Fischersund: A Family Affair in Fragrance
Growing Up in Mosfellsbær
For Jónsi Birgisson and his three sisters, growing up in the Icelandic town of Mosfellsbær meant boundless freedom—playing among wet evergreens and running along empty roads. Occasionally, they would swipe a neighbor’s rhubarb, cut off the stalks, and dip them in honey, savoring them as a delightful treat.
The Fischersund Legacy
Decades later, Birgisson is known worldwide as simply Jónsi—the solo artist and lead singer of Sigur Rós. He’s also the visionary perfumer behind Fischersund, where he alchemizes the sense-memories of life in Iceland into unique fragrances. These incorporate native ingredients like birch tar and Arctic thyme, echoing the landscapes of his childhood. Notably, Mosfellsbær serves as the inspiration for Fischersund’s No. 8, a fragrance bursting with rhubarb and pine.
The brand is a family affair, conceived around the dinner table by the creative siblings—Jónsi, Lilja, Inga, and Sigurrós—and their artistic partners. “We’re separate,” Lilja explains, “but we move as a whole.” This collaborative spirit fosters a rich narrative that infuses each fragrance with the essence of their Icelandic heritage.
The Fischersund Flagship Store
The Fischersund flagship sits on the quiet Reykjavík street it’s named after, residing within a charming 19th-century wooden house that once served as Jónsi’s recording studio. The retail space showcases not only fragrances but also an array of incense, tea, art, and homewares. It doubles as a sensory museum, where ambient music sets the mood as visitors sip on homemade schnapps and explore whimsical installations, including a collection of “fictional flowers” crafted in collaboration with the all-women writer’s collective Svikaskáld (Impostor Poets).
As Lilja aptly points out, “What’s beautiful about music, and scent, is that you hear or breathe it in, and you’re transported.” This idea encapsulates why Fischersund resonates with so many—a beautiful blend of sensory experiences rooted in the Icelandic landscape.
