COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: IVY KWON
Ivy Kwon, founder of Vagrant Story, was born to South Korean parents and raised in greater Los Angeles. A lifelong creative, Ivy merged science and art through fragrance, collaborating with world-renowned perfumers to craft scents inspired by her personal journey of self-discovery. Her brand, Vagrant Story, reflects her desire to create fragrances that validate, elevate, and inspire others.
In our interview, she talks about her creative journey from her career in public health to starting her own fragrance line, her sense of impeccable taste, and what aspects of the beauty industry she’s looking to disrupt.
Can you tell us a little bit about yourself, where you grew up, and what led you to become the founder of Vagrant Story?
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I’m the youngest of three siblings. My parents immigrated from South Korea in the early 1980s. I’ve always been a creative kid, always into drawing, painting, and writing, and I pursued those interests as hobbies growing up. But when I reached college, I didn’t think it was viable to have a career in the creative space. I didn’t see anyone I identified with doing anything like that, so I pursued the sciences and ultimately public health. Fast forward to 2020 and early 2021—I decided to leave my job in the industry without any plans for what to do next.
I always wanted to be my own boss, ideally at the intersection of culture, product, and people, but I had no idea what that would look like. I remember having lunch with my husband one day at this beautiful restaurant in LA, overlooking the ocean, and it hit me: what if I did fragrance? It’s the perfect blend of science and art. And really, the rest is history. When I look back on that moment, what stands out to me is how much clarity you can get when you’re coming from a place of rest and play, as opposed to anxiety and fear.
Vagrant Story is inspired by my own journey of discovering and knowing myself. It’s the manifestation of my lived experience. In my thirties, I felt like I was waking up from a fog, doing a lot of self-reflection and questioning why I was living my life the way I was. Was I more influenced by external factors rather than a strong internal compass? So the brand is about coming back to yourself, paired with the truth that life is fleeting, and you are the only one in control of how you want to live it.
"Vagrant Story is inspired by my own journey of discovering and knowing myself. It’s the manifestation of my lived experience."
I feel similarly—I kind of did the thing my parents wanted me to do, and it took me well into my thirties to realize there’s a creative side to me worth exploring. What has your creative journey been like? What was your biggest moment of pride and your biggest insecurity?
I was a creative kid—painting and drawing came easily to me. I remember in fifth grade we had a pen pal writing contest. I don’t think I was aware it was a contest at the time. We had to write a letter that would appear in a different country—I think it was Japan. While writing, I remember thinking, “Oh my gosh, this is so good,” and feeling that buzzy feeling you get when you’re in your element. I won the competition, was featured on a local channel, and got little toys and a goodie bag. It was a cool experience. In high school, my dream was to become a writer for Time. In my young adulthood, my creative expression was about individual choices—fashion, beauty, fragrance—and what I chose to adorn myself with. It was really about self-expression through those mediums. Now, with Vagrant Story, it’s a gift to create with intention and share that with others.​​​
And what about your biggest insecurity?
So much about scent is subjective. No two people will like the same scent, and even the same fragrance will smell different on different people. Although I’m keenly aware of that, I still cannot stomach watching anyone smell a Vagrant Story scent in front of me. It makes me so uncomfortable. I don’t think that’ll ever go away.​​
We’re attempting to capture the intangible essence of human experience—hope, loss, pain. Life is fleeting and fragile, but beautiful in its complexity.
If you were to describe your sense of taste, what would it be, and how has your identity as “Ivy Kwon” informed your work? Who or what in your past has inspired and helped inform your sense of taste?
Within the context of Vagrant Story, I think of my parents' story of resilience and love for their children. We’re attempting to capture the intangible essence of human experience—hope, loss, pain. Life is fleeting and fragile, but beautiful in its complexity. We’re lucky to be here and should make the most of it. When it comes to taste and style from a fragrance perspective, my taste is diverse. But certain notes, like apricot—my grandmother had an apricot tree growing up—or aquatic scents specific to Southern California and Los Angeles, are super nostalgic for me.
