Christopher Yu

CEO – Colour & Stripe

Having worked in the perfume industry for more than 20 years, industry expert Christopher Yu is widely considered to have the ‘Midas touch’ when it comes to perfume. 

Originally from New Zealand and with a background in both law and accounting, Christopher practised tax litigation at PricewaterhouseCoopers in Wellington prior to moving to London in 1999. In 2002 Christopher left the City where he worked as a solicitor in investment banking to start a niche fragrance distribution business for luxury candle pioneer Diptyque. Upon selling the business to Manzanita Capital in 2007, Christopher started United Perfumes, launching high profile fragrance brands around the world including Fragonard, Apothia Los Angeles, Olivina Napa Valley, Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Cire Trudon.  He has created category defining home fragrance brands under licence for British fashion brands Anya Hindmarch, Paul Smith and Alexander McQueen and Italian design icon Fornasetti.

As CEO of Colour & Stripe and having spent years working alongside some of the world’s most-renowned perfumers (Diptyque to Francis Kurkdjian, Olivier Polge to Lyn Harris, Sophie Labbe and Dominique Ropion to name but a few) it was “only a matter of time,” before he decided to pour his knowledge and passion for fragrance into his own creation.

That creation is Ostens, the exclusive fragrance brand born out of a desire to “rip up” the perfume rule-book in the pursuit of beautiful fragrance without rules, limitations, briefs or budgets.

Crafted by some of the finest noses in the business, the brand’s debut collection includes six carefully crafted Eau de Parfums, each of which is paired with an ingredient ‘inspiration’ - captured within an oil - allowing the user to experience the raw material in its purest form.

Why are you involved with The Fragrance Foundation UK?

I am passionate about encouraging more and more creativity through fragrance.  From empowering young people with language to describe they sense of smell to the beautiful creations from our industry.

Why do you love fragrance?

It’s the way I process the world around me and the way I dream.

What is your Scent Memory?

My favourite scent memory and the most elusive to capture is the smell of arriving back home to New Zealand.  The smell as you walk out of Auckland airport into trees and birdsong at 6am in summer (the time the flights from London tend to arrive).  It’s lush, almost tropical, earthy with the sweetness and density of growing humidity.  I wish I could bottle it to cure my homesickness or ‘SAD’ during the UK winters.