Dimitri Weber: "I don’t follow trends, I create trends..."
- Editor @ La Page M
- Mar 13, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 14, 2025
Australia may not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about luxury perfumery, but Dimitri Weber, founder of Goldfield & Banks Australia, saw it differently. With decades of experience working with the world’s most prestigious fragrance houses, he arrived in Australia and discovered an untapped olfactory landscape.
LA PAGE M: Many French-speaking individuals seem naturally drawn to the perfume industry, yet you chose to enter the perfumery business, which is not the simplest industry to navigate. Why did you decide to establish a perfume brand?
Dimitri Weber: I have worked in the fragrance industry for three decades - first spending 20 years with global brands like Yves Saint Laurent, Tom Ford, and Narciso Rodriguez. Then, about 10 years ago, I moved to Australia and established my own brand. My experience gave me credibility and the drive to continue in the industry.
Australia is strong in other industries—wine, cheese, fashion, skincare. Aesop, Zimmermann, and R.M. Williams have built an international reputation. I thought, “Why not perfume?” I had the expertise and the background, so I took the risk. I started with a few fragrances, invested carefully, and now, eight and a half years later, we are recognized as the Australian luxury fragrance house, working with Harrods, Bloomingdale’s, and more. It was a challenge, but I enjoy challenges.
I have always been a bit of an outsider. I wasn’t the type to follow conventional paths. Even in large corporations, I was the only contractor in a company that never hired contractors. I always had my own ideas and projects. But interestingly, it was never my dream to create my own fragrance house.
LA PAGE M: Your brand is deeply connected to raw Australian materials and craftsmanship. What made you focus on these elements?
Dimitri Weber: If we go back to history, Joseph Banks, a British botanist, traveled with Captain Cook in the 18th century to the South Pacific. He introduced European audiences to Australian botanicals—mimosa, banksia flowers, eucalyptus. These ingredients have a rich legacy, but their story was never told through perfumery.
When I first brought Australian raw materials like Buddha wood oil and Boronia oil to international perfumers, they were mesmerized. It was something different. Instead of focusing on overused European floral notes, I wanted to explore Australia’s native ingredients. Like the ancient voyagers who traveled the Silk Road and returned with treasures, I brought something unique to the industry.
Our fragrances celebrate the extraordinary beauty of Australia, its landscapes, and its biodiversity. This isn’t just a brand; it’s a fragrance house with a true olfactory identity.
LA PAGE M: Many brands cater to consumer trends, offering fragrances that align with popular demand. Are you playing into these trends?
Dimitri Weber: No. I don’t follow trends, I create trends. I take in everything around me, but in the end, I do what I believe in. That’s what makes our brand stand out. Each fragrance evokes a place, a part of Australia’s nature and culture.
Even though we manufacture in France—because luxury still requires French expertise—we remain authentically Australian. We use Australian ingredients, and this blend of heritage and innovation is what makes our fragrances unique. Interestingly, now perfumers approach us with new Australian ingredients, eager to collaborate. We’ve put Australia on the olfactory map.
LA PAGE M: What’s next for Goldfield & Banks?
Dimitri Weber: I don’t see myself as following a business plan dictated by trends. Perfumery is about vision. Our success comes from authenticity, and that’s what we will continue to build upon. The journey is far from over, and I’m excited for what’s to come.
