Despite selling 132 types of candles and candle gift sets, for many people, Anthropologie has become synonymous with a single scent: the Capri Blue Volcano. It’s been sold in stores since 2001, and in shops where you can legally light candles, it is often employees’ go-to fragrance, prompting shoppers to refer to it as “the Anthro scent.”
And since 2004, Google searches for the candle have only climbed (and peaked around April 2020), when we were all looking for comfort during quarantine. So, as Anthropologie celebrates 20 years of carrying the scent, we had to ask: What makes this fragrance so magical, and why, after all these years, has it only grown more popular?
Honestly, it comes down to a variety of factors. “I think it was this zeitgeist of a beautiful vessel, a really great scent and it becoming a signature part of the environment here,” says Catherine Moellering, the brand’s general merchandising manager of Beauty, Gifts and Entertaining.
Indeed, the company offers the Volcano scent in 36 ways to suit a variety of aesthetics and needs—from mercury glass to matte black jars, room sprays to multi-surface cleaner. There’s even a 130-ounce Colossal version boasting five wicks and a 250-hour burn time. “I’ve had moments where I’m like, ‘Should we just make a coffee table [out of it]?’” Moellering jokes.
