.

Cowboy Grass helped establish your brand identity. What made you want to revisit and reimagine it as Cowgirl Grass?

We actually had a version of Cowgirl Grass a long time ago, but I didn’t love it. I wanted to update it and make a fragrance I thought a modern “cowgirl” would want.

You’ve called D.S. & DURGA your “art project”. How does that mindset influence your creative decisions?

We are making immersive, aromatic worlds that we want to live on the level of other great art forms. There should be a depth of detail to the story, music, image and words that accompany the fragrance. 

David, you learned perfumery through old herbal books and experimenting. How has that unconventional education shaped your approach?

I had to figure out my own system and understand how each raw material worked — no one ever helped me. It means my understanding of perfumery is entirely unique.  I like to build realistic accords of things and weave them into a narrative that then enters the nose.

Kavi, you approach fragrance design with an architect’s eye. How does that translate to something as intangible as scent?

The box for our perfume is a little building that stands as a monument to the bottle inside, as it plays with light and shadow.

You pair each fragrance with playlists and stories. What’s the narrative behind Cowgirl Grass?

Cowgirl Grass is for rhinestone cowgirls — ladies who wear jewel-encrusted belts and drive giant cars with lots of horsepower. Ladies who connect to the West. So, the playlist has a badass country attitude.

The original was rustic and leathery while this is juicy and floral. Was playing with those contrasts intentional?

Definitely… We’re going into the realm of fantasy here, but Cowboy Grass is probably worn more by the person who likes to imagine the cowboy lifestyle. Cowgirl Grass is what I think a cosplaying cowgal would want to wear — it’s this pink musky floral.

You started in Brooklyn when everyone was making their own products. Has that maker’s mentality stayed with you?

Yeah, I still make every scent and write all the words. And Kavi still designs it all.

Having an in-house perfumer is rare in the industry. How does that change your creative process?

Most companies’ perfumes are made by the same three hundred perfumers. Ours are all made by me, so there’s an inherent originality to our fragrances. 

You formulate in Brooklyn and bottle in the Bronx. How important is that New York connection to your brand?

NYC is our home and comes through in a lot of what we do. As a city, it’s a free place to make your own way, which is very us. 

David, you talk about creating fragrances that live at the level of great art. What does that mean in practice?

That you approach the making of a scent with intention to inspire and influence people by bringing them into a richly detailed world. There is meaning behind the fragrances — they aren’t the same old story of “this was a trip to Texas” or “this was my grandmother’s perfume”.

The industry’s changed dramatically since 2008. What keeps you both excited about making perfume?

Honestly, we’re not too focused on the trends of the perfume industry. We are influenced by music, myth and the mundane. I feel like we’re nowhere yet and still have a lot more to say and do.

Looking ahead, how do you see D.S. & DURGA evolving while keeping that original artistic vision?

If you never compromise your integrity as you scale you’ll be fine. And you have to make things that people want —  catering to customers’ desires is an honor not a compromise. 

You can buy Cowgirl Grass at Space NK here.