Mona Maine de Biran
Mona Maine de Biran: Storytelling Through Scent
From Model to Perfumer: An Unconventional Path
Mona Maine de Biran's journey to perfumery reads like a New York story itself. Born in 1969 to Spanish and Italian heritage, she conquered international modeling runways before winning "Star Search" in 1995. Her path wound through entertainment, real estate, publishing, and tech sales at Oracle and ADP. Yet it was her passion for storytelling and fragrance that led her to co-found KIERIN NYC in 2018.
Maine de Biran brings an outsider's perspective to perfumery, which she considers her greatest strength. Her multilingual abilities - fluent in French, Spanish, Italian, and English - reflect her global mindset. She's also a philosophy student, influenced by her ancestor, French philosopher Count Francois Maine de Biran. This intellectual foundation shapes her approach to scent creation.
Partnering with husband Didier Maine de Biran, whose beauty industry experience spans Chanel, Prada, and Bvlgari, she launched KIERIN NYC as a digitally native brand. Their collaboration with Grasse perfumer Mathieu Nardin allows creative freedom while maintaining the brand's narrative focus. Maine de Biran describes their process as editing and co-creating to tell authentic New York stories.
Her philosophy centers on inclusivity and conscious creation. KIERIN NYC produces gender-neutral, vegan, cruelty-free fragrances that invite inspiration rather than definition. This approach challenges traditional industry norms and reflects her belief that fragrance should match changeable moods and personalities.
Urban Stories in Scent: KIERIN NYC's Impact
Maine de Biran's signature creation, Santal Park, exemplifies her storytelling approach. This woody-floral fragrance captures the essence of a rooftop garden oasis amid concrete cityscape. Creamy sandalwood and earthy oakmoss create the foundation, while gardenia adds floral subtlety and saffron brings exotic warmth. The scent offers moderate to strong sillage with impressive longevity, making it perfect for both day and evening wear.
Her creative process begins with New York experiences, translating them through mood boards and multi-sensorial storytelling. Each fragrance represents real city moments rather than stylized celebrity narratives. This authenticity resonates with consumers seeking genuine connections to scent.
Maine de Biran's impact extends beyond individual fragrances. She's championing industry transformation through clean formulations, inclusive marketing, and direct-to-consumer innovation. Her questioning of established practices - from gendered categories to traditional distribution - positions KIERIN NYC as a disruptive force.
The brand's Pop Art and graffiti aesthetic reflects her appreciation for urban culture and diverse artistic expression. By offering high-quality niche fragrances at accessible prices, she's democratizing luxury perfumery. Her vision of fragrance as a universal connector that empowers and moves emotions continues shaping KIERIN NYC's evolution as an emerging force in modern perfumery.
