The story behind our Hong Kong-inspired leather and oud home fragrance
We visit locations that have inspired our Soho Home collections, bringing their unique atmosphere to life with local members
By Megan Murray
‘This city is charming, distinctive and dynamic – it’s a place of high contrast,’ describes Soho House Hong Kong Founder member, Randy Lai.
Set among a warren of spice shops and markets, with views of an impressive skyline, our House in the neighbourhood of Sheung Wan indulges many of the senses. The space comes alive at night, which provided inspiration for our Leather & Oud home fragrance range.
Deeply aromatic, this scent features a base of rich sandalwood, and heady notes of oud and patchouli. Together, they create a warming evening mood – much like those at Soho House Hong Kong, which Lai can attest to.
For those who haven’t visited the House, Lai describes his perfect night there: ‘It begins with a cocktail and admiring the vertical density of the city as the sky turns golden and bleeds into night.’
A freelance writer, Lai has lived in Hong Kong since 2017, working with a mixture of fashion clients such as A Collected Man, which specialises in historic and independent watches. Just a few minutes’ walk from the House, he shares an apartment with his wife and showcases their widespread candle collection.
‘There’s something romantic about a candle’s power to take you somewhere else, and we particularly like scents that are based on places,’ he explains. ‘It’s like revisiting that location from home, which is what Soho Home has done with Leather & Oud.’
Watch the video above to be transported to Hong Kong and see the inspiration behind our Leather & Oud home fragrance.
