In this interview, Tali Butler shares the personal story behind Samson & Solomon Candle Co, the inspiration behind its signature scents and how a family tradition of remembrance became an emerging luxury home fragrance brand now preparing for a debut at Flying Solo in New York City.
For Tali Butler, founder of Samson & Solomon Candle Co, fragrance has always carried a sense of memory. Growing up, her parents travelled frequently, and her mother would return with elegant French perfumes for her daughters. Those scents became lasting reminders of moments and places, shaping Butler’s lifelong appreciation for the emotional power of fragrance.
Before launching her own brand, Butler spent more than twenty years building a career in recruitment within the global mining industry.
The idea for Samson & Solomon, however, came from a far more personal place. In 2023, after losing her mother to cancer, a family tradition of lighting candles in remembrance took on deeper meaning.
When her father began lighting candles regularly in her mother’s memory, Butler decided to learn how to make them herself.
What began as a simple gesture soon evolved into a creative pursuit. Experimenting with wax, fragrance and vessel design, Butler discovered a passion for crafting candles that bring atmosphere and quiet comfort into the home. From those early experiments, Samson & Solomon Candle Co was born.
Today the brand has become known for refined scent compositions, distinctive glass vessels and a design philosophy rooted in quiet luxury. Inspired by travel, memory and meaningful places, each fragrance is intended to evoke a sense of calm while elevating everyday interiors.
Following features in international titles published by Condé Nast, including House & Garden UK, Tatler, Vanity Fair and The World of Interiors, Samson & Solomon is beginning to attract global attention. The brand’s next step comes with an upcoming pop up at the flagship store of Flying Solo in New York City, marking its debut in one of the world’s most influential retail destinations.
The story behind Samson & Solomon
Can you tell us about your professional background, and what first drew you to fragrance and candle making?
For the past 23 years, I have built my career in recruitment, primarily within the global mining industry.
Alongside that world, however, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for fragrance. Growing up, my parents travelled extensively, and my mother would often bring back beautiful French perfumes for my sister and me. Those scents hold such vivid memories for me; fragrance has a remarkable way of capturing moments in time and attaching emotion to them.
In 2023, my life changed profoundly when I lost my mum to cancer. In our family, we have always had a tradition of lighting a candle in remembrance of those we have lost. It became something my dad did regularly to honour her memory. I said to him this was going to become expensive, so I said I would learn how to make them myself.
What began as a heartfelt gesture quickly became something much bigger. As I started experimenting with wax and fragrance, I discovered how powerful scent could be in creating atmosphere, comfort, and connection. From that moment of wanting to create something meaningful for my dad, Samson & Solomon Candle Co was born.
Was there a moment when Samson & Solomon went from being an idea to something you knew had real potential as a brand?
Yes, I remember this exactly. It was on a normal weekday evening, after a busy day at work, I sat down with a glass of wine and the inspiration seemed to arrive instantly, like a download. I started writing down the business name, registered it, the domain name, and then developing the fragrance notes.
Over a series of times, I didn’t stop, early mornings, late nights, weekends, perfecting what is now the signature collection.
How would you describe the essence of Samson & Solomon to someone discovering it for the first time, and what feeling do you hope each candle brings to a home?
Samson & Solomon Candle Co is about creating a sense of quiet luxury within the home. The brand is built around the idea that fragrance has the power to shape atmosphere, evoke memory, and transform everyday spaces into cozy and warm.
I intentionally designed the collection to be simple, elegant, and refined, allowing each piece to elevate a room while blending effortlessly into any interior.
With the luxury candle market so competitive, what gap did you see that you wanted Samson & Solomon to fill?
There are many beautiful candles on the market, some feel obscenely expensive and out of reach. I believe luxury should feel special but still accessible.
I have a love for statement pieces, and I noticed there was a gap in the market for candles that truly stand out within a space. That inspired me to source vessels that were distinctive and elegant, allowing the candle to become both a fragrance experience and a design piece.
Creating scents inspired by travel and memory
Your candles are known for refined scents and elegant presentation. What does your process look like when creating a new fragrance?
It’s quite simple really: I just create something that is beautiful to smell and to look at, refined, and hopefully what others would enjoy as well.
Where do you draw inspiration for your scents? Do they come from places, memories, interiors, or something else?
The Signature scents were inspired largely by my favourite places to travel and the iconic locations I love here in Australia and where I spent my childhood growing up. As Samson & Solomon began as a passion project, it felt natural to create scents that reflected places and moments that hold meaning for me. Each fragrance is designed to capture the feeling of those destinations.
Your signature scent, Go Get The Geisha, has a devoted following. What inspired the combination of orange bergamot, cherry blossom and tonka bean vanilla?
Japan and its culture have always held a special place in my heart. Learning Japanese from a young child was my favourite subject at school. I was then lucky enough to go on an exchange program, living with a host family, attending a Japanese school, and traveling across the country, immersing myself in the language, the culture, and everyday life.
That experience makes this one of my favourite scents; it’s sweet, subtle, and full of nostalgia, an absolute favourite.
Design, craftsmanship and sustainability
Sustainability and craftsmanship are central to Samson & Solomon. Why was it important to prioritise these from the start?
