Meet Patrick Kelly of Sigil

Today we’d like to introduce you to Patrick Kelly.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Patrick. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Scent has always played a key role in the way I experience and navigate the world. From a very young age, I remember experiencing a sense of savoring olfactory moments, connecting them to the significance of personal relationships and pivotal moments in adolescence—gardening with my grandmother, pulling off the highway on my commute to smell bread factories, or Florida orange groves. Combined with a fascination for the ornate, somehow mystical vials adorning the vanities of all the women in my life, this sparked early consumer interest in perfumes.

I studied film and philosophy in school, while working for a slew of natural beauty brands with whom I would go on to do brand and product education for in New York, and eventually San Francisco. Being on the inside of the industry gave me broader perspective on the gaps between the natural and luxury spaces, which was even wider back then in the mid-2000s. Perfume is no exception. As a category, there’s a stark absence of truly long-wearing, complex, and sophisticated 100% natural scents.

About 12 years ago, I became obsessed with tinkering, tooling, and playing in the world of naturals—not because of the more recent trend toward “clean” and “nontoxic” formulations, but because of the rich traditions and stories each of these precious, living materials hold. There’s a softness, a supple romance that lives in each and every drop of absolute, CO2 extract, essential oil, tincture. Sigil exists to highlight the depth of character these materials can convey, the oneness of how they meld with our character and being. The brand is a bridge between the old world of perfumery and the contemporary—aligning with the social voice of our era.

As a queer-owned brand, it’s always been important to me to put inclusion and representation at the front and center (as well as in the background, behind the scenes) of what we do. This applies to the language we use, the formulary lens of our fragrances, and the talent we consult, hire, and engage with.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The business started officially in 2015. Back then, it was scrappier than today, with lots of stock packaging and really inefficient processes. Scaling up is a constant learning endeavor. There is no finish line to optimization and sustainable growth. Each challenge brings a new insight. Once you realize this cycle, it’s a lot easier to swallow obstacles of moderate risk, like bigger swing marketing moves, new products, outsourcing, hiring, or whatever else may be the case.

Please tell us about Sigil.
We think of Sigil as an “experiment in modern alchemy.” Again, it’s about the connection between the old world and traditions, with a wrapper and voice that appeals to our contemporaries. The aesthete meets the scent monger in what we create and bring to market. It’s that perfect synergy of quality and presentation that’s hard to find in the world of naturals. We want to offer a true fine fragrance experience with natural, long-wearing, complex, and gender-neutral formulations and stories.

Pricing:

• Perfumes are $120
• Flight of samples is $50 and includes a digital voucher for $50 off a future full-size purchase
• Individual 2.5ml samples are $15

Contact Info:

• Address: 409 W Olympic Blvd #409
• Website: sigilscent.com
• Phone: 3217475626
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @sigilscent
• Facebook: facebook.com/sigilscent
• Twitter: twitter.com/sigilscent

Image Credit:
John Von Pamer, Maria Troconis, Hubert Yang, Hannah Thornhill

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