Interviews
One voice, one honest conversation, no scores.
Interviews
Best read with each issue’s soundtrack playing.
Now readingInterview 54 · Season Two
Raihan
“Your nose is the only opinion that matters for you.”
A content creator and perfumer from Bekasi, in two parts. Seven years in Poland, a morning that begins with Fajr, and Rhen Atelier, the brand he built from an empty desk.
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Notes
Fragrance is never only about scent. It holds memory, taste, and the story of a life.
Interviews is where the friends and family of HoM Haute talk openly about the things scent touches. The rooms they grew up in, the people they carry, what they have learned to leave out. Each issue is one voice and one honest conversation.
Fifty-four conversations
Map of voicesTap a dot
Fifty-four voices from across the islands. Tap a city to meet them.
Season Two2026 · from No. 51
Interview 54“A good perfume is the one where every material has a reason.”
Raihan
Content Creator & Perfumer · Bekasi
Seven years in Poland, Fajr before the raw materials, and After Sunrise from Rhen Atelier
rainsandalwoodvetiver
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Interview 53“A soulless body wandering the earth, waiting to find my soul.”
Rifa
Business Student & Poet · Bogor
Wedang uwuh and rain at night, a typewritten poem called Musk, and city pop after dark
rainoudrose
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Interview 52“An invisible art form that allows us to communicate who we are without saying a single word.”
Edrin Wangi
Edrin Witakarna · Founder of STAR Training & Consulting · Bandung
A radio voice, his father’s car in Kupang, and a boy who watched cowboys grow up to bottle one
leathersandalwoodoud
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Interview 51“I collect the ghosts of who I used to be.”
Learoy Black
Steven Learoy · Human Resources Director · Jakarta
A tailor’s son who kept his life in smells, the one bottle he can no longer open, and That Iris Guy
iriscoffeesea
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Season One2026 · Fifty conversations
Interview 50“If I like it, that’s enough.”
Darwin
Corporate employee · Jakarta
Two Guerlains that turn out to be the same argument twice, coffee before the choice, and no need to move on to the next thing
coffeeteacitrus
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Interview 49“I love how a scent can say something about you without saying a word.”
Yusy
Marketing manager · Jakarta
Rose and powder from her mother’s dressing table, honey underneath, and one bottle carried into a colder country
powderrose
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Interview 48“Always listen to both sides before making a decision, and trust your guts.”
Paramita
Civil servant · Nusa Tenggara Timur
Incense from the Keraton Solo, sandalwood and sopi from the palms of NTT, and a cloth that is tied before it is dyed
incensesandalwoodmusk
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Interview 47“Never judge a book by its cover.”
Rafhael
Business owner · Bekasi
Talc inside a wardrobe, frankincense after the gym, and a song he sings to the mirror
incensepowdercitrus
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Interview 46“Trust your nose, keep going.”
Anthony
Songwriter and rapper · Pontianak
A boombox in the rain, an uncle’s old songs, and the animalic note that made everyone else take a step back
rain
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Interview 45“Every great perfume should tell a story.”
Dekito
Perfumer · Bogor
Two houses at once: Solivagant, where he tells his own stories, and Ecofragrantica, where he helps other people tell theirs
citrusmusk
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Interview 44“The rain came and washed the death of Rahwana away.”
Halim
Civil servant · Bengkulu
Charcoal he lit himself, white florals off the dancers, and the wet earth that took all of it away
rainincensejasmine
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Interview 43“Fragrance became a fast ticket to the past.”
Nieky
Photographer · Jakarta
Tuberoses in small vases at Eid, a censer at a funeral, and a professional who has never owned a camera
incensetuberosechypre
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Interview 42“To me, it smells like my mom’s handbag.”
Nopal
Finance intern · Solo
Three movements played in order, a phone hidden in a handbag, and seven hours on the warnet clock
powderirismusk
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Interview 41“Sometimes, a fragrance does not remind you of someone. It brings them back.”
Bagus
Finance · Jakarta
Two sets of books, a shelf with one deliberate gap, and the bottle he is not ready to open
coffee
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Interview 40“Fragrance is a reminder of a moment.”
Jelang
Digital marketing · Jakarta
A second rather than a place, five bottles picked by mood, and the first ten minutes of a day
vanillaoud
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Interview 39“Time is not measured only by the hands of a clock.”
Aliffazrie
Entrepreneur, vlogger & content creator · Balikpapan
A hairpin road, an invisible signature, and five stops a day that no clock counts
irissandalwoodchypre
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Interview 38“Fragrance is the witness to my life.”
