A multi-sensory dialogue between scent and sound
Composer Christian Ryan’s Musical Compositions for Maison d’Etto’s Verdades Fragrance
A multi-sensory dialogue between scent and sound
In August, conceptual fragrance brand Maison d’Etto debuted Verdades, their latest emotion-stimulating, equine-inspired luxury scent. The perfume, with its radiant notes of orange blossom and jasmine, vanilla bean and patchouli, brought to life a relationship observed by founder Brianna Lipovsky—that of award-winning American dressage rider Laura Graves and her horse and Olympic partner, Verdades. To translate their narrative into aromatic notes, Lipovsky partnered with illustrious perfumer Julien Rasquinet. To support Rasquinet’s beguiling fragrance with a series of equally enthralling instrumental compositions, Lipovsky tapped Detroit-based composer and violinist Christian Ryan.
“I was struck by the quiet moments of bonding I observed between Laura Graves and her horse Verdades after the Rio Olympics, moments framed by stunning sunrises and sunsets,” Lipovsky tells COOL HUNTING. “Julien’s vision translated these themes into a scent layered with contrasts, echoing the complexity of their journey. Verdades is not just about fragrance—it’s about telling a story of devotion, resilience and the transformative power of partnership.”
As for the motivation behind the multi-sensory pairing, Lipovsky says, “music, as dressage, particularly in the freestyle, is so deeply intertwined with musical expression. The powerful synergy between music, horse, rider and environment captures the essence of the sport at its best, bringing it to life in an extraordinary way.” For Lipovsky, Verdades felt like the ideal fragrance to explore this connection, “allowing musical compositions to merge with scent, with both inspired by the same story and creativity, creating something greater than the sum of its parts.”
Ryan first discovered Maison d’Etto in 2023. “I was in New York celebrating my birthday and I wanted to buy a new fragrance,” he tells COOL HUNTING. “I did some digging and discovered a place called The Conservatory in Hudson Yards. I told a very kind staff member that I was looking for a new fragrance—something distinct, and animalistic. They introduced me to a fragrance called Rotano, and when I smelled it I fell in love.” Ryan shared his love of Maison d’Etto on social media, tagging the brand in the process, and Lipovsky reached out after hearing his music.
“Horses are musical creatures to begin with,” Ryan says. “I knew right away that I wanted to use their different gaits as a backbone for the music. Horses have four basic gaits: walk, trot, canter and gallop—each with their own unique rhythms, tempi and patterns. As for the harmonic backbone, I almost always sketch out a harmonic map before I get started on a piece. It’s usually a series of annotated block chords laid out by hand on staff paper that I keep in front of me at all times.” Ryan enjoyed the fragrance’s embrace of orange blossom. He strove for his music “to embody the obsession with that color and smell—every aspect of it. Orange is versatile—it can be fiery and ecstatic, but it can also be soft and subdued. I wanted to explore that within the music.”
Ryan’s work—elegant, enveloping and softly cinematic—portrays the nuance of the relationship between horse and rider. “His pieces delve into the architectural grace of dressage, blending sound and movement to reflect the fragrance’s emotional spectrum. This soundscape enriches the fragrance experience, immersing customers in the full arc of their inspiring story—translating scent, movement and music into a singular emotional journey,” Lipovsky adds. “For me, the boldness of the fragrance brought back memories of their freestyle performance on that Friday night under the lights, as I watched Laura and Verdades perform with such power and harmony—a moment now encapsulated through scent.” To breathe in Verdades is to feel the pulse of this resilience, to listen intently to Ryan’s pieces is to be swept away by it all.