Ellis Brooklyn grew from an idea Bee Shapiro developed in Brooklyn in 2013, while pregnant and looking for sophisticated fragrances compatible with a cleaner beauty routine. Founded by the New York Times beauty columnist, the brand officially debuted in June 2015, taking its name from Shapiro’s daughter, Ellis, and the borough where the concept emerged. It was built around clean-ingredient standards and sustainable sourcing, with fragrances framed through stories of modern American destinations and experiences. Shapiro’s writing background informed a literary, narrative sensibility, reflected visually in the evolution of the logo from a planned lion to its literary-leopard symbol. The brand launched with four fragrances after about three years of development. By its tenth anniversary in 2025, Shapiro described a shift from initially subtle, muted perfumes to larger, more floral and juicier scents while retaining its clean and sustainability standards. Myth is a defining Ellis Brooklyn fragrance: Shapiro identified it as the brand’s best-selling scent and described it as an early skin scent and a counterpoint to the louder fragrances prevalent when it was created.
