Swedish-based Byredo has opened a particularly unique pop-up at L.A.'s iconic shopping destination, The Grove. Featuring Byredo fragrance and makeup, the temporary shop will also be hosting the brand's upcoming fragrance launch, Mumbai Noise.
The pop-up is the third in a line of successful openings in Dallas and San Francisco. What's unique about the brand's L.A. presence, though, is that it'll be housing the new Mumbai Noise scent as a 10-day retail exclusive to The Grove until its global launch on Thursday, October 21. The scent pays homage to Byredo founder and creative director Ben Gorham's half-Indian roots.
"From a young age, almost as soon as I was born, I would often travel to India to spend time with my grandmother in Chembur, Mumbai, and I have very vivid childhood memories of my experiences there. Mumbai Noise is a fragrance that is close to my heart, and it was important to commemorate both the city and the fragrance through the design of this space," said Gorham.
The pop-up's unique design incorporates traditional Indian stone structures with a contemporary twist, set against the backdrop of the Mumbai Noise campaign imagery. For the launch campaign, Gorham enlisted Indian photographer Ashish Shah, who was recently named by the British Journal of Photography as one of 20 photographers to watch in 2021. Gorham claims to have been particularly intrigued by the modernity and reality of the young creative's striking images, which, for the campaign, showcase the city's creative subcultures and a new generation of Mumbai youth – one that rarely receives attention in mainstream media.
"The space is temporary, but we have treated it with a much more permanent frame of mind, taking cues from India, creating stone structures to anchor the space. You will see all of the usual Byredo cues, configured in a new way – and we will use the elements later on at one of our permanent stores," said Gorham.
Reflecting on the "sensorial multitudes that characterize his childhood," Gorham expresses his heritage and Chembur's streets in Mumbai Noise. The new fragrance derives its essence from Gorham's modern rendition of the smoky haze of incense and burning woods, and the aroma of coffee and sweet tonka beans emanating from streetside coffee carts. He pays tribute to the city's contrasts and cultural heritage while also respecting its evolution.
"An overload of sensory experience is very much Mumbai – from the second you step off the plane, you know you're somewhere different. The western perspective of India is probably the same now as it was a century ago. But Mumbai is a melting pot of modernity. Through Mumbai Noise, and Ashish's images, two perspectives meet," said Gorham.
Byredo was founded in 2006 in Stockholm, Sweden. Byredo has committed itself to reinvent the formulaic approach to business and allow for creativity and instinct to take the wheel on the brand's biggest decisions. What began as a single fragrance offering has flourished into a full range of beauty, home, leather goods, and accessories that are offered in more than 40 countries. More recently, Byredo teamed with Ouai to launch the haircare brand's Leave-In Conditioner in a limited edition Mojave Ghost scent.
Tap the link below for more details and be sure to plan your visit to The Grove on Thursday, October 22 at 7 p.m. to experience the official launch of Mumbai Noise with cocktails and an exhibition; otherwise, the pop-up will remain at The Grove until Sunday, November 7.
Byredo Pop-Up at The Grove, 189 The Grove Dr., L.A., 90036
