RHR Luxury: The Art of Authorship in Luxury Home Fragrance

In the polished world of luxury goods, exclusivity is often a marketing slogan rather than a reality. Shelves brim with scented candles claiming refinement, yet their DNA can be traced back to the same few suppliers. Against this backdrop of repetition, Riccardo Halac-Ruggeroni, the creative force behind RHR Luxury, is staging a quiet revolution.

This is a story not about chasing trends, but about reclaiming authorship. Where most luxury home fragrance brands outsource the soul of their products—the scent itself—Riccardo insists on crafting every formula by hand. It’s a deliberate, almost radical act: in a market defined by convenience and speed, RHR Luxury insists on depth, originality, and integrity.

From Design to Fragrance: A Lifetime in the Making

Riccardo, a designer with more than three decades of experience in interiors and fashion, had long been immersed in the language of aesthetics and form. His parents were collectors of luxury perfumes, and from early childhood Riccardo became obsessed with perfumery, learning about the big fragrance houses in Europe, and collecting his own bottles. A passion that continues to this day.

When scented candles experienced a boom in the US Market in the early 2000s, and they could be found at specialty stores, it became a bit of a hobby for Riccardo to go shopping on weekends for them. Over time, he became an aficionado and intimately familiar with the scented collections of different European and American brands, and became increasingly interested in how these products were made. He realized some companies were dedicated exclusively to home fragrance, while others launched scented candles, room sprays, and diffusers as extensions of their fragrances for personal use. He noticed that some companies chose to become global, while others were content with remaining smaller, or more dedicated to the US Market. 

Some of his experience in merchandising and product development had kicked in. And one of the glaring aspects in terms of quality was that the candle fragrances were very similar from brand to brand. He also noticed inexpensive packaging options that were dressed up as luxury by virtue of a brand name. 

From an entrepreneurial perspective, Riccardo decided to take action, and for him, the answer was simple yet troubling—most scented candle businesses were built on mass-produced fragrance oils purchased from third-party compounders. These oils, intended for everything from detergents to air fresheners, were being repackaged as luxury. He also noticed that the quality of the containers was inexpensive, but nicely dressed with fancy labels and printing on the surface, which appeared to elevate the product from brand to brand, except that the fragrance quality remained mainstream.

For Riccardo, the compromise was unacceptable. He decided to learn perfumery himself. What began as a daunting leap into chemistry, botany, and olfactive science became a decade-long pursuit, ultimately giving birth to RHR Luxury: a line of luxurious scented candles, crystal diffusers, and sophisticated room sprays that are as personal as they are precise.

Authorship as Luxury

In the world of perfume, the “nose” is revered. Yet in home fragrance, authorship is often erased—buried behind contracts with manufacturers. RHR Luxury challenges the status quo.

Each fragrance emerges from Riccardo’s personal library of nearly two thousand raw materials, sourced directly from producers across the globe. “Each scent must have a reason to exist,” he says. “It must be different not only from my own work, meaning other fragrances in my library, but from everything else in the market.”

This guiding principle ensures that a rose candle from RHR Luxury does not echo the dozen others on department store shelves. It’s a new interpretation, a narrative in wax and flame. In Riccardo’s view, true luxury lies not in the price tag but in originality—the unmistakable signature of an artist’s hand.

Design That Speaks the Same Language

Fragrance is only part of the story. Riccardo’s background in interiors and fashion naturally informs the physical presence of RHR Luxury. Each vessel is made from crystal, chosen for its purity and refraction. Packaging is crafted from water- and oil-proof coated papers, embossed with gold foiling, and housed in deep navy boxes that whisper elegance rather than shout for attention.

Accessories—onyx trays, marble bases, semiprecious stone stoppers—extend the experience beyond scent into a full sensory encounter. The aesthetic, rooted in Mid-Century Modernism, mirrors the ethos of the fragrances: timeless, restrained, and uncompromising.

A Different Kind of Luxury Business

Perhaps the most subversive element of RHR Luxury is not the product itself, but the philosophy behind how it’s shared. Riccardo refuses to saturate the market or chase influencers, and like so many other quiet entrepreneurs, is not fully convinced about online advertising. His candles are poured to order—fresh, never stockpiled. Boutiques are chosen carefully, not for reach but for resonance with a clientele who understands the difference between mass-produced “luxury” and genuine exclusivity. 

This approach mirrors the cultural rise of quiet luxury: a rejection of overexposure and hype in favor of craft, quality, and scarcity. To own an RHR Luxury candle is not simply to decorate a space—it is to participate in a movement that values intimacy over mass appeal.

Bespoke Scenting: Luxury Beyond the Shelf

The dedication to authorship naturally extends into bespoke work. For some clients, Riccardo crafts custom candles and diffusers designed for specific rooms, occasions, or even private jets. What began as an unexpected request has become one of the most personal facets of the business: creating scents as singular as the lives they inhabit.

These projects reflect the very essence of what RHR Luxury represents—objects that carry not only beauty but meaning, objects that cannot be replicated or found elsewhere.

Where the Future of Luxury Fragrance Is Headed

In a market racing toward volume and visibility, RHR Luxury stands as proof that there is another way. By slowing down, honoring craft, and insisting on authorship, Riccardo is not just creating home fragrances—he is reimagining what luxury means in the modern age, for those who have come to expect more in the true sense of the word.

For those who crave authenticity, the answer lies in the flame of a candle that carries the hand of its maker, not the anonymity of a factory line.

Discover RHR Luxury

RHR Luxury is not a brand for everyone—and that is precisely the point. For those ready to experience fragrance as it was meant to be—personal, powerful, and profoundly original—Riccardo Halac-Ruggeroni’s creations await.

Explore the full collection at RHR Luxury and follow along on Instagram @rhrluxury for an inside look at the artistry behind each scent.