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What is a scent or a fragrance that you’re like, “I’m so over this. We need to stop spraying it on our bodies”?
Oh my God, can I call that out? I can say this because I own it and I’m still a fan, but the Baccarat Rouge 540. It was so special when it launched years ago and became a landmark in the industry because of the ambergris smell. It has a distinct, beautiful note. It screams luxury, and I used to wear it all the time. But it’s one of those Santal 33’s—it's time to move on.
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What sorts of projects do you have going on right now?
We’re working on a new candle. Vagrant Story is about coming back to yourself, coming home to yourself. My physical home is a sacred space, and I love surrounding myself with beautiful things that bring me joy, including candles. I wanted to challenge myself to create one scent and really pour everything into it—something elevated that I wouldn’t get sick of and could light every day. I think we’re nearly there, and I’m excited to share it with the world when it’s ready. I’m also always looking for great retail partnerships.
"Thinking back to my experience as a young woman, I didn’t see a lot of people I identified with in many industries, especially creative ones. I think about how that impacted my life and the trickle-down effect it had."
What keeps you up at night?
Thinking back to my experience as a young woman, I didn’t see a lot of people I identified with in many industries, especially creative ones. I think about how that impacted my life and the trickle-down effect it had. When I think of young Asian-American girls, I feel like they deserve so much more. As the mother of a young Asian girl, all I want for her is to hope and dream for whatever she wants. It’s disturbing when I think of someone not going for something because they don’t see themselves in that space. I’d love for us to move the needle on that collectively.
What’s something in your industry that you’re fed up with and really want to change?
There’s room for new voices, especially for Asian women. I’m a minority in the space, and the fragrance industry is so influenced by pop culture but not vice versa. You see a new celebrity fragrance line launching every week, and here I am, a regular person who happened to create a fragrance brand with thought and care in collaboration with world-class perfumers. I feel like our products have as much merit as more dominant players in the space. Our approach is softer, more rooted in vulnerability, which isn’t typical in fragrance brands.
What brings you joy in this moment? How do you compartmentalize all the stuff happening and still find moments of joy and peace?
It’s so simple, but for me, it boils down to moments of connection, whether with a neighbor, barista, or old friend. Genuine interaction grounds me. It reminds me that we’re all just people doing the best we can, no matter what’s going on in the world. As an introvert who works from home, it’s important to be intentional about putting myself out there.
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What does community mean to you? And what kinds of support are you looking for in an ideal community?
In today’s world, it’s no secret that a brand not rooted in community won’t thrive. With Vagrant Story, we wouldn’t have materialized or be where we are without countless people lending their talents, ideas, or support. It’s essential to the brand. On a personal level, as a first-time founder, I’m learning how important it is to build and seek out community for myself. It’s about connecting with like-minded people and sharing a mentality that all humans have value and are creating meaning in their own way.
“What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?”
What advice would you give to someone looking to do their own thing?
Get out of your own way. The biggest hurdle for me was my mental roadblocks and limitations. There’s always an excuse and countless reasons not to do something. But you have to ask yourself, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” or “At the end of your life, will you regret not trying?” Those questions pushed me to go for it. It can feel scary, but those feelings are common. The world gave you that idea for a reason—the world needs it from you.
ABOUT
VAGRANT STORY
Moments that linger in the air long after they’ve passed. Vagrant Story believes in the power of scent to transform us, to help us define and create meaning. To punctuate treasured memories with scents that smell like home. To know and come back to ourselves, again and again.
By embracing authenticity and vulnerability, our scents serve as a conduit for connection by crafting fragrances that capture the intangible essence of the human experience. A testament to rich storytelling that goes beyond any one product — Vagrant Story is a sanctuary for self-expression and a symphony for the senses. A whispered reminder that who you are is enough, just as you are.