Yasmin Sewell For Byrdie Magazine
Your perfume isn’t just how you smell—it’s how you feel when you get dressed in the morning, for a night out, for a boardroom meeting. It's just as much of an accessory to how you present yourself to the world as your clothing (and let's not forget its close ties to memory and emotion). With that in mind, we’ve launched Fragrance Wardrobe, a scent series that highlights the rotating perfume “wardrobes” of our favorite tastemakers through key points in their life. Get to know them better via the scents they choose to wear.
If you follow fashion, you're probably familiar with Yasmin Sewell, an ever-present street style and industry figure. She is recognized for effortlessly chic looks—which often include unexpected layering and playing with proportion. Sewell also boasts a resume that includes everything from buying at Browns to, most recently, serving as the VP of Creative at Farfetch (along with a host of other high-style gigs).
However, Sewell is pivoting from sourcing boxy blazers and chunky knits for the masses to creating something special in the beauty world: Vibrational scents that offer beautiful form and meaningful function. Vyrao, derived from a Latin word, denotes a brand "built on vibes", and is rooted in the idea that fragrance plays a powerful role in wellbeing.
Still, this launch is far from a vanity project. Sewell started with five high-vibration scents meant to connect the olfactory with the emotional by stimulating moods such as sensuality and creativity. Sewell created these scents in close collaboration with perfumer Lyn Harris and quantum energist Louise Mita to help transform one's daily beauty routine. "The fragrances are designed as a playful mood booster, a way of integrating positive energy into everyday life," says Sewell. "You can use it as an energetic source, an object of desire, or both."
The fusion of wellbeing, beauty, and spirituality in Vyrao's scents feels fitting for the moment, and it's enough to make us want one more chic bottle in our collection. Ahead, Sewell shares her journey from high fashion to beauty wellness and how she reapplies scent throughout the day— even when alone.
How did you start your fragrance brand?
The vision came to me in 2019 when I wanted to pivot my career into what I love, which is wellbeing. The concept of channeling good energy into a healing scent came next. I went to two incredible women, our nose Lyn Harris who formulated all of the scents to evoke positive emotions, and an extraordinary energetic healer called Louise Mita. Together, we created what are the scents today. They were the first step.
How would you describe your fragrance style?
Earthy, rich, and deep, but then I'll switch to green, light, and effervescent. I go both ways. Luckily I have five scents to choose from, so I'm covered for any mood.
What was the first fragrance you ever bought?
Calvin Klein Escape.
Do you still wear fragrances even when you don't leave the house?
Not only do I do that, but I often reapply during the day in my house when I'm alone.
What is the fragrance that brings you comfort?
Georgette from Vyrao evokes feelings of self-love and is named after my grandmother, who raised me.
The fragrance you associate with your childhood?
My mum's Elizabeth Arden Red Door.
The fragrance you associate with falling in love?
The strongest memory is with Frederic Malle's Carnal Flower, which I wore religiously through a past relationship. However, I can't go back there now, just like I would not want to go back to that love.
The fragrance you associate with your favorite travel memory?
I created Free 00 to feel like a summer holiday in a bottle, and I swear it does.
Your "power suit" fragrance?
Your date night fragrance?
Witchy Woo! See, I have one for every mood.
Is there a fragrance you spritz on to bring back good memories?
I think I'm drawn more to foods and essential oils for that. For example, burning black onions takes me back to my family's Lebanese cooking. While growing up in Australia, eucalyptus oil was always around me as a kid in sweets, medicines, and oils.
The fragrance that boosts your mood?
I am Verdant, which is literally like an energetic boost.
The candle you're currently burning right now?
We're testing ours, and it's ready for release very soon.
The scent you'll associate with this time?
Witchy Woo from my collection is fitting.
Tell us about the new incense from Vyrao?
They are all very different and all so delicious. Verdant, our green incense, is just like it sounds and helps clear and transform your space. Witchy, based on our scent "Witchy Woo," is sweet, warm, and opulent. It evokes feelings of creativity and courage. Ember is our new scent that will clear away negative energies in your space with birch tar, cistus, and cade. Its smells like an open fire that will burn away what you no longer need.