Everything
If you, like us, have been watching the making of his latest video clip, ‘One of Your Girls’ on repeat, you’d know that Troye Sivan is not an artist who half-asses anything. Whether you’ve been following him since his YouTube days, or you’re a recent convert (again, we must direct you to the aforementioned video clip), you’ve likely clocked that this ethos has extended to his home.
One of the most watched Architectural Digest house tours ever—at least in the our office, anyway—the musician’s Carlton home, designed by Melbourne-based Flack Studio, is truly a mid-century haven. Blending elements of eras, aesthetics and textures to cultivate a sanctuary of his own, Sivan clearly has a knack for personal style and collaboration.
As someone whose work takes them jetting all around the world, though, home takes on a different meaning. And it was a bout of homesickness that actually gave rise to a new project in TSU LANGE YOR, a collaboration with Troye Sivan and his brother, Steele Mellet.
Yiddish for ‘to long years’, TSU LANGE YOR (TLY) was conceived as an exploration of beauty and belonging. Deeply rooted and inspired by the Australian landscape, scents are composed of unique notes, crafting sensual and dynamic odes to the little things that make a space a home.
Having already launched this August and at the NGV in November, Sydney-siders can now enjoy an immersive experience at the iconic Chinatown Country Club from December 7th to 10th. To celebrate the launch of this temporary pop-up, ICON chatted to the creative duo about the inspirations and work behind the brand.
The world was stunned when TSU LANGE YOR dropped. When and how did it come about?
TSU LANGE YOR had actually been a long time coming—I first started work on fragrance in 2019, but the project was consistently bulldozed by other aspects of my work life. Finding the right partner was also imperative to getting the project off the ground. Having been approached by these big companies in the U.S. that just slap your name on an off-the-shelf product, nothing had felt right yet.
When TLY was finally born, it came out of conversations with my brother in my home about doing this independently, in Australia, with heart. It felt so much more representative of what I wanted to create.
Can you tell us how each unique scent came to be?
All in collaboration. They all started in Sydney, working with Craig Andrade on communicating my scent palette. I knew what I liked, but I didn’t know how to express that or why I liked it.
‘TLY 5755’ was born out of his studio, resulting in an unquestionably Australian scent (we are actually the first brand to use Tasmanian Mountain Pepper in a scent).
‘Luca’, ‘Pool’, and ‘Sassafras’ were all born out of sessions in New York. ‘Luca’ is sexy, woody, and so easy to wear—perfect for both days and nights out.
‘Pool’ has tomato leaves and cucumber, almost giving the feeling of the perfect Gazpacho on a hot day.
Lastly, ‘Sassafras’ was inspired by the Dandenong Ranges, where my parents live. It’s smokey and feels like a woodfire by the forest floor.
Did you face any hurdles along the TLY journey?
Plenty. Doing all this for the first time, just my brother and I, there was (and still is) so much to learn. I’m actually really proud of all we’ve learned and overcome along the way.
How did you balance the creative process with the scientific nature of fragrance?
The process of creating the scents was totally thrilling to me—and a big motivator for starting TLY. Collaboration is one of the most important things in the world to me, and getting to work with such talented perfumers was really exciting. Utilising their technical and artistic abilities to communicate a feeling actually reminded me of the music-making process.
Home is a major theme of the brand. What makes a home to you both?
To me, it’s the smell of a nice candle, food in the oven, the barks of a dog, and the voices of family and friends.
What are some of the pieces in your homes that you’re most fond of?
I really love my lamps. They each have a strong sense of character, and I sort of anthropomorphise them.
How do the two of you complement each other as a partnership?
Thankfully, really well. There’s never been a doubt on what a ‘Steele question’ is Vs. what a ‘Troye question.’ It’s a push and pull and I think our strengths and weaknesses really complement each other.
How do you hope to spend your own long years?
Having long dinners in cosy spaces with friends and family.
TSU LANGE YOR’s Sydney pop-up can be found at Level 5, Chinatown Country Club, between December 7 and 10, 2023. Head here for more details.
