We pride ourselves that Pajotten is worn by a lot of creative people.

Potters, artists, designers and makers have all have chosen to wear our clothes but as far as I am aware Arpit Kaushik is the first perfumer, Arpit has been a Pajotten regular for a few years now so who he told me about his new venture I was keen to learn more, he has created a wonderful unisex perfume called Prem Rouge, with sustainability at its core, it is due to launch in September and available for pre order, if you would like to know more please read on......

We make products for the senses, one sense at a time. Our first sense is smell, and our first product is Prem Rouge, a unique non-alcoholic perfume. I started it from my own need. After a cycling accident in 2022 in which I suffered brain injuries, I was unable to use alcohol as it's a neurotoxin. I looked around but couldn't find anything that I liked. I've always had an interest in perfumes, so I decided to make one myself that would work for my new reality.

Prem Rouge is unique in many ways

• No alcohol, yet still in spray format

• 100% natural, certified that way

• It is designed for layering. Each set has two bottles – one rose-based and the other tuberose-based. They work beautifully on their own, but when layered, they create something truly special, allowing you to craft your own signature scent.

• Unlike alcoholic perfumes that take things away, Prem Rouge is sensorial and nourishing to the skin

• It’s made in the most eco-friendly way possible (we are a pending B Corp company)

I was born in India and grew up there, taking what I'd call the "safe choices" – engineering and MBA – before starting work in the tech sector. I came to the UK about 20 years ago and have worked across tech, strategy, and innovation in both large enterprises and startups. Until last year, I was running an innovation platform startup that I co-founded. The accident changed my perspective on many things, including what I wanted to create in the world.

Dilli is a nod to Delhi, where I was born. It's what we locals call the city in Hindi. "House" represents a place from where things originate, where ideas take shape and grow. Together, they form Dilli House – connecting my roots with what I'm building now.

While I was growing up in India, international perfumes were difficult to find and considered a prized possession. Whenever a family member would return from abroad, we would eagerly wait for Charlie, Azzaro, Jovan, Lacoste, and others. We were delighted even with samples or the small bottles from airline toiletry kits. There was also the distinctive fragrance of aftershave lotions my father, uncles, and grandfather used. The first time I went on a school trip, I bought a rose perfume from a flea market as a gift for my mum. Scent has always connected me to memories and moments.

I love that I get to choose how I work and who I work with. Working alongside people with whom you share values creates a completely different energy. Things get done better, faster, and with much more joy. The work becomes more than just work - an expression of ourselves. 

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Being a company of one can get quite lonely at times. It's also exhausting to manage all aspects of the business yourself – from design, brand, and marketing to sourcing perfume concentrates, bottles, spray pumps, handling packaging, logistics, and navigating regulatory approvals. It's quite a lot to manage on your own.

The most persistent challenge is operating as a small-batch artisanal brand in an industry set up for mass production. Suppliers typically have large minimum order quantities – often 5-10 times what we actually need. This forces you to be creative with solutions or sometimes go without certain options altogether. Small-batch means swimming against the current almost every day.

I wake up at 6:45 am, do the school run, complete my vestibular exercises, meditate, and am at my desk by 9:30 am. Due to neurological fatigue from my injury, I must work in bursts – two hours of focused work followed by a 10-15 minute sensory break to reset my brain, then repeat. My work typically involves planning, project management, following up with suppliers, finalizing designs, writing content, budgeting, testing samples, and various Zoom meetings.

I work until 5:00 pm, sometimes with an afternoon school pickup, a walk on the heath, or a therapy session mixed in. From 5:00 to 8:00 pm is family time. After that, I usually experience another creative surge and work on interesting ideas and concepts for about an hour. Lights out is around 10:30-11:00 pm. Throughout the day, music keeps me company and helps me focus.

The perfume industry is known for waste – single-use components, non-recyclable materials, and excessive packaging. We've examined every aspect of our process to create something better. We use screw-top bottles instead of crimped necks, making them truly recyclable. The glass has a specific translucency that works with recycling systems. Our spray pumps are pure aluminium rather than plastic or metal-coated plastic.

We've minimised packaging to only what's essential, including eliminating unnecessary bottle caps. For samples, we use recyclable sachets instead of throwaway plastic vials. Except for our aluminium spray pumps, everything is made in the UK and Europe – perfume in France, packaging in the UK. We've mapped our supply chain to minimize carbon footprint.

All our ingredients are 100% natural, and we've rejected formulas containing environmentally problematic components (e.g. Cocoa). Being non-alcoholic means we avoid the environmental impact of alcohol manufacturing processes. Our small-batch approach ensures we make only what's needed, reducing waste. 

Being a pending B Corp is our first formal step—we've only just begun, but from day one, I wanted to build something good for both people and planet.

I write poetry and love listening to music on my record player – ambient, prog rock, jazz, and post-rock are favourites. Last year I learned DJ-ing so I could be the DJ at my mum's 70th birthday party, which was great fun.

I enjoy reading non-fiction across various subjects – psychology, business, science, self-help, spirituality, art, and poetry. I'm also rekindling my love for photography. Experimenting with technology is another passion – I have a couple of EEG headsets that measure real-time brain activity, and I use that data to understand when I'm in a state of flow, when I'm stressed, and what helps calm me.

Walking in nature restores me, and my most blissful moment is simply sipping chai in my garden on a summer evening. These activities help me feel more grounded and connected to the world around me. They bring a sense of wonder and awe into everyday life.

I have what friends tease me about – very low standards when it comes to food. I usually eat whatever has been prepared for the children. Once a friend asked me to taste a dish she had cooked, and a family member quipped, "Don't ask Arpit – his standards of food are so low that whatever you give him will taste nice to him!"

I've been vegetarian my entire life. My favourites would be Black Daal (Dishoom's version is amazing), Paneer (Indian cottage cheese), Bhel-puri (Indian street food), a good Falafel wrap (Pita in Golders Green is outstanding), Ravioli, and Thai green curry. Ottolenghi's creative fusion dishes are also high on my list.

Playing with my dinky cars at bedtime. I would create imaginary paths, mountains, and race tracks for them while making engine sounds as they sped up and slowed down. It was my own little world in miniature.

The Japanese movie "Drive My Car." It was the first film I was able to watch after my accident, and I fell in love with both the story and its music. It won an Oscar for Best International Film that year.

I was so moved that I wrote to its music director, Eiko Ishibashi, complimenting her on the score – sparse, minimal, and piano-driven. She replied and said the story was about rebirth, which resonated with my own journey. Last year, I learned she was coming to perform in London. I wrote to her again, and she suggested I wait by the merchandise stand after the show for signings. I was one of the first in line, and she was so generous – signing all my records and taking a selfie with me. It was my fanboy moment!

My current focus is to complete and launch Batch 001 - Prem Rouge, our perfume. A lot depends on its success, but I'm already thinking about Batch 002, which will have an entirely different character. It typically takes a year for a perfume to go from concept to production.

Looking further ahead, I have a five-year vision of creating products for all five senses. We've started with smell, and next would likely be touch. Each sense offers new ways to create meaningful connections and experiences.

They are so unique, well-made, fit-for-purpose, comfortable and durable. I appreciate how one can coordinate jackets and trousers, and their choice of fabrics—from linen to cotton to denim to hemp. Being able to choose the material - where do you get that today?!

I’m a big fan of their Yard Shirts – have them in six different colours and fabrics - linen for summer and thicker cotton for winter. I connect with their ethos and have even started tracking my cost per wear!

WEBSITE LINK: https://www.dilli.house