The Interview: LUMIRA founder Almira Armstrong on storytelling, sustainability and its UK launch

Almira Armstrong founded LUMIRA, the B Corp-certified fragrance house, in 2013, creating perfumes, candles and bodycare inspired by travel, nature and mood. The brand has a strong focus on sustainability and is crafted in Sydney, but has now hit the UK with its first retailer, Boots.

How did you start the brand and what was your inspiration?

LUMIRA began in 2013, very organically. I’ve always loved fragrance - some of my earliest memories are of being a child and playing with my mother’s perfume bottles, fascinated by how something invisible could feel so powerful and expressive. That curiosity stayed with me.

Years later, while living between Sydney and Europe, I felt there was a gap for fragrance that was modern, transportive and emotionally led. I was drawn to the idea that scent could act as a portal - instantly taking you to a place, a moment, a feeling. LUMIRA grew from that intersection of early fascination, travel and memory, combined with a desire to create something considered, beautiful and responsibly made.

The brand is inspired in part by travel. What does your creative process look like?

Travel is always the starting point, but not in a literal, postcard way. It’s more about capturing the atmosphere of a place - the light, the heat, the architecture, the rituals. I work very visually at first, building mood boards with imagery, textures and colour before we even talk about notes.

At its core, the process is still driven by that same sense of curiosity I had early on, the idea that scent can tell a story without words. From there, I collaborate closely with perfumers to translate a feeling into fragrance. It’s a slow, intuitive process, and we are always asking how we want someone to feel when they wear or experience it.

Can you talk us through the range and your bestsellers?

We design our collections to work together as rituals rather than standalone products. Fragrance sits at the heart of the brand, supported by candles and bodycare that allow customers to extend that scent story into their homes and daily routines.

Our candles are hand-poured using a soy-coconut wax blend, and our body care is designed to feel elevated yet functional. In terms of bestsellers, Cuban Tobacco continues to resonate globally across fragrance and home, while Solar Neroli has become a favourite for customers seeking something fresh, radiant and layered.

Who is your customer base?

Our customer is curious, design-led and emotionally driven. They are not necessarily chasing trends, they are looking for something personal and considered. Many are well travelled or creatively minded, and they appreciate craftsmanship, storytelling and sustainability. We see a strong crossover between fragrance lovers and those drawn to interiors, travel and lifestyle.

You’ve just arrived in the UK and landed at Boots. What made you choose this retailer and what are your plans moving forward?

Boots felt like a natural partner because of their evolving approach to beauty and fragrance. They are investing in discovery, education and niche brands in a way that really aligns with how we want customers to experience LUMIRA.

It was important for us to enter the UK thoughtfully rather than widely, and Boots allows us to do that with credibility and reach. Moving forward, our focus is on building awareness, supporting in-store storytelling and continuing to grow in a way that feels considered rather than rushed.

You’re a B Corp - how does sustainability show up in your business today and through the production process?

Sustainability is embedded in how we operate rather than treated as a marketing layer. We produce locally, use recyclable glass and FSC-certified packaging, and avoid unnecessary materials across our products.

Our suppliers are carefully chosen, and we are constantly reviewing how we can improve - whether that’s formulation, logistics or packaging design. Becoming B Corp certified was an important milestone because it holds us accountable as we scale.

Fragrance is notoriously difficult to sell online. Do you agree and how do you overcome this?

Fragrance is deeply personal, so yes, it can be challenging, but that’s also what makes it powerful. For many people, scent is tied to memory and emotion long before it’s tied to a brand or a trend.

We focus on helping customers reconnect with that instinctive relationship to fragrance through storytelling, discovery sets and mood-based curation. Rather than telling people what they should like, we guide them back to how fragrance is meant to be experienced, intuitively and emotionally.

There are some really exciting niche fragrance brands today. Is it hard to keep what makes a niche brand special as it scales?

It can be, if growth becomes the only focus. For us, staying niche is about maintaining intention - being selective, protecting the creative process and not compromising on values.

Scale doesn’t have to mean dilution if you’re clear on who you are and why you exist. We are very conscious of growing at a pace that allows us to preserve that integrity.

Finally, what other fragrance brands do you admire and why?

I’m drawn to brands that lead with restraint and emotion rather than noise. Those that understand design, craftsmanship and storytelling, and aren’t afraid to leave space for interpretation. I admire brands that evolve quietly and stay true to their original vision - that’s something I’m always mindful of with LUMIRA.

Ultimately, I think that early fascination with perfume never really leaves you, it just evolves. LUMIRA is about honouring that sense of wonder, while creating something meaningful for the way we live now.