House of Gozdawa

WORDS Tracy Greenwood

Armed with a master’s degree in contextual design from Design Academy Eindhoven, Cape Town-born designer Agata Karolina returned home to South Africa determined to follow her passion for perfumery and natural scents.

The result is House of Gozdawa – pronounced goz-da-va – a small batch perfumery that produces unisex extraits de parfum (which means they last longer than any other blend). Each fragrance is fashioned around a significant figure in Agata’s life. “The collection is a personal confession, an honest expression of who I am,” she says.

Agata sources 90 % of the ingredients for her fragrances from farms and suppliers in Africa that adhere to sustainable and responsible practices, and her products are made using only essential oils and carriers.

“All our products are produced in small batches and bottled by hand with each vintage specified,” says Agata. “Each scent is created with deep love, commitment and intrigue to the story and the natural essences.”

Buy House of Gozdawa perfumes online, or at Maison Mara and AKJP Collective in Cape Town and We Are Ants in Johannesburg.