I visited Maison 21G in Singapore for a special occasion expecting something closer to Molton Brown or Rituals in terms of fragrance quality. The workshop itself is well-executed engaging and enjoyable with branding and perfume fun fact gimmicks that leans into a ‘Parisian’ identity despite the brand being based in Singapore (low key sneaky but not as sneaky as TWG/Bacha’s branding). There wasn’t anything distinctly Parisian about the fragrances themselves beyond the store’s aesthetic and that it says Paris under their brand, which felt more like an interpretation of what a “Parisian” perfume boutique might look like, rather than something authentically rooted in that tradition. In short, the fragrances themselves were a letdown even for non perfume enthusiasts I would assume; especially with the huge in flow of big brand perfume stores opening in Singapore recently.
SCENT
Regardless of ingredients or price, many scents shared a similar musky, slightly synthetic drydown, suggesting a common base that limits uniqueness. The quality falls below entry-level niche brands like Essential Parfums or Bon Parfumeur, and instead rather it hovers around designer perfume quality that would be half the price normally.
FINAL THOUGHTS
That said, Maison 21G excels as an experience. While the final scents align more with the quality and that similar musk drydown prevalent in cheaper mainstream designer brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Hugo Boss, Nautica, Versace etc the workshop itself makes it worth trying just with adjusted expectations. Especially if you’re someone who knows nothing about perfumes BUT know what you like (smell of citrus, roses etc maybe? Basic descriptions) and don’t wish to do some research what perfumes you would potentially like from existing designer/niche fragrance brands, I guess this would be a good place for you then? Cheers
by Available_Goat_5379