Harvey
Live stream consultant & content creator · Jakarta
A lost wooden spoon, a vial handed over as an apology, and a shelf that turned out to be a photo album
rain
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Interview 37“Not to capture a smell, but to preserve a feeling before it disappears.”
Lulu
Teacher and founder of Filosophia · Cimahi
Midnight, a window, and a house that names its perfumes after standards
night
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Interview 36“The same person can express different sides of themselves through different scents.”
Ojil
Fragrance enthusiast & freelancer · Bekasi
Florals with a strong presence, tropicals for the good days, and a frangipani that refused to choose between them
frangipaniflorals
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Interview 35“Clean air after the rain. It is a feeling of peace, clarity, and a fresh start.”
Aun
Civil service HR analyst · Soppeng
Aldehydes, crisp linen and green water, and an introvert who decided to meet people warmly anyway
aldehydesraincoffee
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Interview 34“Fragrances are a journey from the opening to the base, just like life.”
Sean
College student & basketball athlete · Yogyakarta
Seven roses, seven ouds, a number that keeps arriving, and a rose he is learning to forgive
roseoud
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Interview 33
“Softness is not the opposite of strength.”
Ajeng
Founder · Poetica Perfumery · Tangerang
A museum and a pen, a father carried in soft leather, and a poetry book written as perfume
leather
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Interview 32
“Not everything beautiful needs to be loud.”
Amir
Full-Stack Developer · Tangerang
One sword kept sharp, notes learned through his own nose, and an escape no darker than perfume and instant noodles
rosecoffee
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Interview 31
“Just like that, and I feel that I am home.”
Kevin
White-collar Worker · Jakarta
Dew on a mango tree, tuberose and jasmine, and the old jeep next door arriving in the very same sentence
jasminetuberosecoffee
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Interview 30
“Wear and do whatever brings you joy.”
Felix
Independent Perfumer · Lixie · Metro, Lampung
An observer of small things, a father found again in wood and cooling oil, and the imagined worlds behind Lixie
sandalwoodteajasmine
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Interview 29
“Every formula is a question rather than an answer.”
David
Scent Creative Director · Daevu & Pilgrim · Bandung
A portrait in two chapters, wet soil after rain in Bandung, and failure kept on the bench as research
rain
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Interview 28
“Happy enough, sad enough, and Zen always.”
Goura
Spiritual Enthusiast & Marketer · Bali
Five senses trained one at a time, three doorways onto a father, a mother and a silence, and the number he gave us twice
incense
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Interview 27
“Not every life has to look the same to be a good one.”
Rangga
Selenophile · Balikpapan
A year told as one lunar month, a novel that asked whether a scent can hold a memory, and the two words every reading lands on
moon
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Interview 26
“Good taste is a journey, not a destination.”
Sonia
Chemist & Curious Human · Bogor
A childhood of asking why, jasmine beneath the pillow, and two moods worn on alternate days
jasmine
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Interview 25
“Grace in silence, fire in ambition.”
Putri
Officer & Content Creator · East Jakarta
Two scent-memories that live side by side, a mountain measured in feeling, and a day held together by coffee, jasmine and matcha
coffeeteajasmine
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Interview 24
“Just because you are different, it does not mean you are wrong.”
Bayu
Mechanic · Balikpapan
A year that began with a scroll, a fruit note that leads back to a father, and the exact hour the yard turns violet
fruit
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Interview 23
“A barber who almost became a counselor.”
Ridhwan
Barber & Content Creator · Pondok Kelapa, Jakarta
The smell of an old shop in four materials, a bottle chosen for its contrast, and the exact number of sprays a small room can take
powder
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Interview 22
“I live between sunshine citrus and midnight music.”
Rio
Fragrance Enthusiast & Content Creator · Balikpapan
A first bottle found in high school, a mother’s scent he has never stopped looking for, and citrus for the day with music for every hour after
citrusmuskrose
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Interview 21
“Medicine and perfumery are equal.”
Angga
General Practitioner · Surabaya
A can of Axe that started everything, petrichor in a village with no signal, and two disciplines he insists are one
rainspicetobacco
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Interview 20
“Gentleness has never been the same as weakness.”
Maariyah
Scent Creator, Poet & Teacher · Balikpapan
Rain and roses finishing the same sentence, an album of sounds no one calls music, and a hope to be remembered by scent
rainrose
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Interview 19
“You are wearing a narrative.”
