- Sarah Horowitz The Brand Owner and Perfumer:
Company:Sarah Horowitz Parfums
Web:sarahhorowitz.com
Sarah Horowitz-Thran, an American perfumer, first ignited her passion for perfumery as a college student in Boston. While studying theater at Emerson College, she took a part-time role at Essence, an eclectic apothecary-style perfumery on Newbury Street, where she crafted custom scents for clients. Recognizing her innate talent for fragrance composition, she later opened her own boutique in Boston before relocating to Los Angeles.
With over three decades of industry experience, Sarah Horowitz-Thran is hailed as a pioneer of indie perfumery. Her fragrances have amassed a devoted following, including celebrities, stylists, and media figures, and have been featured in renowned retailers like Barneys New York, Anthropologie, Fred Segal, and Nordstrom. Notable creations includeBy / Rosie Jane Leila Lou,Skylar Fall Cashmere,Skylar Coconut Cove, andSkylar Pink Canyon.
She has collaborated with numerous brands, such as Bellegance Perfumes, Biography Scents of Self, By / Rosie Jane, GoodTrueBeautiful, Lily Lambert, Max Azria, Saffron James, Sarah Horowitz Parfums, Skylar, UNTITLED, and Urban Decay.
As a freshman at Emerson College, Sarah began designing custom fragrances through a process she named "The Fragrance Journey"—a practice that remains the core of her business. These bespoke perfumes now command prices exceeding $1,000. After apprenticing at Essence for nearly four years, she acquired the store with family support, refining her craft and establishing her reputation as an innovative "nose." In 1994, she divested her stake and moved to Los Angeles, founding Creative Scentualization, which later evolved into Sarah Horowitz Parfums.
Sarah’s intuitive, non-formulaic approach to fragrance development has made her a coveted perfumer for individuals and niche, emerging brands. She creates distinctive, statement-making perfumes and home fragrances, with customization at the forefront. By distilling clients’ personalities and preferences into each bottle, she has built a loyal clientele among discerning women across professions.
Today, Sarah Horowitz Parfums stands as a California-based niche fragrance house, offering her own lines—SHP Evolution,the Perfect Perfumes,What Comes From Within, andthe Perfumer's Palette. She has also developed numerous private-label and custom scents that have gained cult status among fashion insiders and celebrities nationwide. In 2017, SHP launched a small-batch, high-end filling and manufacturing arm, catering to the growing indie fragrance community she helped foster.
Beyond her business and creative work, Sarah serves as a professor at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) in downtown Los Angeles. She balances her time between her love for fragrance, teaching, and her family—husband Greg Thran and daughters Jessica and Gianna.
