Nicky's Voice
Q: Alix, how did NV get started?
Alix: It all started with my brother Nicky. He couldn’t walk or talk, but he experienced the world in this deeply sensory way—especially through scent. So, we traveled. We collected natural materials and captured the smells of different places using drones and gas chromatography (which, full disclosure, I still can’t pronounce correctly). We’d bring it all back to him, turning these adventures into virtual, scented experiences. That was the beginning.
Q: That’s beautiful—and now it’s a luxury brand. How did you go from scent memories to vessels and home goods?
Alix: Enter my sister. She’s the genius in the family—studied architecture, design, and chemistry. She basically built the lab, the fragrance house, and engineered the now award-winning slanted vessels that people think I made. I’m the ideas guy with a passport and a lot of enthusiasm; she’s the one who actually knows what she’s doing. Together, we turned those scent experiences into sculptural vessels and elevated home goods that carry real soul.
Q: So what sets NV apart today?
Alix: Everything we do is intentional. We collect rare soils, relics, minerals, and materials from around the world. We craft by hand. Our scents are molecular stories, and our vessels are art. It’s not just about candles—it’s about capturing a place, a feeling, a memory—and designing something meaningful to hold it. Plus, if we’re being honest, it’s all just a really elaborate excuse to keep traveling and bothering my sister ha-ha
Q: What inspires the scents and the materials you choose?
Alix: Everything starts with place. We’ve collected crushed stones from the cliffs of Positano, volcanic sand from Maui, pigments from Morocco, and even driftwood off the California coast. We’re building vessels that are literally made of the world—and then pairing them with scents that capture its soul. It’s part art, part science, and part me chasing sunsets with a backpack full of dirt samples.
Q: How do you see NV evolving in the future?
Alix: I want NV to feel like a passport to beauty, memory, and design—something that lives in your home but connects you to the world. We’re expanding beyond candles into home objects, fragrance oils, maybe even furniture one day if my sister can handle another 3AM call from me with a "brilliant idea." Honestly, the dream is to keep creating things that feel alive, meaningful, and just a little bit off-center—like the vessels themselves.