Ben Gorham founded the fragrance company Byredo in Stockholm in 2006.
Gorham established Byredo after becoming interested in scent and memory, despite having no traditional training as a perfumer. The company’s name is derived from “By Redolence,” and its early identity combined minimalist Scandinavian design with unusual, story-driven fragrance concepts.
Byredo worked with professional perfumers to turn Gorham’s ideas into compositions. Early and influential releases included Rose Noir, Gypsy Water, and Bal d’Afrique. The brand later expanded beyond perfume into candles, body products, makeup, and other luxury goods.
Byredo is sometimes grouped with Le Labo or Diptyque because all three became prominent in modern niche fragrance culture. They are separate companies with different founders and histories. Le Labo was founded in New York in 2006, while Byredo originated in Stockholm under Gorham.