Carabiner clip kilts, glittery and gloomy black-eyed models and a Hellmann’s mayonnaise collab: It’s been impossible to escape the name Chopova Lowena in the fashion world over the past few years. The English-Bulgarian duo, Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena-Irons, have created a universe that’s as punky as it is tender, conjuring a cult following of kilt-wearing girls and boys revelling in the brand’s rebellious charm. The latest edition to their empire: a fragrance line.
Enter: Queen Rosa, Hay Zhasminal and Great Root, Green Ruth. In line with its Bulgarian roots, the brand has created three scents using flowers and herbs native to the region. Building on a rose oil base, the fragrances embody the ambience of iconic shows in the brand’s multiverse. With a floral, woodsy and musky scent, Queen Rosa features notes of bergamot and pink pepper. On the warmer side, Hay Zhasminal has amber and woody notes, alongside jasmine, fennel, and ylang-ylang. Finally, Great Root, Green Ruth offers an outdoorsy scent with top notes of vetiver and Bulgarian geranium.
In true Chopova-girl spirit, the scents come packaged as playful figurines. Dressed in the brand’s signature aesthetic – fishnet tights, butterfly wings, and ribbon ballet pumps – each figurine even comes with a miniature pet companion as well as fully-formed personalities and character traits. “Great Root, Green Ruth” for example has the power to heal wounds, uses a lace whip as her weapon and explores the wilderness with her pet snail. Flirty and outgoing “Queen Rosa, Rosa Is Queen”, meanwhile, lives in a castle and carries bread and marshmallows in her snack pack.
“We always wanted something that you feel very connected to and like it’s your avatar or your character,” says Chopova about creating the fragrances and their personalities. “It was similar to creating clothing, because our collections are so character-based,” adds Lowena-Irons. Alongside the fragrances, the brand is also releasing matching candles housed in traditional Bulgarian ceramics made in Troyan, a small town in the foothills of the Balkan Mountains where Chopova is originally from.
Fresh off being named the 2024 recipient of the British Fashion Council's Foundation Award and the BFC/Vogue Fashion Fund, the cult brand has grown wings and expanded their creative endeavours. If the jostling carabiner skirts weren’t enough of a signal, get ready to catch the unmistakable scents of Chopova girls as they pass by.
The Chopova Lowena fragrances are sold exclusively at Dover Street Market Perfumes, Dover Street Market London, Dover Street Market New York and Dover Street Market Los Angeles.