Our founder’s story: Nathaniel Settineri

Nathaniel approaches the art of perfumery as an emotional journey. A travel scrapbook, full of impressions, snapshots, and glimpses of other worlds. The majestic landscapes that lodge in your memory. The unfamiliar scents that get under your skin. The sensory thrill of diving into the unknown. “Travel is my greatest inspiration. On the road, I am intensely present in the moment, acutely aware of all my senses,” says Nathaniel, who has already travelled far and wide, although he is still in his twenties. “Exploring the unfamiliar is how I make sense of the world, but also how I connect with my truest self.”

Inque was created to capture this sense of discovery and curiosity in scent. Transforming the ambiguity and impermanence of far-flung encounters into wearable emotions that stay with us. The notion that scent can connect the threads of our past and present, but also shape our future memories is something of an obsession for Nathaniel. “Of course, our sense of smell is deeply connected with our actual memories. But I believe fragrance can also transport us to places we long to visit but have not experienced yet – a manifestation of our dreams and the life we imagine for ourselves.

Beyond the emotional and metaphysical aspects of scent, Nathaniel is drawn to the healing energy of the natural world. A quest for the purest raw materials and respect for the Earth are the foundation of each artisan fragrance. “All the perfumers we work with share our holistic ethos,” says Nathaniel. “We do everything slowly, with purpose and integrity. I believe that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication and natural imperfection is something to be celebrated.”