David & Kavi Moltz (Co-founders, D.S. & DURGA): Building a Cult Fragrance Brand Through Scent, Storytelling, and Scrappiness.
Description
In this episode of Mission Critical, Lance catches up with David and Kavi Moltz, the husband-and-wife duo behind the cult fragrance brand D.S. & DURGA. You might recognize their minimalist, design-forward bottles on the shelves of your favorite department store—clean fonts, matte black caps, and labels that evoke poetry, punk, and place in equal measure.
But what you won’t see on the shelf is the wild, unconventional journey behind the brand: starting from scratch in a Brooklyn apartment, hand-labeling bottles, learning perfumery without formal training, and scaling their business with zero investors for the first decade.
David and Kavi share how they built one of the most distinctive indie fragrance brands in the world—not by chasing trends, but by trusting their instincts, telling great stories, and growing slowly and intentionally.
Key Takeaways:
- Why creative integrity is a long game—and why it's worth it.
- Lessons in DIY brand-building without a business plan.
- How to stay independent while navigating growth and investment.
- Why "brand" and "business" don’t have to kill artistry.
- The value of trusting your weird ideas—and turning them into product.
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United States
