our story

New York-born fragrance brand, source adage, finds inspiration – and a new home – among the vineyards and olive groves of coastal Tuscany. Guided by the slogan of “Born in New York. reMade in Italy”, the European reenvisioning of the brand incorporates the acclaimed eau de parfums and home fragrance collections that have established source adage as an extraordinary niche fragrance brand.

source adage fragrances launched in historic Hudson, New York in 2015. Founded by the creative duo of Christopher Draghi and Robert Dobay, they launched their fragrance collections in a carefully curated boutique on the rivertown's vibrant Warren Street. The distinctive dark facade immediately conveyed the brand's signature style from the very beginning. Since the launch of source adage, the enthusiasm of Christopher and Robert for fragrances and their hands-on approach in product development has only intensified. Refined, gender-inclusive fine fragrances further established source adage as a brand truly devoted to fragrance enthusiasts.

In 2022, Christopher and Robert decided to take adage to Europe, renovating a house and studio in Tuscany (above). The new location, a quiet seaside village overlooking the Mediterranean, is the home to their new “adage studio olfattivo” where the journey to create exceptionally unique fragrances, and even host workshops, continues. New inspirations and a new view nurtures their curiosity to create new fragrances, never straying, though, from their initial love and dedication to the exceptional.

“Honestly, I can’t imagine not creating our own fragrances. We revel in that! It’s the most fun, albeit challenging, part of the development process…and I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Christopher Draghi

facets

The making of adage fragrances
There are many ways to create a fragrance. Our method adopts a classic approach of building individual accords that each reveal a part of the fragrance’s personality in facets. When harmonized, they create a beautifully complex story. A story that is meant to intrigue and evolve over time on the skin and engage emotionally.

Our approach in creating scent accords unites the intentional with the instinctual, always returning to what we consider the signature facets of our fragrances: TEXTURE, MOVEMENT and RESONANCE.

Resonance

Enveloping, moving, emotional, evocative
The “it” factor for a scent. It’s the intangible reverberation that is felt under the skin. The emotional connection whose hold is undeniable. This is where the art and technique of perfumery meet and transcend from the ordinary to the extraordinary. It’s not about any one ingredient but the harmony of facets as they interplay.

Movement

Strident, atmospheric, electric, profound
The vitality of our fragrances. Our fragrances are not linear. They are designed to have peaks and valleys and evolve on the skin. The olfactory journey is the “swoon” factor. Zesty citrus rind, cool aromatics, exotic spice, ozonic molecules cut through flat notes to create lift.

Soft, milky, gritty, powdery, resinous
Our fragrances have layers that are tactile. We design accords to overlap and interact to create depth to complement the skin. Powdery root extracts, waxy florals, plush suede notes or metallic aldehydes all provide varying textures.

Texture