Fragrance house

D. Grayi

D. Grayi’s earliest documented fragrances date to 2022, and its perfumes are created by James Nguyen, also known as Miju. After more than 15 years working in hair color, Nguyen studied cosmetic chemistry and experimented with natural ingredients before pursuing perfumery. The brand’s direction was shaped by a vivid dream involving a deceased loved one and an unusually detailed fragrance; Nguyen documented the scent and set out to recreate it. Its olfactive work is shaped by diasporic memories and a Vietnamese-American experience that translates memory into scent. An AAPI Heritage discovery set presents Nguyen’s experience as an Asian American growing up in California through scent stories ranging from simple to abstract. In 2023, Alter Oud was an Artisan Category finalist at the Institute for Art and Olfaction Awards. Honey Bunny received Perfume of the Year at the Pineapple Fragrance Festival, while Low Carb Cat received Best Avant-Garde. Jasmine Rice centers on the memory of freshly cooked jasmine rice and brewed black tea. The current storefront presents D. Grayi alongside KST Scent under the lv1 studio umbrella, with the brand framed around artistic and olfactive work.