The man behind the face: perfumer and colleague Chester Gibs
Chester Gibs is a multi-disciplinary artist born in The Netherlands and of Indonesian descent. Growing up, he noticed that his home smelled different from others, and these familiar notes became one of the roots of his olfactory explorations. Chester graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academy of Fine Arts in Amsterdam in 2002, from the Painting and Drawing department. Since 2016, he has combined his love of drawing, music, and olfaction in a variety of projects. His primary practice is drawing, and scent has become a portal into his imagination.
"After years of collecting perfumes, I realised that I was drawn to them for many reasons, but most of all because scent can influence my state of mind. It can evoke memories, shift emotions, and open up a space for imagination. This connection between scent and the inner world has gradually become an important part of my artistic practice."
The perfumes that shaped Chester
"I have a small perfume collection at home, including many perfumes I bought at the Perfume Lounge before joining the team in 2020. Some perfumes I fell in love with there are Musc Tonkin by Parfum d'Empire, with its vintage dirtiness; Moon Bloom by Hiram Green, an enchanting and very natural tuberose; and Anubis by Papillon: dark smoky rituals in a bottle.
Other perfumes that are dear to me include Xeryus by Givenchy, Chanel No. 19, Lonestar Memories by Andy Tauer, Sailors by The ZOO and Habit Rouge by Guerlain."
From collector to creator
"When I started experimenting with fragrance creation, I quickly realised that whatever I created had to be personal. Otherwise, there was no point for me. My love for spices and colours hopefully shines through in my perfumes.
Annindriya's CEO Tanja essentially gave me carte blanche for my creation for her brand. The result is Walk With Me, a perfume full of movement and contrasts. I think it is both uplifting and comforting, while remaining distinctive. The kaffir lime in the opening is a reference to Indonesia."
Taking incense to Bali
"For New Niche's Before The World Moved Again, I wanted to create a tropical incense. Many Western incense perfumes can feel gothic and church-like. I wanted to take burnt incense to Bali, where it is used in the Canang Sari offerings.
I think that when creating perfume, or any other form of expression, it is important to stay true to your identity: to stay true to your soul."