Brand of the week: 19‑69, unisex fragrances filled with freedom and nostalgia

Hello from Ida at Mon Bistro & Friends! Every week I dive into one of our brands to tell you more about the products, the people behind them and the feeling they give. This time it's about 19-69, a fragrance house that is as much an art project as a perfume brand.

A brand born from freedom and culture

The Swedish couple Johan and Catharina Bergelin started in 1969 after a two-year creative journey with artisans in Scandinavia, France and Italy. Johan is a painter, photographer, musician and product developer. He wants his fragrances to reflect the year 1969, which symbolizes freedom, tolerance and counterculture. The name is his way of putting his heart on the table and showing who he is. The couple started the company at the kitchen table and launched their first five fragrances in 2017 at the iconic Colette department store in Paris.

19-69 is based on stories from different eras and places. Art, music, trends and cultures characterize each perfume. They do not make men's or women's fragrances; everything is unisex because fragrance should be free of gender. Quality and craftsmanship are central; the bottles are handmade in Italy and small variations are seen as part of the character of the products.

Philosophy and inspiration

When talking to Johan Bergelin, it is emphasized that fragrances are more than luxury; they are cultural and historical commentary. He explains that 19‑69 draws inspiration from iconic moments and places and that each perfume comes with a fragrance journey, a story that takes the wearer on a journey. This is noticeable in scents that Rainbow Bar inspired by the glam rock Los Angeles of the eighties, Kasbah which draws on memories of Jimi Hendrix and bohemian Marrakech, and Female Christwho interpret a performance at the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and challenge gender roles. They also launch collaborations; for example Higher Peace, which they developed together with Camp High, with inspiration from the legendary Merry Pranksters.

Our favorites from 19‑69 at Mon Bistro

Mon Bistro carries several of 19-69's narrative scents. Here are three favorites in different sizes, perfect as a gift for yourself or someone you love.

La Habana Eau de Parfum: rhythm and smoky warmth

Havana⁠ is inspired by the golden music scene in Cuba between the 1930s and 1950s. Johan based the scent on his uncle’s stories of pre-revolutionary Havana with showgirls, casinos, music and the scent of saffron wafting out the kitchen window. The result is an aromatic, smoky and seductive perfume. It opens with aldehydes and saffron that give a spicy character, the heart contains elemi and incense and the base offers vanilla, caramel, ambroxan, oud and amber. The scent brings to mind late nights and live music where spices and smoke meet a rich and inviting base.

American Psycho Eau de Parfum: cool and sophisticated

American Psycho⁠ is a modern, elegant interpretation of 1980s New York and Wall Street. It feels clean and self-aware with a darker depth beneath the surface, like a perfectly tailored suit. The perfume opens with bergamot, clary sage and aquatic notes, gets a flourishing depth of jasmine, carnation, pine and lily of the valley and is rounded off with sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, guaiac wood and amber. It is a cool, sophisticated and confident scent for those who appreciate minimalist luxury but want a warm, woody base.

Chinese Tobacco Eau de Parfum: spicy and woody

Chinese Tobacco⁠ is a warm and spicy fragrance with an elegant woody character. The inspiration comes from shared evenings where food aromas, smoke and conversation meet and where different cultures intertwine. It opens with bergamot, tobacco leaf, red pepper and lemon, gets a heart of ginger and coriander and ends with incense, cedar, vanilla, tar, oud and vetiver. It is a unisex fragrance that feels both sophisticated and courageous and is suitable for autumn and winter evenings when you want to surround yourself with warmth and mystery.

What makes 19-69 special?

• Cultural stories: Each scent is linked to a real event or place, from rock history to Villa Nellcôteto dance clubs in Havana. The scent Havana is based, for example, on a sailor's memories of a Cuba filled with music, rum and cigars.
• Craftsmanship and quality: The fragrances are produced in small batches and the bottles are manufactured and screen-printed in Italy. Small variations in the glass are seen as part of the charm.
• Gender-neutral perfumes: Johan Bergelin believes that fragrance should not be divided into masculine or feminine categories. The important thing is that it works with your skin and that you love it.
• Collaborations and experiments: New scents like Higher Peace developed together with creative partners and draws inspiration from countercultures and the ideals of the sixties.

Summation

19-69 is more than perfume; it is art, history and passion in a bottle. Whether you are drawn to spicy Havana, swallow American Psycho or rich Chinese Tobacco 19‑69 offers a journey through time and space. Visit our store in Kista or shop online and find your own favorite scent. At Mon Bistro & Friends, we are proud to share these stories with you.

Warm fragrance greetings,
Ida