In Indie Perfume Brand Spotlight, we question different brands to find out more about their brand and the people behind it. This time we chat with Liam Eriksson, co-founder of Guy Fox.
About You
Tell us who you are?
I’m Liam Eriksson, Co-Founder & CEO of GUY FOX – a San Diego based men’s fragrance brand whose mission is to change the world of fragrance, for the better.
How did you get into the perfume industry?
Back in 2014, I ran out of cologne and naturally went to the Macy’s fragrance counter. I remember that the whole process was not the most ideal experience. Dozens of colognes being sprayed, a pushy salesperson, and me not being educated properly, all while walking out of there with a $120+ bottle of fragrance.
I knew there had to be a better way for guys like me to experience fragrance and in 2018, we started GUY FOX.
What was the first perfume you ever purchased?
Oooh this is a hard one. I think the first one I was ever bought/gifted was Calvin Klein Euphoria back in high school. The one I was super excited about when I actually had money was Gucci Guilty and then my first “indie” was Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant.
What is your favourite meal?
Man, another hard question – let’s go…Korean BBQ short ribs 🙂
Where is your favourite place?
I’m half Filipino so naturally the Philippines has a special place in my heart. El Nido specifically. Hawai’i is also one of my favorite places in the world so I guess I’m just an #IslandBoi
Do you have an interesting party trick or any hidden talents?
I’m weirdly good at beer pong due to a lot of practice in high school / college ?
Who would play you in a film of your life?
Probably a younger Taylor Lautner ?
About your Brand
Describe your brand in one sentence.
The most relatable men’s fragrance brand in the world.
Where does the name of your brand come from?
Grant, my co-founder, and I were talking about names because we were initially going to be called “Eriksson Pearce” which is our last names. It sounded like a law firm and hard to spell, so we were always riffing on different names that would stick.
I did a walking tour in England and learned about Guy Fawkes. Grant suggested “Fox and Fog” and I remembered the story of Guy Fawkes. I said, “Well why not GUY FOX?” The domain and instagram were available so I bought that maybe 10 minutes after having that convo and the rest is history.
Who are your perfumes for?
Guys who want to smell incredible every day – regardless of the season, occasion, or time of day. Our fragrances are so versatile and easy to wear, all while being the highest quality imaginable.
Tell us about your latest perfume.
Nightcap was our first release in our new luxury line called Founder’s Reserve. This collection is for us to really push the boundaries of our creativity and fragrances that we want to see in the indie landscape. All of the bottles use the most luxurious handmade, hand stitched, and hand numbered leather wrap. The scent itself is absolutely incredible and the best thing we’ve ever made.
If someone wanted to try your fragrances, which one would you recommend they try first and why?
Our claim to fame is our Starter Kit. You get 7 samples of our best sellers and a redemption code to use for a full size bottle. So you get to try those 7 at home, find which one you like and get the most compliments on, and then ultimately redeem your favorite 50ml bottle.
If you had to “blind buy” a fragrance I’d likely choose Tyler. It’s light, fairly unisex, and has such a cool beachy vibe to it that is never overwhelming.
What challenges do you want to overcome for your brand?
We want to scale our wholesale channel even more. We’re in 225+ stores nationwide but there are so many major retailers we think we’d be a perfect fit for. Talking to the right POCs and having the right relationships are paramount, but a process that takes quite a bit of time (and luck).
What is unique about your brand?
As lame as it sounds, we’re just super real. We just want dudes like us to love the world of fragrance as much as we do. There isn’t a millennial men’s fragrance brand that really resonates with our generation and we are hyper positioned to be that brand for all things related to smell…cologne, candles, car scents, etc.
We’re so grateful for what we’ve experienced in 5+ years and so stoked for the journey ahead. ?
Find out more about Guy Fox on their website.
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