Fikri
Public Servant & Storyteller · Pontianak
Perfume read like a track, orris as the smell of arrival, and a life lived at its own honest pace
irischypre
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Interview 18
“There are no wasted experiences.”
Andar
Personal Trainer & Powerlifter · Tangerang
A search that changed everything, an aunt’s perfume returned by a single sniff, and strength kept honest as it grows
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Interview 17
“Take it slow, and savor every sniff.”
Soni
Kopite & Scent Creator · Jakarta
The most fragrant street in Indonesia, a house of his own, and a belief a Kopite defends with a grin
chypre
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Interview 16
“Fragrance is a trigger for a human bloom.”
Adittya
Barista & Poet · Bogor
The bloom of coffee and people, rain on dry ground, and the poems that let moments live forever
raincoffeecitrus
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Interview 15
“Scent, for me, is a world of exploration.”
Maria
Urban Planner & Transport Advisor · Tangerang Selatan
Bamboo walls and daily jamu, an insatiable nose, and taste as a language learned by living
jamu
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Interview 14
“I love fragrances so deep I can read them.”
Tom
Fragrance Enthusiast & Content Creator · Jakarta
Perfume read like literature, a dream finished by orange and flint, and a mind kept free
citrus
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Interview 13
“Fragrance is a key that unlocks memories.”
Mima
Lactation Counselor & Pastry Chef · South Tangerang
Her father’s Sunday roses, a grandmother’s chypre, and what is timeless kept close
rosechypre
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Interview 12
“Every scent is a place I have been.”
Abdurahman
Management Consultant · Cibubur
A canal, an avenue, a pine forest, a life told as a route
pineroseoud
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Interview 11
“Fragrance is liquid storytelling.”
Fahmi
Raised on Bukhoor · BSD City
Bukhoor at every gathering, green tea back to himself, and a chypre that changed his mind
incensechypretea
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Interview 10
“Some keep journals; I keep scents.”
Hafidh
Medical Student · Samarinda
Warm rice at dawn, the grand by day, and quiet wood by night
woodsrice
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Interview 09
“Speak your truth, even when your voice shakes.”
Ally
Mother, Writer & Dreamer · Bekasi
Damp wood and jasmine, incense at dawn, and every perfume a chapter
jasmineincenserain
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Interview 08
“Here and now, and nothing else.”
Aditya
Policy Analyst · Jakarta
Vetiver, the morning jamu of childhood, and living here and now
vetiverjamuchypre
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Interview 07
“A scent returned the color.”
Blake
Digital Artist · Tangerang City
Jasmine, grief turned to acceptance, and the color a scent gave back
jasmine
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Interview 06
“To know your liking is knowing yourself.”
Nis
Café & Restaurant Owner · Pekanbaru
Rice and the family table, tea by day, and something dark for the night
tea
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Interview 05
“Beauty with intention, not attention.”
Stephanus
Pharmaceutical Chemistry Lecturer · Yogyakarta
Iris and orris, and the introspective nights of Ronin Jazz Felina
irisjasmine
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Interview 04
“You never lose by choosing kindness.”
Aldhiano
Videographer & Food Blogger · Balikpapan
Rain-soaked pines, solitude, and a collection learned by heart
rainpinechypre
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Interview 03
“Seek, and you shall find.”
Rafi
Storyteller · Tangerang
Jasmine, his mother’s holy days, and the chypres he keeps returning to
jasminechypre
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Interview 02
“A fragrance with a soul lives.”
Matthew
Known as Amscent · South Tangerang
Soul, and the human musk of a mother’s room
muskchypre
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Interview 01
“True taste comes from who you become.”
Andreas Sukory
Vaporista & Content Creator · Tangerang City
Solitude, the language of feeling, and why taste shapes everything
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Nothing at that hour yet.
The season soundtrack
Every issue came with a record.
Each voice sent us the music that sounds like them. Here they are in one place, 50 soundtracks, newest first. Pick a number and let it play while you read.
Be part of the story.
Friends and family of the house are welcome. Nothing to prepare: answer at your own pace, send it back, and you may appear in a coming issue of Season Two. These are the six questions.
- How would you describe your relationship with fragrance?
- A scent that takes you somewhere: a memory, a place, a person.
- What are you wearing these days, and why?
- A small daily ritual that matters to you.
- What does good taste mean to you?
- One belief you would defend.
Published by HoM HauteThe Journal · InterviewsFifty-four voicesSet in New York & InterMMXXVI
Also from the houseReturn to the masthead ↑
Harum Oleh Memori
Fragrance, through memory