To My Ships: The Brand Pioneering a New Era of Personal Care
Daniel Bense, the former Head of Commercial at Aesop, is set to disrupt the personal care industry with the launch of his new premium brand, To My Ships. Inspired by Homer’s epic ‘The Iliad’, this British brand aims to redefine luxury in personal care with products that blend sophisticated scents with naturally derived ingredients.
At the heart of the brand’s inaugural collection, named ‘Of The Gods’, lies a £35 deodorant that promises an elevated alternative to conventional options found in drugstores. Crafted by renowned perfumer Céline Barel, known for her work with prestigious brands such as Loewe and Jo Malone London, the deodorant features a distinctive scent derived from a plant called polygonum odoratum, which is a relative of Lily of the Valley. As Bense told Wallpaper*, “It has a top note high in aldehydes and a bold natural brightness, which is seductive without being overbearing. Someone described it as smelling like the steam from an iron.” The scent is complemented with naturally-derived ingredients such as fermented lactic acid that reduce the bacteria that cause body odour.
In addition to the deodorant, the collection includes a hand and body wash priced at £39 and a fine fragrance costing £170. With sustainability as a focal point for To My Ships, products are housed in post-consumer recycled and recyclable aluminium containers, and refills are available to minimise waste and environmental impact.
Leveraging his extensive network and insights from over a decade at Aesop, Daniel Bense is confident To My Ships will establish a niche in the premium personal care market. As he explained in an interview with The Business of Fashion, “To My Ships has elevation to it. There’s not many brands in that elevated space.” During his tenure at Aesop, Bense spearheaded the launch of its US business and e-commerce platform and played a key role in establishing its presence in the UK, demonstrating his proficiency in both wholesale and direct-to-consumer operations. This experience, coupled with his connections in the fragrance world, made a fragranced product a natural choice for To My Ships. Additionally, Bense enlisted the expertise of Dr. Kate Forbes, a former Aesop colleague and now the brand’s consultant scientist, to ensure the product formulas are effective.
To My Ships will launch on 26th September and will be available at tomyships.com. Information regarding a US launch is yet to be announced.