Ourside: A Bronx-Born Luxury Fragrance Brand Redefining Modern Perfume
Ourside is a Black-owned, independent luxury fragrance brand based in the Bronx, New York, created to offer a more inclusive and personal approach to modern perfumery. Founded by Keta Burke-Williams, Ourside draws inspiration from identity, memory, community, and the transformative power of scent. The brand challenges traditional ideas of luxury fragrance by creating perfumes designed to help people feel seen, represented, and connected to themselves.
The Story Behind Ourside
Ourside was inspired by Keta Burke-Williams's personal experience growing up as the daughter of a Jamaican immigrant and often feeling like an “outsider.” Fragrance became a form of escape and self-expression, offering a way to explore identity and create a deeper connection with herself.
That personal relationship with scent eventually became the foundation for Ourside. The brand was created to transform fragrance from something exclusive or intimidating into an experience that feels personal, welcoming, and community-driven.
A New Perspective on Luxury Fragrance
At the heart of Ourside is a mission to rewrite the traditional narrative surrounding luxury perfume. Rather than defining luxury through exclusivity, the brand focuses on individuality, storytelling, and belonging.
Each fragrance is designed to evoke a feeling, memory, or daydream, allowing the wearer to interpret the scent through their own experiences. Ourside's unisex fragrances are created to be expressive and personal rather than confined to traditional gender categories.
Small-Batch Fragrance Made in the Bronx
Ourside fragrances are consciously formulated and crafted in small batches in the Bronx, New York. The brand emphasizes high concentrations of natural ingredients along with vegan and cruelty-free formulation standards.
This small-batch approach allows Ourside to maintain a thoughtful connection between the creative vision behind each fragrance and the finished product. Its Bronx roots are also an important part of the brand's identity, giving the collection a distinct connection to New York City and its diverse culture.
Fragrance Inspired by Memory and Imagination
Ourside's fragrance collection currently features three signature unisex eau de parfums: Nostalgia, Moon Dust, and Of Our Own. Each scent offers a different olfactory experience while reflecting the brand's emphasis on memories, imagination, and personal storytelling.
Nostalgia is a creamy white floral and woody fragrance that combines notes of mint, grapefruit, jasmine, ylang-ylang, vanilla, and patchouli. The combination creates a layered scent profile that balances fresh, floral, creamy, and earthy elements.
Moon Dust offers a fresh, citrusy, and earthy fragrance profile, creating a lighter and more atmospheric interpretation of the Ourside aesthetic.
Of Our Own takes a richer direction with a woody and smoky character complemented by sweet berry notes. Its deeper profile creates a more sensual and expressive fragrance experience.
Inclusive Beauty Through Scent
Ourside's approach to fragrance is rooted in the belief that perfume can be a powerful form of self-expression. By creating unisex fragrances and focusing on individual interpretation rather than traditional fragrance categories, the brand encourages wearers to choose scents based on how they feel rather than how they are expected to smell.
This philosophy makes Ourside especially relevant to today's fragrance consumer, who increasingly values individuality, inclusivity, ingredient transparency, and authentic brand storytelling.
Recognition in the Beauty Industry
Ourside has quickly gained recognition within the fragrance and clean beauty industry, including receiving a Cosmopolitan award for best new fragrance. The brand has also expanded its retail presence through Credo Beauty, further establishing Ourside as an emerging name in conscious luxury fragrance.
Why Choose Ourside?
Ourside stands out by combining small-batch craftsmanship, natural ingredients, inclusive fragrance design, and deeply personal storytelling. Its Bronx roots and Black-owned identity bring a distinctive perspective to the luxury fragrance category, while its unisex collection gives consumers the freedom to experience perfume on their own terms.
For anyone searching for luxury clean fragrance, Black-owned perfume brands, unisex fragrances, natural perfume, vegan fragrance, cruelty-free perfume, and independent fragrance houses, Ourside offers a modern and meaningful approach to scent.
Discover Ourside
Ourside is more than a fragrance brand; it is an invitation to explore identity, memory, imagination, and belonging through scent. Founded from a deeply personal connection to fragrance, the brand has transformed the feeling of being an outsider into a celebration of individuality and community. With its small-batch Bronx craftsmanship and expressive unisex fragrances, Ourside offers a fresh perspective on what modern luxury perfume can be.