Nonfiction has launched a new campaign that pairs its fragrances with a distinctly New York cast, marking an expansion in both geography and creative direction. The project was led by Commission, the New York-based creative duo of Jin Kay and Dylan Cao, who took on their first art direction assignment outside of their own label. The collaboration brings together fashion, fragrance, and atmosphere in a way that reflects Nonfiction’s growing presence beyond Asia.
The imagery centers on fresh faces from New York, a fitting choice for a brand that recently opened its first store outside Asia in the city last month. That retail debut signaled a major step for Nonfiction, and the new campaign builds on that momentum by placing the brand in a cultural landscape known for its pace, individuality, and creative energy. By setting the fragrances against New York talent and sensibilities, the campaign gives the scents a new context and a more internationally visible identity.
Founded by Haeyoung Cha, Nonfiction has positioned the campaign as an exploration of the “contrasting moods” of two different fragrances. Rather than presenting scent as a simple product story, the brand is leaning into mood, emotion, and suggestion. Cha said the project introduces “a bolder, more evocative approach to scent storytelling,” indicating a desire to move beyond standard fragrance advertising and toward something more cinematic and expressive.
Commission’s involvement adds another layer to the project. Known for a visual language shaped by tension and feeling, Kay and Cao described their creative sensibility as existing between “restraint, desire, and longing.” That emotional range became the foundation for the campaign, which they said was designed to feel like “a moment you can’t quite place but can’t forget.” Their statement suggests a deliberate effort to create an image-driven experience that lingers in memory rather than simply communicating product attributes.
The campaign’s tone reflects a broader shift in how fragrance brands are presenting themselves. Instead of relying only on luxury cues or polished product shots, Nonfiction is using narrative and mood to deepen its brand identity. By combining a newly expanded market presence with a visually and emotionally textured campaign, the company is signaling ambition while preserving a sense of intimacy.
The New York setting is also significant because it connects the brand’s physical retail growth with its creative evolution. Opening a store in the city gave Nonfiction a foothold in one of the world’s most influential fashion and beauty markets, and this campaign extends that foothold into the language of imagery and storytelling. With Commission’s debut art direction project and Nonfiction’s push into a new region, the collaboration stands as both a brand statement and a creative milestone.
Overall, the campaign presents fragrance as an emotional experience shaped by place, memory, and atmosphere. Through its New York casting, restrained yet evocative visuals, and emphasis on contrasting scents, Nonfiction is aiming to create a narrative that feels contemporary, sophisticated, and memorable.
