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Mind Games

Niche brand · New York City, United States

Mind Games

Mind Games translates the strategy and tension of chess into precisely composed, genderless extrait de parfums.

New York City, United States · founded 2022

All fragrances

Founded: 2022
Origin: New York City, USA
Creative leadership: Alex and Mariana Shalbaf
Core idea: Chess as a link between strategy, design and scent
Perfumery: Collaboration with Symrise and its master perfumers
Responsibility: Sustainability stated as part of sourcing, innovation and production
At Parfinity: 28 fragrances to sample

The story

Mind Games began in New York with the idea of treating chess not only as a motif, but as a way of thinking about perfumery. Alex and Mariana Shalbaf bring strategy, design and scent together in a genderless collection where each composition can be read like a move of its own.

The brand works with perfumers from the Symrise sphere and puts both sculptural bottles and olfactive contrast at the center. From Caïssa to Mentor, the range moves from chess-led storytelling to a direct tribute to the craft of the perfumer.

01 · New York, since 2022

A fragrance house in the spirit of chess

Alex and Mariana Shalbaf built Mind Games as an independent niche fragrance brand. The official story uses chess as a cultural image for character, skill, risk and timing. The board becomes a method for thinking about compositions, bottles and brand language as one system.

02 · Composition and form

Every move needs its own signature

Mind Games describes its fragrances as precisely calculated, complex experiences. Its work with Symrise brings together different perfumers, including Christelle Laprade, David Apel and Nathalie Benareau, who are connected with Mind Games compositions in the Parfinity catalogue. The bottles echo the sculptural presence of chess pieces, while fragrances such as Blockade and Prodigy develop their own olfactive dramaturgy.

03 · Responsibility

Sustainability as part of the game

On its official About page, Mind Games describes sustainability as a foundational value. It points to responsible labour and trade practices, considered sourcing of raw materials, investment in green technology, and research into packaging and disposal. These points reflect the brand's stated position and are not presented here as an independent performance assessment.

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Choose five Mind Games fragrances as 2 ml samples for your Parfinity Box. You get the box value back as a discount code - applied in full from a €150 cart.

Your individual Parfinity Box

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Your selection

28 fragrances by Mind Games

Select the plus on your favorites and create your own Parfinity Box.

Show collections

Mind Games

French Defense

8.5/10(15)

FruityWoody

Luxurious cherry & cognac embrace.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Queening

7.8/10(13)

GourmandPowdery

Creamy vanilla & crisp apple embrace.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Blockade

7.5/10(21)

FruityWoody

Daring mango meets smoky oud.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Mentor

8.1/10(6)

GourmandWoody

Decadent caramel meets smoky oud.

Sample from €9

€360100ml

Mind Games

J'Adoube

8.5/10(2)

FruityLeathery

Pom & leather—modern allure.

Sample unavailable

€270100ml

Mind Games

Lionora

8.3/10(6)

FruityFloral

Creamy apricot-iced tea fusion

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Grand Master

8.8/10(6)

FloralWoody

Luxurious rose-coffee elixir.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Prodigy

7.8/10(6)

GourmandFloral

Velvety rose latte indulgence

Sample from €9

€360100ml

Mind Games

Gambit

7.5/10(2)

SpicyWoody

Confident spice & sweet warmth.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Sissa

5.4/10(7)

GourmandPowdery

Creamy Vanilla & Tonka Warmth

Sample unavailable

€270100ml

Mind Games

Castling

8.7/10(6)

WoodyFloral

Velvet Vanilla & Green Fig

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

The Forward

8.7/10(5)

CitrusGourmand

Citrus, salt & creamy vanilla

Sample unavailable

€270100ml

Mind Games

Ruy Lopez

5.9/10(4)

SpicyFruity

Spiced plum, leather elegance.

Sample unavailable

€270100ml

Mind Games

En prise

7.7/10(3)

CitrusWoody

Citrus zest & spicy-sweet depth

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Vieri

7/10(2)

CitrusWoody

Citrus-Woody Freshness Redefined

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Sans Voir

8.3/10(4)

FloralAquatic

Fresh floral: sea salt & musk

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Counterplay

8.1/10(4)

FruityFloral

Juicy Melon & Floral Warmth

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Check Please

7.5/10(1)

FruityGourmand

Apple Cognac & Nougat

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Playmate

FloralFruity

Sweet Floral Vanilla

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Double Attack

8.8/10(4)

GourmandSpicy

Cocoa vs spice, vanillic victory.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Kingside

9/10(2)

AmberWoody

Warm Amber & Pistachio

Sample from €9

€360100ml

Mind Games

Opera Mate

GourmandAmber

Sweet Caramel Gourmand

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Gardez

7.5/10(5)

LeatheryFloral

Leathery gourmand meets popcorn.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Scholar's Mate

6.3/10(3)

WoodyAromatic

Creamy fig meets spicy, fresh woods.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Queenside

6.5/10(2)

ChypreFloral

Luminous fruity chypre

Sample unavailable

€360100ml

Mind Games

As-suli's Diamond

7/10(1)

WoodySpicy

Bold woody-spicy smoky allure

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Caissa

FloralGourmand

Floral-gourmand: bread & blossoms.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Mind Games

Checkmate

FloralChypre

Sparkling rose & bold tobacco.

Sample from €9

€270100ml

Community

What the community says about Mind Games

10/10

„For me, the most beautiful pistachio scent. The longevity is great.“

julia49Kingside

10/10

„The scent blew me away. Pure peach iced tea. Truly amazing.“

jacquelinemedleyLionora

10/10

„Dark chocolate fragrance with mystical depth. Dark chocolate seasoned with orange and saffron. Boozy and very sophisticated.“

luxusladyDouble Attack

7.8 / 10from 130 approved reviews by our community

The noses

Perfumers of Mind Games

Christelle Laprade

Born in 1976 in the sun-drenched coastal town of Sanary-sur-Mer in southern France, Christelle Laprade discovered her passion for scent through the aromatic landscapes of her childhood.

Discover more about Christelle Laprade

David Apel

David Apel's path to becoming one of America's most respected perfumers began unexpectedly in 1980 at Givaudan's gas chromatography lab.

Discover more about David Apel

Nathalie Benareau

Nathalie Benareau's path to becoming a Senior Perfumer at Symrise began in the French Alpine countryside, where afternoon hikes sparked her fascination with scent.

Discover more about Nathalie Benareau

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does Mind Games' chess concept represent?

The brand uses chess as an image for strategy, character, timing and the significance of individual decisions. That idea connects fragrance composition, bottle design and storytelling.

Who composes the fragrances?

Mind Games works with master perfumers from the Symrise sphere. In the Parfinity catalogue, Mind Games fragrances are connected with people including Christelle Laprade, David Apel and Nathalie Benareau.

Where is Mind Games from?

Mind Games is rooted in New York City, USA. The brand's official contact and privacy information gives its address on West 36th Street in New York.

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Which story will you wear on your skin?

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