Blåkulla
EDT
Dark Tales
Statement
Dark Tales
Narrative-driven gothic artisan perfumes from Sweden with a strong atmospheric focus.
About Dark Tales
Dark Tales is an independent artisan perfume house founded in 2019 by perfumer Arina P. Franzén, originally in Moscow and later relocated to Uppsala, Sweden. The brand grew out of Franzén's early work selling handmade fragrances on Etsy before becoming a registered trademark in 2020 and eventually establishing a dedicated studio and boutique in Uppsala.
The creative direction of Dark Tales is strongly rooted in gothic literature, dark history, and fantasy storytelling, with scents often built around specific narratives, characters, and locations. The house describes itself as an artisan perfumery where fragrance is used to create atmosphere, with compositions that aim for cinematic, emotionally charged moods rather than conventional crowd-pleasing themes. Collections such as Winter Limited Editions and perfumes like Lumière Noire / Noir Noël highlight seasonal stories and limited runs, usually crafted with a unisex outlook and often in vegan formulas according to the brand.
Dark Tales has expanded its catalog to dozens of perfumes across core lines, limited editions, and discovery sets, while also serving as the mother company to other related fragrance concepts under its umbrella. Despite this growth, production remains small scale and hand crafted, with distribution largely through the brand's own website and selected niche retailers. The emphasis on narrative fantasy, gothic visuals, and atmospheric blending makes Dark Tales particularly appealing to fragrance enthusiasts who seek story-driven compositions and darker, mood-heavy themes rather than mainstream styles.
At a Glance
The Brand
Founded
2019
Founder
Arina P. Franzén
Country
Sweden
Category
Indie
Scent Personality
Worth It?
Scent DNA
gourmand
resinous
spicy
woody
smoky
- Dark Tales fragrances are defined by narrative concepts: each scent is built around a story, character, or place, often with gothic or fantastical themes
- The blends tend to be atmospheric and cinematic, favoring mood-heavy accords, textured woods, resins, and sweet-dark contrasts over clean or minimal compositions
- Even when using familiar notes, the brand pushes them into unusual narrative contexts, which makes their perfumes feel more like scenes than simple accords
Typical Performance
Longevity
Long
Projection
Moderate
Positioning
A indie, mid house known for gourmand compositions.
How It Compares
- → Similar narrative focus to Imaginary Authors
- → Darker and more gothic than Juliette Has A Gun
- → Less polished but more atmospheric than Guerlain
- → Sweeter than Dior
- → Smokier and moodier than Serge Lutens
Who It's For
Best For
- Story-driven fragrance collectors
- Fans of gothic and dark aesthetics
- Autumn and winter wear
- Evening and special occasion use
- Niche and indie perfume enthusiasts
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Highly distinctive narrative concepts and theming
- Strong atmosphere and mood compared to mainstream designer scents
- Good longevity and presence on many compositions
- Coherent gothic visual and brand identity
Weaknesses
- Aesthetic skews dark and dramatic, which may be challenging for everyday or office wear
- Limited physical availability outside niche retailers and the brand website
- Large catalog and frequent limited editions can be overwhelming for new customers
- Some compositions are dense and may feel heavy in hot climates
Brand Evolution
Dark Tales began in 2019 as a small Moscow-based hobby project, with Arina P. Franzén selling handmade perfumes on Etsy before formalizing the brand as a registered trademark in 2020. The move to Uppsala, Sweden, and the opening of a studio in 2022 followed by a boutique two years later marked a shift toward a more structured artisan house with greater output and more defined collections. Over time the brand has expanded into multiple lines, seasonal limited editions, and discovery sets, while positioning itself as the mother company for a wider universe of related scent projects. Despite scaling up, it has kept an indie, hand crafted orientation and maintained its focus on gothic, literary and fantasy storytelling as the backbone of its identity.
Quick Verdict
Dark Tales is a strong choice if you want dark, story-rich artisan perfumes that feel like gothic scenes in a bottle. If you prefer clean, minimalist or office-safe fragrance styles, this brand will likely sit outside your comfort zone.
