The founders of Ex Idolo, Tanya and Matthew Zhuk, were inspired by the forgotten story of May Coyle and Thomas Howard in their most romantic 1905 Boston prison escape. May’s daring plan to smuggle saws into the prison in a wedding cake, led them both to escape the same night. The nationwide press coverage that followed made them folk heroes of the day, even more so when May was acquitted of all charges with the support of the nation behind her. May’s bravery was translated into LOVE & CRIME resulting in a deep-gourmande floral; The dark notes of cocoa juxtapose against the brightness of red mandarin and pink pepper to act as a metaphor illustrating how life’s cross roads can reveal hidden layers within our personalities.
The notes structure reflects the cake that May used as an instrument of escape.

LUCID DREAM, a woody-spicy floral is an olfactory exploration of lucid dreaming, and an ode to the potential hidden in every one of us. Lucid dreaming, a semi meditative state in which a person is aware they are asleep but are able to control their surroundings has been practiced since antiquity by Tibetan monks. Many of the world’s greatest artists, musicians and scientists sourced their inspiration from this special type of dream state.

EX IDOLO’s Creative Director, Tanya Zhuk used these inspirational narratives to create poems and develop illustrations to give the fragrances multi-dimensional representation.


Must hide my armour in sweet secret, high time to use tradition as a vice
Night grows large, heart braves the fear that’s made of bars and slate
I know they won’t like such caper, but those with me would make a state
And if I had to I would get down to the nitty gritty not just this once but twice, and thrice.