Agonist

What is Agonist? I first come across Agonist last summer on another perfume blog when I called for some scents with Nordic inspiration and starting-point. Someone mentioned Agonist, but the name was misunderstod and I looked for it with no succes (honestly I belived the name was Agnostic). Since I didn´t find any information I kind of forgot about it until one of my blog readers mentioned Agonist.


And with the right name it become much easier to find information. Agonist is a Nordic perfume brand, inspired by melancholy and beauty in film, art and poetry from Bergman, Boye and Garbo and other iconized characters from Swedish culture.


Agonist creates fragrances that project the Nordic climat, clear and pure, but still with weight and beautiful low tones. Agonist co-operates with skilled parfumers in Grasse, France to incarnate their fragrant visions. And, with much importance, Agonist perfumes are then embraced by beautiful glass created by glass-artist Åsa Jungnelius at Kosta Boda, one of swedens oldest and most prestigious glassworks.


I haven´t yet experienced the beautiful bottles "for real" but I hope that I will, when I go to Stockholm in a coupple of weeks.


In the pictures above: The Infidels, glass art in two copies, one sculpture at NK Stockholm and the other at NK Gothenburg.


The more basic bottle of The Infidels that can be bought at NK or at Agonist homepage.


A pic of Kallocain, Agonist first fragrance. Manufactured in 20 copies and sold out.


If you want to know more about Agonist perfumes and other reflections about Agonist you can visit their home page: www.agonistparfums.com


I am a perfume lover, not an art critic, and that makes it a little hard for me to relate to perfumes in bottles consist of only two copies and sold for about 3000 euro. Who are the targeted group? Art collectors or perfume collectors? Or both? As a perfume lover I become a little afraid that the perfume experience will be shadowed bu the glass art. At the same time I find the concept innovative and far from the Swedish "just enough-mentality". I think it´s brave, and I do not doubt that Agonist will find buyers. Even though I as a perfume lover rather strive to more perfume in more affordable bottles, I do recognise the beauty and creativity to let a scent take such a big spot in a piece of art. I want more of that, in many different ways.


I am sorry that I didn´t find Agonist before their first scent, Kallocain was sold out. The name is after a novel by a great Swedish writer, Karin Boye, and the novel that is a dystopic, kallocain is a thruth drug. Oh, so cool to try a perfume inspired by Karin Boye and Kallocain.


If I´m having a hard time relate to the glass art, the names of Agonist perfumes are much easier to relate to for me. Both Kallocain, but also The Infidels wakes curiosity, imagination and interest. I am really curious about what Agonist will come up with here after?


But, as you all know, the most important to me isn´t the names or the bottles, but the perfume it self. And how do The Infidels smell? Well, I´ve thought about it for a week now, so I hope I can share it with you tomorrow or any day soon. Don´t miss it!