Fragrance house

Clandestine Laboratories

Clandestine Laboratories began in January 2010 as Mark Sage’s accidental obsession with fragrance. Based in New York City, it is an artisanal fragrance house whose perfumes are mixed by hand and produced in small batches, with Sage serving as its perfumer. Self-taught through raw materials, technical information, and fragrance writing, Sage conceived the project as an anti-commercial auteur venture that was initially intended to remain anonymous, cultivating an underground, word-of-mouth identity. Its creative aims include originality, wearability, natural-smelling compositions, and lasting performance, without committing exclusively to natural-only or clean-fragrance positioning. In November 2024, Sage left his long-term work as a photographic printer and retoucher to devote himself to Clandestine Laboratories full time. ASSAM provides a documented fragrance landmark: the original 16-bottle limited batch sold out, while later material shortages led to plans for a successor, Son of ASSAM.