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STATUS CANDLES LIGHT UP

As we spend more time at home, the popularity of home goods continues unabated with one product in particular emerging as an unlikely status symbol: candles. A product as old as time, the humble candle has taken on a new meaning in a shifting social media landscape that places more value on curation and aesthetics than on glitz and extravagance. In Scandinavia, lighting candles— especially during autumn and winter—is associated with hygge, or coziness. Being

able to do it in an even more stylish way adds to the popularity of the candles. When you combine that with the luxurious feeling of lighting an expensive candle to relax and enjoy at home, it makes them a status symbol.

Few things rival a candle’s ability to create a memorable, personal, and relaxing environment. Over the last year, our needs have changed – no longer is there a need for expensive lipstick that no one will see under our face masks, and designer handbags remain tucked away in our closets. A $68 candle may feel like a luxury, however, it is far less expensive than your next designer handbag purchase. It’s also much easier to buy a candle than replace furniture or refinish your floors. Ultimately, what we all crave is a little bit of comfort, lingering to our memories and looking for something new among our daily grind of the new normal. Whether it be a familiar smell of vanilla or a luxury scent of bergamot, a simple candle can transport – bringing us to that destination we miss or bringing us back to memories of family.

Many of us have replaced our commutes with inhome offices and Zoom calls allow us to peek inside each other’s homes more than ever. In the interior design world, a candle can be compared to a sculpture or a piece of art within the home. They are also similar to the art on the walls, styled bookshelves, or coffee table books in a room – the interior can reveal so much about a person.

A candle is a simple way to create ambiance and atmosphere in any space. As people spend more time within the interiors of their homes, it makes sense that they reach towards more comforting home accessories. A combination of the pleasant scents and

lighting will make your home intimate and inviting. You can place these candles in different areas such as your desk, coffee or side tables and even your mantle.

From French classics like Diptyque and Cire Trudon to contemporary superstars like Byredo and Boy Smells, candles have gone from a nice-to-have to a must-have as people seek tools for setting a mood and making home feel more comfortable.

The millions of people who watched Meghan Markle marry Prince Harry couldn’t smell the royal wedding. Had we been there, we would have experienced the distinct aroma of many Diptyque candles. Providing the Royal Wedding candle only confirmed what we know about Diptyque — it’s the Status Candle. It’s now iconic oval logo with dancing letters hasn’t changed in the nearly 60 years it’s been in production. The launch and growth of social media have now opened the brand to a wider community and it is truly the most recognizable status candle.

In the realm of luxurious candles, few beat Cire Trudon. These French candles have a mix of oldworld aromas (burning bushes, floral leather) and newfangled ones (mimosas). The candle brand Cire Trudon provides a wonderful illustration of how an extensive history is transformed into a rich heritage and creation of myth and meaning that the acquirer of these luxury candles can take home. It all started with Claude Trudon who moved to Paris in 1643. He opened a successful grocery store on Rue St. Honore and supplied his candles to his customers. Known as a keen marketer and brand builder, he also applied and was selected to harvest the royal hives for the nest wax. He quickly became the official candle supplier of many churches and the court of Louis XIV at Versailles.

For generations the Trudon family members continuously sold Cire Trudon (Trudon Wax) candles. The brand history offers many myths along the way. It is even said that Napoleon’s single gift to his newborn son was a Trudon and that it was the last thing he wanted to smell before dying in exile. In the new millennium, this understated sleepy brand was transformed by the masterful touch of French – Moroccan Ramadane Touhami. Known as a “renaissance man”, brand artist, designer, skate board enthusiast, journalist and DJ – Touhami partnered with Olivier Blondeau to co-own, revive and reinterpret this historical brand. He formulated 22 new fragranced candles related to the candle makers past.

As scent preferences shift away from flowery perfumes toward more earthy and as a mini-boom in candle-making grows in the United States, there are now new status candles on the horizon. Boy Smells is a two-year-old brand out of Los Angeles. It is a small company where its two founders, a couple, started mixing the candles in their home. The brand is extremely newguard. The pale pink label and perfect font is recognizable and definitely a façade for the quirky and odd scents for which they are named. Regardless, these candles smell really good in unassuming ways. Many people are also embracing Le Feu de L’Eau. This luxuriously crunchy candle line is recognized by its brightly colored vessels that resemble tie-dyed tree trunks. The colors are coded to the scents (bright blue is night-blooming jasmine; yellow is grapefruit and lemon) and the vessels can be repurposed as planters or cups. It’s a small company, with two women at the helm, and all the candles get

hand-poured and sculpted underwater. Le Feu de L’Eau’s candles cost $65, but they’re also big, coming in 12 and 13 ounce sizes (which are twice that of Diptyque’s candles).

Another up-and-coming brand is Otherland. Founded by former Ralph Lauren staffer Abigail Cook Stone, the idea for Otherland was born out of a desire for a sophisticated candle that wouldn’t break the bank. Otherland’s candles have quickly become a Millennial favorite and are sold direct through its web site, or on retailer accounts like Nordstrom.

Overrose candles combine luxury scent with sustainability — founder Matthieu Belhandouz worked briefly for Stella McCartney. The brand is said to follow a strict sourcing policy when it comes to ingredients, using only organic and natural oils. At $58 to $68 each, its candle prices rival that of Diptyque, but vessels in an array of bright and holographic colors serve as a differentiator. Another Parisian import, Maison Louis Marie is a six-year-old brand quickly gaining traction in the U.S. for its affordable scents —$34 for a candle — and use of clean, botanical ingredients. The brand is sold online at Sephora.

For centuries candles were little more than a mold of fat with a cotton or reed wick. Originally used as a source of light, they soon became a staple in ceremony and celebration in various cultures. Today in the modern era, they have trickled into the realm of home and now cemented themselves as a lifestyle object. Status candles are a maker of luxury living and self-care. Whether you are giving a gift to someone else or looking for a special status touch in your home – scented candles never disappoint.