“It was surprising to see a couple of beauty rookies do everything right,” says James Manso as he reflects on his first encounter with House of Bō. Over tacos and margaritas, co-founders Bernardo Möller and Giancarlo Pérez opened up about their vision for the brand: fusing Mexican artistry with slow, experiential perfumery. Since launching in 2021, they’ve created sophisticated takes on a rose (Rosario), an oud (Infinitoud), and, more recently, a gourmand (Bombón).
In this episode, the duo sits down with James, Beauty Market Editor at WWD and Beauty Inc. They talk about collaborations with some of the world’s greatest perfumers, their approach to hand-sculpting every bottle top, and the story behind their newest collection. At the end, they play a game that challenges them to reveal each other’s go-to scents.
Highlights:
• Meeting over tacos and margaritas
• An “a-ha!” moment on a Dominican Republic vacation
• “My Dad’s passing changed the course of my life”
• Collaborating with Rodrigo Flores-Roux
• The name "House of Bō"
• Hand-sculpting bottle tops
• Introducing the new collection
• Oro Verde, a green amber that takes you to the jungle
• Sources of inspiration
• The idea for Rosario
• Casa Blanca, a woody/fruity scent by Frank Voelkl
• Bombón, a fancy take on a gourmand by Honorine Blanc
• What drew Bernardo to Crave by Calvin Klein
• Cool Water by Davidoff
• Black Orchid by Tom Ford
• Scent Connection, Soulmate Edition
• Espiritu, the most visceral House of Bō scent
• Daily fragrance rituals
• Fragrance primer
• Fragrance as self-expression
Featured Fragrances:
What is Scent World?
Indulge in a world of fragrance with Scent World, a show that explores the power of expressing yourself through scent. Presented by Scentbird, each episode is a multisensory experience rooted in unfiltered conversations with perfumers, visionaries, and fragrance lovers. They’ll share everything they know, take you behind the scenes, and transport you to their most intimate memories. Whether you’re a beginner or a fragrance aficionado, Scent World will inspire you to experience scents (and life) more deeply.