Interview: Troye Sivan on His Tsu Lange Yor Pop-Up in NYC
A serene sensory immersion into the recording artist and creative director’s independent design brand
In August 2023, recording artist Troye Sivan debuted Tsu Lange Yor—a lifestyle and design brand of nuanced personal and home fragrances as well as artful objects, all conceived of and crafted in his homeland of Australia. Today, the charming items—designed to cast a sense of serenity and sophistication in one’s home—have become available in a warm, welcoming New York City pop-up. More than a retail experience, it’s a thoughtfully designed immersion into Sivan’s vision for a brand that couples with the senses to evoke emotions. It’s here that guests can bring each item to life, whether by breathing in one of the fragrances or observing the physical presence, form and texture of the metal homewares.
There have been a few key moments in Sivan’s path toward Tsu Lange Yor. “The first was when I went to California for the first time, to the house of my manager, Brandon Creed,” Sivan tells COOL HUNTING. “He had a home with high design that wasn’t pretentious. It made me feel so comfortable. It was beautiful, artful and thoughtful. I think that’s what a home should do. That set me on this path, where I wanted to create a space like this for my friends and family.”
This is exactly what Sivan did, nesting in Melbourne, Australia and designing his own home with David Flack of Flack Studio. “I had so much fun,” he says, “But it was personal, it was for me and my family. Then, when I did the AD video and it got a lot of attention, there was a moment where I realized that so many other people care about this as much as I do. That led to Tsu Lange Yor because I feel like I have so much to say and my own point of view. I’m excited to share that with the world.”
Sivan has already garnered much attention for Tsu Lange Yor’s Bowl, a hand-cast ring composed of a recycled brass alloy. Produced in Sydney, the object marries a rough-hewn finish with an organic shape that suggests what a bowl would be if it had been pulled through the surface below. Even though it was designed in virtual reality, in collaboration with acclaimed industrial designer Joel Adler, there’s evidence of the hand and spirit of the people behind it. “For me, in any art, I’m always attracted to a human element,” Sivan says. “Perfect things can be sterile and boring to me. I want them to feel real and to communicate a feeling. I think that the most accurate way to do this is by being real with people and that’s reflected in our design across everything.”
Regarding the substantial material, Sivan speaks of his personal connection to another item and the need to reflect on that which we bring into our homes. “I bought a tiny brass antique spoon at a market,” he says. “It’s so old and I have no idea who owned it before me. I think about this every single morning as I make my coffee. It’s a really beautiful thing that somebody made. It makes me happy. It starts my day off right. I like to think that our products do the same. You are putting your lemons on your kitchen counter, but in a way that makes you slow down and think of their placement like you were organizing flowers rather than throwing them into some drawer in the fridge.”
Fragrances are such a personal experience—a sentiment that Sivan was well aware of when developing his with Craig Andrade of the Raconteur. “These first three hero fragrances are very personal to me,” he says. “One of our candles is called Sassafras, which is the name of the suburb where my parents live in Melbourne. It’s a forest-y, woody suburb. Sassafras is our take on that suburb as a scent. Then we’ve got Pool, which is inspired by Melbourne’s pool culture—when we all go to the pool on a hot day. And TLY 5755 is the first fragrance to use Tasmanian mountain pepper, an ingredient native to Australia. It’s complex and dynamic and changes so much throughout the day. It’s just a really beautiful Australian scent to me.” More fragrances are currently in development.
To visit the New York City pop-up—which runs 3-5 May at 372 Broome Street—is to activate each item, to understand the feelings they aim to inspire. It’s a sun-soaked foray into Sivan’s intention. “This is about taking a moment to care for yourself and your space,” he says of what he hopes people take away from his design passion. “This could be anything—one of our products, sure, but it could also be draping a scarf over the lamp on your bedside table to make the glow in your room warmer. I love where I live so much. I think it’s about encouraging other people to feel the same.”
What are your thoughts?