Fragrance has a special way of bringing back memories, setting a mood, and capturing a feeling. But for Gabar, it’s about something even bigger. Mindfulness, personal growth, and the idea that real change starts from within are the ethos of this luxury brand. With strong roots in Myanmar and a base in London, Gabar mixes its Buddhist heritage with a fresh, global perspective, creating scents that go well beyond the ordinary. SAVOIR had the pleasure of chatting with the CEO and Creative Director of Gabar Phway Su Aye, who shared an inside look at the brand and the current state of fragrance. Ahead, learn more about how Gabar is scenting the future in a whole new way.
“I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur from a young age,” Aye explains. She was always experimenting with fashion and beauty, creating different things, but it wasn’t until she studied perfumery in New York that she realized scent was the perfect way to tell stories. That’s when the idea for Gabar came to life. But before bringing it to fruition, Aye needed to make one thing clear. “I knew then that whatever I created, it wouldn’t feel natural unless it linked back to my own upbringing and heritage in some way,” she says. “The Myanmar story and my growing up in both Southeast Asia and New Zealand was pivotal to the Gabar brand.”
At the core of Gabar is Aye’s deep connection to her roots, and the brand’s spirit of activism and change-making. With a fighter’s mentality, Gabar is all about breaking the mold—whether it’s through its approach to fragrance, embracing new tech, or rethinking the customer experience with kindness at the heart of it. Aye sees the brand as more than just a business; it’s a chance to challenge the status quo. “In the consumer industry especially, there’s a lot of pressure on all sides to grow quickly and always be reaching for the next stages,” she says.
“We definitely want our impact to be global and for the Gabar brand to be cherished in different parts of the world, but at the same time, I genuinely think there are more effective and authentic ways of building that take a bit of a more nuanced approach. I think it’s important, especially in the name of sustainability, to be thoughtful about a business’s path, and not do/create things just for the sake of growth.”
CEO- Phway Su Aye
This mindful approach is reflected in how Gabar creates its fragrances. “Developing a new fragrance is like a long dance for us at Gabar–we specifically like to seek out perfumers with fresh perspectives, often emerging or having come from outside of the industry,” Aye says. “We take a really rigorous approach to the creative process, meaning we love to be very involved and really pull our creative partners along for the ride.” The process begins with a broad vision of what the fragrance should feel like, with mood boards and stories helping capture its essence. From there, Aye says it’s about narrowing down to the specific notes they want to highlight. After this, a perfumer steps in to refine and adjust the composition as needed, with the entire process taking anywhere from six months to over a year. And when it’s done? Aye puts it perfectly: “We absolutely love that intuitive feeling you get of, ‘Ah, that’s complete!’ It’s often unknowable until you’re there!”
As the fragrance industry experiences a major shift, with niche and independent brands disrupting the market like never before, Gabar is aiming for more than just short-term success—it’s looking to establish a lasting presence. “There have been so many more new perspectives in fragrance– whether cultural perspectives or just fresh, new takes on scent in general,” Aye notes. “We certainly hope these trends continue, however, we get excited, too, for when the buzz slows and the industry goes into a more steady state, with brands and communities that are there for the long run.” For Gabar, that means continuing to redefine scent, highlighting shifts in fragrance culture, and continuing to introduce fresh, innovative ideas to the industry.
There’s no doubt that Gabar is a brand with a strong sense of identity, purpose, and heart. It’s not just about smelling good—it’s about feeling connected, inspired, and present. And, with Phway Su Aye at the helm, Gabar is poised to leave a lasting impact on the fragrance industry and beyond. “We want to remain being a heritage-led, yet forward-thinking brand, a blend of the old AND the new, and get excited to see how our brand also matures over time,” she says.
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