why I make fragrance as I was inspired to create a scent based on this grassy field I was in one day when I was feeling really depressed,” he said. “Just smelling that grass took me out of that situation and transported me back to memories of playing in a field as a kid…” Creating a career based on joy Before launching Max & Mace, Peagler worked for several news publications, including CBS News, where he was a supervising editorial producer. His role included booking guests for CBS News’ national broadcasts and chasing stories, from natural disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes to sporting events such as the NBA Finals. The work was mentally stimulating, said Peagler, but ultimately left him burned out and in need of a career shift. “I loved doing the work, but after a while, it really started to wear on me,” Peagler told Inside Retail. “When I’m traveling for these stories, I’m all in when it comes to interacting with people, many of whom are experiencing the worst day of their lives. That was a lot to take on as an individual, and it kind of left me feeling like there was more that I could say or do to give back.” Peagler recalled receiving signs that he should follow a more fragrant career path. The turning point came when he received an email newsletter from fragrance company DS & Durga. “It was then that a light bulb went off,” Peagler said. “I had completely forgotten that this [perfumery] was even a career that people do. I had just never put it together, which is funny, because there were so many things that led to this space.” His mother, an artist, had given him an appreciation for creative ventures. Chemistry was his strongest subject at school, and he regretted not pursuing it further in college. “When I discovered that you could make a career out of perfumery, I realized it was the perfect marriage of science and art, which really makes up who I am,” he said. “Then I just dove straight in.” Building a fragrance brand from the ground up Peagler began with “nose training”, as he called it, at the Pratt Institute, which offers an advanced perfumer certification program. He also bought a perfumer’s organ: a specialized workstation for arranging essential oils, absolutes, synthetics and extracts for blending. Every day, Peagler woke at 5 a.m. to experiment with scents before work, some admittedly better smelling than others. Two years after his epiphany, he launched Max & Mace in February through a direct-to-consumer (DTC) site. Its first four fragrances – “After Hours”, “Oasis Lily”, “Field Note” and “Sem Rival” – each came in a 10ml Eau de Parfum bottle. That same week, he attended his first artisan market, taking the brand directly to customers as soon as the site launched. “It’s really been off to the races since then,” Peagler said. “This year, I’ve released three more fragrance releases, and am continuing to work on other things. There’s been no looking back since I started.” Max & Mace has since grown to 22 SKUs, largely variants of its seven scents, Peagler said. The small-batch, New York-based premium fragrance brand is competing in a crowded market, from established names such as Guerlain and Gucci to emerging players such as Forvr Mood. In the US alone, the perfume market was valued at $7.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $14.7 billion by 2033. Sales come through the DTC site, in-person markets and pop-up events, including those hosted by the Brooklyn Museum. “Next steps will be upscaling from single-person production to outsourcing and larger inventory,” said Peagler. “That will allow me to promote more broadly and increase online sales, which currently bring in 16 per cent of total sales.” Beyond DTC, TikTok Shop and artisan markets, Peagler plans to expand into a high-end fragrance shop such as Scent Bar. For now, he enjoys building a niche fragrance brand through in-person events, where hearing the memories his fragrances evoke helps foster community. “It opened up conversations with people, getting to hear their stories and learn more about them, and we find our commonality that way,” he said. “This is why I make fragrance: to create joy and community with other people, and I think storytelling is the key to doing all that.” Further reading:  How is Forvr Mood moving beyond influencer appeal?