Mind Games

Mind Games is an American niche house founded in New York in 2022 by Alex and Mariana Shalbaf, built on an unlikely pairing of chess and haute perfumery. The label borrows the strategy, precision, and elegance of the game and translates it into fragrance, with each creation inspired by a move on an imaginary board. Its debut collection of ten scents, framed as aromatic movements, captures the tension between calculation and instinct, control and emotion. The work draws on a broad set of perfumers, among them Annick Menardo, David Apel, and Christelle Laprade.

The line runs warm and modern, anchored in woods with a soft sweetness, a touch of fruit, and a powdery finish. Bergamot, mandarin, and grapefruit give the openings a bright, juicy lift, while cherry adds a rounded, slightly playful depth. Start with French Defense or Queening, then try Check Please and Opera Mate to follow the house's game of strategy and emotion across the board.