Vancouver-based Chinese-Canadian entrepreneur Jenn Fong has launched Meridian Perfumery, an online fragrance shop that is the first of its kind in Canada to center perfumes from underrepresented perspectives. The platform targets 'fragrance enthusiasts and explorers' seeking scents beyond the traditional European perspective.
Broadening the fragrance narrative
Fong, who set out to find a new fragrance, felt the perfume perspective was being told through a very specific lens. 'The perfume conversation has often centred a narrow slice of voices. The European perspective sets a very particular story about who gets to make fine fragrance, and what fine fragrance should smell like,' she said. 'When that’s the only story that’s told, we often miss the vast majority of the history and the world’s relationship with scent.'
Meridian Perfumery aims to bridge the gap between those underrepresented fragrances and Canadians curious about the wider world of perfume or seeking scents with profiles more familiar to them. 'We are here to make it easier to find and fall in love with work that’s often underrepresented but deeply worthy,' Fong added.
Target customers and product range
The target customer includes fragrance enthusiasts and explorers — either someone looking for scents they haven’t experienced before or someone who has never connected with mainstream perfume. More specifically, Meridian targets customers interested in supporting niche fragrance brands, interested in unique or culturally resonant notes and stories, and likely skew towards openness to experience or having multicultural backgrounds.
Meridian currently offers about 30 fragrances across five brands, with plans to grow. The brands include Chasing Scents, Gabar, NodOff, Soulvent, and Scent Trunk. While two of these may have been available to Canadians through the U.S., Canadians can now enjoy a duty-free and more local experience from Fong's small business.
Pricing and sampling
Bottles range from $75 to $230, with sizes between 30 and 50 mL. Fong believes in developing a connection with a perfume, which requires time. To facilitate this, Meridian offers 2 mL sizes priced from $11 to $15, so customers can try a scent before committing to a full bottle. 'I am always reachable for questions or suggestions,' she said.
Where to learn more
More information is available on Instagram @meridianperfumery and online at meridianperfumery.com.