Sustainability was one of the most important factors when creating the brand. I wanted Samson & Solomon to feel luxurious while still being environmentally conscious and respectful of the world around us.
Everything down to our packaging is recyclable. The glass vessels are designed to be reused long after the candle has finished burning, encouraging customers to repurpose them within their home rather than discard them.
It was important to me that beauty and responsibility could exist together.
The vessels feel like design objects rather than just containers. How important is design when creating a new piece?
Design is key. The vessel isn’t just a container – it’s an object that complements interiors, feels intentional, and enhances the overall experience of the candle, while looking amazing!
Samson & Solomon has a refined, understated aesthetic often described as quiet luxury. Was this intentional from the start, or did it evolve naturally?
From the very beginning, I wanted the products to feel timeless, refined, and intentional, pieces that seamlessly become part of someone’s home.
Global recognition and growing demand
When did you first realise Samson & Solomon was gaining international attention, with features in titles like House & Garden UK, Tatler and Vanity Fair?
It was when in Japan last year with my boys that I received an email from Conde Nast inviting the brand to feature in their magazines. I had to read it twice; it was an incredibly humbling experience to be recognised on a global stage.
Samson & Solomon started in Australia but now reaches homes worldwide. What has it been like seeing how people in different countries respond to your candles?
Incredibly humbling to see my products in homes around the world! Whilst we are new to the market, I love to hear from customers especially which fragrances they enjoy most.
Samson & Solomon’s New York debut
What does it mean for Samson & Solomon to be invited to join Flying Solo’s New York flagship store for the upcoming pop-up?
Being featured in Flying Solo’s New York flagship store is such an exciting launchpad for the brand. To have our products showcased in New York City – the global mecca of fashion and beauty – is incredibly humbling.
Flying Solo champions independent designers. What made partnering with them the right choice for this debut?
The intention behind starting Samson & Solomon was always to enter the high-end luxury homewares market, creating pieces that resonate with customers who appreciate quality and refinement. Flying Solo provides the perfect launchpad for the brand, and I’m incredibly excited to share our debut with the world.
What can visitors expect to see, smell and feel at the Samson & Solomon pop-up in April?
As the pop-up features limited products, customers will get to see three different products with four of our signature scents. I think each and every one is a fave of mine, but I do think Cuban Cigar is going to be one they will love.
Are there specific scents or pieces you are especially excited for New York customers to discover?
I especially love the cloche: it’s unique, different, bold and a statement piece. Pairing it with a diffuser in the home creates a beautiful scent story that flows throughout the space, which is something I would love to see my customers embrace.
New York is one of the world’s top luxury retail destinations. Do you see this pop-up as a key milestone for Samson & Solomon internationally?
Absolutely. It’s the perfect debut for the brand to enter the luxury retail space, and there’s no better place than New York City.
It’s where creatives of every kind go to launch themselves, fashion designers, artists, actors – anyone seeking that defining moment. For Samson & Solomon, it feels like the perfect stage to step into the market.
The experience of scent at home
Fragrance is a sensory experience that is hard to communicate online. How important is it for people to experience your candles in person?
It’s incredibly important that people can touch, feel, and smell the products in person. While fragrance notes can give a sense of a scent online, nothing truly compares to experiencing it for yourself.
Being able to interact with the candle – the vessel, the texture, and the fragrance – creates a much deeper connection to the product.
Samson & Solomon encourages a slower, more intentional lifestyle. In a city as energetic as New York, how do you hope visitors will experience that calm through scent?
I hope the fragrances offer visitors a small moment of pause – an opportunity to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with their space. Scent has a beautiful way of transforming a room, and my hope is that each candle creates a quiet, grounding experience within the rhythm of the city.
When someone lights a Samson & Solomon candle for the first time, what experience do you hope it creates?
Scent has such a powerful way of shaping how we feel in a space, and my hope is that the experience feels calming, comforting, and quietly luxurious. Something that elevates an everyday moment into something a little more special.
Looking ahead…
Looking ahead to the coming months of 2026, what does the next stage of growth look like for Samson & Solomon in the global luxury candle market?
Looking ahead, the next stage of growth is expanding our presence within the global luxury market.
Being featured in New York is an important first step, and from there, I hope to continue building relationships with high-end retailers around the world.
My vision is for Samson & Solomon to become a recognised luxury home fragrance brand, one that people associate with beautiful design, evocative scents, and pieces that elevate everyday living.
Finally, what is your favourite travel destination and why?
London would have to be one of my favourite places on earth. Living there in my early twenties, I couldn’t absorb enough of the city and its culture. While Samson & Solomon isn’t based in London, our Sherwood Forest signature scent was inspired by those memories of living in the UK, travelling and absorbing its culture.
As Samson & Solomon continues to grow, Tali Butler’s vision remains grounded in intention, craftsmanship and a deep respect for the power of scent to shape memory and atmosphere.
Each fragrance and vessel builds quietly, yet confidently, on the last, inviting people to bring moments of calm, elegance and presence into their homes.
To explore the Signature collection, including the newest scents and designs, visit www.samsonandsolomoncandleco.com.au, and follow the brand’s journey and behind the scenes moments on Instagram at @samsonandsolomoncandleco and on Facebook at Samson & Solomon Candle Co, where memory, design and quiet luxury continue to unfold.
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