COMMUNITY, CULTURE + COLOUR: Who is Elijah
who is elijah x P.E Nation
Community, to us – in large part, at least – is quiet understanding of common inclusivity among a crowd. It’s a space and collective of people where guards can come down; where true selves feel comfortable enough to come to rest; where vulnerabilities can be shared without fear of feeling exposed. It’s a tribe that allows you to breathe, a place where you can just be. Not try, nor do, nor prove. But simply, be.
We all search for our community, nation, tribe, family. And it’s magic when we find it. For the fortunate few, the traditional family, parents, siblings, provide this kind of safe space from the jump. For many, we find that level of connection and comfort much later in life – and it’s then we realise anyone can be a father, sister, brother, cousin, aunt. The family we choose. Anyone can be a mother – and everyone who mothers deserves to be celebrated on May 9.
As Mother’s Day draws near, it felt incredibly fitting to feature Who Is Elijah as part of our Community, Culture + Colour focus. Founded by Raquel Bouris in 2018, Who Is Elijah is a Sydney-based fragrance company built on caring, and inclusiveness. Here, Raquel shares her thoughts on treading gently, the power and importance of scent in making memories and recollecting moments, and fragrances designed for every body.
Who is Elijah, by Raquel Bouris
What started as an idea, first conceptualised in California whilst travelling, soon became the passion that overtook me to create perfume. I am Raquel Bouris, the Founder & Creative Director of who is elijah, an independent fragrance company built on cruelty-free foundations in Sydney, Australia.
I seek to have every spritz of who is elijah evoke memories of people we love and places we have been, capturing these moments and making them everlasting. I am a mother, a wife, a creator and a woman, navigating the world of business and beauty.
who is elijah believes in a humane world, where beautiful creations don’t have to have ugly histories. All of our fragrances are vegan and cruelty-free, all tested on human bodies, never animals. We saw a gap in the industry where there was a longing for timeless and impeccable quality products, to also be eco-conscious and created humanely.
We also are extremely passionate about creating fragrances that do not discriminate. We pride ourselves on being inclusive and unisex – the art of fragrance shouldn’t be exclusive. Each scent should intensify your passions, exaggerate our confidence and heighten our senses, no matter who you are. We are visionaries, transforming his and her desires, and speaking to the unique character of every person that spritzes a bottle of who is elijah. Each fragrance consists of complex blends, a masterful amalgamation of magnetic notes that are sexy, powerful, alluring, undeniably fun and smell amazing on anyone.
The team at who is elijah hand fill, bottle and package every, single, bottle of perfume that falls into the hands of our customers, all in our warehouse near the coastal town of Cronulla, Australia. This is a process that we won’t ever let go, we love being the makers and crafting each precious bottle of liquid gold. What started as myself on my garage floor in 2018, filling perfume as a side hustle, has now grown into a company that has employed six beautiful women and distributed nearly thirty thousand bottles of eau de parfums.
Here we invite you to meet our creations.
The cult classic… HIS HER
A fragrant tribute to the exhilaration of first times.
The first time you submerged in saltwater until your fingers wrinkled. The first time you watched the sun rise from behind the blue horizon. The first time you fell truly, deeply in love. They are the memories of yesterday, etched into perpetuity.
Our second baby…HER HER
A vibrant composition that captures the intensity of summer nostalgia.
Invigorating citrus notes from blooming orange blossoms taint the air, exalting the mundane. And summers of the past are relived with every rosemary-soaked breeze. The rawness of freshly turned earth reminds us that this bliss is ever fleeting.
The crowd favourite… HAZE
An ode to the ’70s, a decade depicted in a scent. A dreamy purple haze, punctured by neon lights and impossibly elegant disco heroines, with their glossy hair blown out and skin diffused.
The new kid on the block… MUSE
Every little detail defines this fragrance, complete with inspiration, sensation and aphrodisiac.
Reminiscent of days spent under the sun, nights kept cool by the soft drift of salted air, and feelings intensified by summer romances & holiday love affairs.