Dsquared2: Intimate Sensuality Within Strength

“Contrast plays an important role in the philosophy of Dsquared2. At our fashion shows we speak loudly, but with fragrance we wanted to whisper: intimate sensuality within strength. Remember: your fragrance should never enter a room before you do.”

— Dean & Dan Caten

Basic Information
The Founders and the Brand’s Origins
Its Fragrance Philosophy and Commitments
1. The Idea of “Fragrance as an Accessory”
2. Bottle Design: Using Wood as a Material
Fragrance Lineup
1. The First Generation: The Birth of “Wood” (the Angelini Beauty Era)
2. The Second Generation: Renewal in the Euroitalia Era
Incidentally…

Basic Information

Founded: 1995 (the first collection was presented in 1994)

Founders: Dean Caten and Dan Caten

Official website: https://www.dsquared2.com

Note: “Dsquared2” means “D squared” (D × D), referring to the fact that both founders’ first names begin with D.

The Founders and the Brand’s Origins

The Youngest of Nine Children, on the Outskirts of Toronto

Dean and Dan Caten were born on December 19, 1964, in the Willowdale district of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are identical twins and were the youngest of nine children. Their father was a welder who had emigrated from Italy’s Lazio region and shortened the original family name, Catenacci, to Caten in an effort to fit into his new home. Their mother was from England.

The Caten family was not wealthy, and the brothers faced severe bullying at school.

“School was never easy. We were often bullied, but we had each other. We didn’t need friends. If we needed anything, we could retreat into our own world as twins.”

— Dan Caten

Dean expressed a similar sentiment in a later interview: “We tried to turn negativity into energy and become strong and creative.” Both have consistently said that their difficult childhood became the driving force that led them toward fashion as a means of expression.

From childhood, designing clothes for their five sisters was part of everyday life. Their sisters had different musical tastes, ranging from disco queens to folk singers and rockers. The experience of creating different styles for them is also said to have laid the foundation for Dsquared2’s multifaceted design aesthetic.

One Semester at Parsons, Then Back to Toronto

In 1983, the year they turned nineteen, the twins moved to New York and enrolled at Parsons The New School for Design, also known for having educated Marc Jacobs, Alexander Wang, and Tom Ford. Their time there lasted just one semester, however. Returning to Toronto, they began their careers as junior designers at the local Canadian brand Ports International.

“We had a wonderful mentor there. He taught us how important the height of a breast pocket was. About cutting a collar. He believed in us when no one else did.”

— Dean Caten

In 1986, they secured financial backing and launched their first independent womenswear label, DEanDAN. In 1988, they became creative directors of Ports International, now Ports 1961, helping move the brand upmarket.

To Milan: A Turning Point in Encountering Italian Craftsmanship

“Eight years after returning from Parsons, we finally decided to take the big leap and make our dream come true in Italy.”

In 1991, the Caten brothers moved to Milan. There, they found work at Gianni Versace’s design house and the denim brand Diesel. Diesel’s founder and president, Renzo Rosso, recognized their talent and decided to provide financial backing.

One particularly striking anecdote is that, while the brothers were growing up in Toronto, their father disliked denim as a sign of having no money. Raised by a father who insisted they wear ordinary trousers, they would later develop their brand under denim giant Diesel. This ironic reversal of fate feels almost cinematic.

“Homesick Canada”: The Milan Debut

In 1994, the Caten brothers finally presented their first menswear collection as Dsquared2. Its title was “Homesick Canada,” making their longing for Canada the brand’s very starting point. The fusion of their Canadian-born identity with craftsmanship honed in Italy became the defining duality at the heart of Dsquared2.

“Canada is where we were born, and a major source of inspiration for us.”

The brand’s motto has taken different forms since then, but today the words “Born in Canada, living in London, made in Italy” succinctly express its spirit.

They held their first runway show in Milan in 1995 and introduced their first womenswear collection in 2003. Naomi Campbell featured in that debut show, and Karolína Kurková is also reported to have walked in it. Relationships with internationally renowned entertainers including Madonna, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, and Beyoncé rapidly raised the brand’s profile.

Its Fragrance Philosophy and Commitments

The Idea of “Fragrance as an Accessory”

Dsquared2 entered the world of perfume in 2006–2007, at least a decade after the brand’s establishment. Its fragrance license at the time was held by ITF, Italian Fragrances, which was later integrated into Angelini Beauty. Reports state that as many as seventeen fragrances were released during the licensing period from 2006 to 2018.

“Fragrance is a sensual experience that says everything about you and your personality. It is the most distinctive and intimate element, setting someone apart from others in an unobtrusive way. We see scent as a special accessory that is personal and defines the style and character of Dsquared2.”

— Dean & Dan Caten

This philosophy of fragrance as an accessory has remained consistent. It explains why, while making bold visual statements at their fashion shows, they chose to “whisper” through scent. Here, too, the aesthetic of contrast between strength and intimacy runs throughout.

