SIX in Wonderland: Scent by SIX to debut brand in NYC as it seeks to break into the US

Showfields features a revolving door of brand pop-ups – mostly lesser-known direct-to-consumer brands – and proclaims itself to be the “most interesting store in the world”​.

Speaking exclusively to CosmeticsDesign-Asia​, Scent by SIX founder Jason Lee expressed his excitement about the three-month long pop-up.

“I’ve personally been to Showfields earlier this year with the Singapore Retailers Association. When I was there, I felt like I was Alice in Wonderland. The kind of effort the spend on the details, the way they curate the brands – and what was most impressive was the store ambassadors and the knowledge they have about each product and each company.” ​

The former Givaudan executive told us that after this visit, he was determined to secure a pop-up in Showfields. As fate would have it, the brand was invited by Enterprise Singapore to showcase the brand with a handful fellow local brands.

“I was prepared to spend that money and invest in a pop-up at Showfields. Then, an email from Enterprise Singapore came in. It was really a no-brainer.”​

The upcoming pop-up will mark the brand’s first venture into the international market, a rite of passage the company has been gearing up for.

“For every Singaporean brand, I think the main focus would be to go overseas – we just have to. At the end of the day we have to explore opportunities to export overseas.”​

According to Lee, the US is an optimal market to start building its international presence.

“The US has always been on my sights because of the market potential. Language is also another big plus point. These are just some factors that encourage us to consider it one of the most ideal places to start this journey overseas.”​

However, he also acknowledged that breaking into the US would not be a cake walk.

“My sense is that if you are able to survive New York City, if you are able to do decently, it would be a good testament [to the brand] and a confidence booster for us to continue this journey to other parts of the world.​

The company is not rushing to expand overseas too quickly, as it is mindful of the manpower it would take to do so.

“Right now, it’s about 25 of us, quite lean but we are looking to hire. But it’s not easy to go through the hiring process. When we do go overseas, there will be another slew of issues to manage. We want to be mindful about the capability and the bandwidth of our colleagues, and not stress all of them,” ​said Lee.

While the company does not need another reason to make its foray internationally, Lee also hopes that global attention could potentially spotlight the issues the firm has been advocating through its products, such as mental health.

“Currently, we are very big on co-creating fragrances with the less fortunate and marginalised people of society. My wish for this journey, no matter how long or short, my hope is that we can also bring the spirits, efforts, and hopes of these people overseas.”​