Choosing to listen to your gut is often one of the best decisions you can make. For Kristiana Sripetchvandee, it meant leaving aside her degree in accounting and finance, and moving from the UK back to her native Thailand to discover where her professional passions truly lay.
It was during this interim that Kristiana's luxury, niche fragrance line SRI London was born, drawing on her inspirations and insights from the Far and Middle East and finding harmony in the middle ground between the contrasting scents and cultures of each location.
As her quintet of olfactory opulence is unveiled at Harrods, Kristiana regaled to us the story behind her fragrance brand – and what became a true labour of love.
How has your background and upbringing informed your perfumery?
I’m from Thailand where fragrance isn’t worn daily, nor is it a part of the culture or traditions – but I am noticing an increasing appetite.
Personally, I wasn’t into perfume until I spent some time in Dubai. It’s so embedded into that culture that it proved impossible to ignore. In Arabic households, you’ll often find a tray of perfumes to welcome guests, and it’s equally as commonplace for children to have oud essential oils applied to the tips of their noses to introduce them to the potency.
SRI London is my answer to a generational shift that’s happening now; people from the Middle East are looking for something that’s a bit lighter, but that still allows them to hold onto their traditions. Thai people are increasingly looking to introduce heavier scents into their repertoire. I wanted to create something that showed the perfect balance of both; I brought them together so we would satisfy this changing appetite. SRI London is creating something for everyone, regardless of where they’re from. 
We’re curious, what does that ‘SRI’ stand for?
SRI is of Sanskrit origin, and means diffusing light, radiance and beauty. It also just so happens to be the first three letters of my last name – Sripetchvandee.
That’s a happy coincidence! What about the names of the fragrances themselves? Is there a reason behind the gemstone nods?
All of the fragrances draw inspiration from people that I know, and the colours that the gemstones represent are associated with each particular character – Amethyst, Emerald, Sapphire, Scarlet and Magenta. I don’t agree with having a ‘go-to’ scent as, to me, they all serve different purposes and are all unisex.
Magenta is one of my favourites with notes of midnight rose and musk; the magenta person is totally captivating and utterly mysterious. Amethyst is the stark contrast to magenta – oud and saffron – and a what-you-see-is-what-you-get scent, much like its corresponding character. Emerald is oud and orchid; it boasts the punchiness of the oud, as well as the powdery element of the orchid to make a nice balance. Scarlet is my mother in a bottle, with notes of amber and jasmine for anyone who loves the finer things in life. And sapphire… Well, sapphire is the scent of my dream man! Leather oud.
Sound familiar? Shop your personality in SRI London here:
