Jan Ahlgren, founder, was born in Sweden to an American mother and a Swedish father. Over a decade ago, he left his hometown to move to Paris and began a nomadic period, traveling throughout Europe and working in the fashion industry. Three years ago, Jan relocated to New York, where he fell in love with the city and a girl, now his wife and Vilhelm partner. While seeking out the immense talents of Jerome Spruce, a master perfumer. Jan was inspired by the old practice of glove makers of imbuing leather with scent, and enlisted Jerome to craft such a scent. After this propitious first collaboration, Jan could not think of anything else. He was captivated by the power of scent to elicit, capture and convey emotion. Marrying his love of design with his ever-growing passion for scent, Vilhelm Perfumery was born.