Bottle Design: Using Wood as a Material

The feature that most clearly distinguishes Dsquared2 fragrances from those of other brands is their unwavering commitment to literally incorporating wood into the bottle.

For the debut fragrance, He Wood, a perfectly square glass bottle was framed in Canadian red alder wood. Giving physical form to the roots of the two brothers who love Canada’s forests, this design was something of a crafted object in its own right.

“Wood is a solid presence, a reassuring material. It evokes memories of scent, a personal refuge, and a vivid sensation.”

After the license moved to Euroitalia in 2018, the bottle design was also renewed. The new Wood series deliberately abandoned the approach of covering the bottle as a whole in wood, using it only for a cap made from the finest ash. Each cap is shaped by hand and has a magnetic closure. It is said to rely on an almost-lost craft.

“We won’t kill trees anymore.”

— Dean Caten (in an interview with WWD)

The glass at the base of the bottle is curved using a distinctive manufacturing process, creating an interior space like a second, teardrop-shaped ampoule. It is a visual device that makes the liquid stand out even more beautifully. The packaging always bears a maple-leaf seal, Canada’s symbol, quietly affirming the brand’s Canadian ties.

Fragrance Lineup

The First Generation: The Birth of “Wood” (the Angelini Beauty Era)

He Wood [2007] was the brand’s first men’s fragrance. It was composed by Firmenich perfumer Daphne Bugey. Its top “air accord” evokes the clear air of Canada’s old-growth forests through white fir, vegetal amber, and musk. In the middle “water accord,” violet leaf and aquatic notes bring a dewy freshness. Powerful cedar and vetiver take root in the base.

The following year, 2008, brought the first women’s fragrance, She Wood, again composed by Daphne Bugey. Retaining the Wood structure, it combines a light opening of lemon, neroli, and jasmine, a soft middle of violet and heliotrope, and a warm base of cedar, vetiver, and amber, uniting a clean character with natural elegance.

“We started with the men’s fragrance and made it feminine. We weren’t trying to create a women’s fragrance from scratch. It isn’t overly feminine, so even we can wear it. The two scents complement each other and can be loved beyond their time.”

— Dan & Dean Caten (WWD, May 16, 2008)

In 2009, He Wood Rocky Mountain Wood appeared. Taking the Canadian Rockies as its theme, it rendered nature in three dimensions through three accords: mineral amber, incense, and musk (“rocky notes”); violet, Canadian lily, and white pepper (“mountain notes”); and vetiver and cedarwood (“wood notes”). This, too, was a creation by Daphne Bugey.

Another notable fragrance from this period is Want, released in 2015. Perfumer Aurélien Guichard created this oriental-floral women’s fragrance, which moves from a lively opening of mandarin, ginger, and pink pepper to a soft heart of Damask rose, heliotrope, and neroli, then a warm lingering impression of Madagascar vanilla and vanilla absolute. Its sweetness and sensuality set it apart from the Wood series.

The Second Generation: Renewal in the Euroitalia Era

In May 2018, Dsquared2 signed an agreement with Euroitalia as its new fragrance-business partner. One of Italy’s leading perfume companies, Euroitalia also develops fragrances for Versace, Moschino, and Missoni.

The first releases with Euroitalia were Wood Pour Homme and Wood Pour Femme, announced in September that year. Two leading perfumers from major fragrance company Firmenich were appointed: Alberto Morillas for the men’s fragrance and Marie Salamagne for the women’s.

Wood Pour Homme opens with three Italian citrus notes, Calabrian bergamot, Sicilian lemon, and mandarin, moving through a spicy middle of ginger, violet leaf, and cardamom before settling into a deep trail of ambrox, blond woods, and vetiver. Wood Pour Femme begins vividly with mandarin and raspberry leaf, followed by flowers of lily of the valley, magnolia, osmanthus, and jasmine, and closes with a clear trail of white woods, cedar, and ambrox.

The range later added Green Wood for men, with its striking deep-green bottle, and Red Wood for women, in a vivid red bottle. Green Wood has a dynamic opening of lemon, santolina, and Bourbon pepper, a woody middle of cedarwood, vetiver, and resins, and a powerful base of cypriol, ambrox, and musk.

Incidentally…

The Secret of the Brand Name: “Dsquared2” is quite literally “D squared,” a playful reference to the fact that both brothers’ names begin with D.

Their Drag Period in Milan: In the early 1990s, when they were trying to establish themselves as designers in Milan and work was proving hard to find, the brothers spent a period earning money by performing in clubs in drag. Dan recalls: “We were trying to become designers, but it wasn’t as easy as we’d expected. Dressing up was the best way to earn money and be creative.”

The Vancouver Olympics: At the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, they designed costumes for the Canadian artists performing at the opening and closing ceremonies. They also participated in the torch relay.

Anti-Bullying Work: Having experienced bullying as children, the brothers strongly support the anti-bullying initiative Be Cool Be Nice. In 2017, they also designed a capsule collection for it.

References