The clue is in the name: New York City loves the new — especially when a debut involves scent, skyline views, and a guest list that reads like a very chic group chat. This week, Sharmadean Reid unveiled 39BC stateside for the first time, taking over the Penthouse at The Manner for a one-day-only gifting suite and press gathering that felt more like an intimate salon than a splashy launch.
Set high above the city, the decadent penthouse became a kind of scented hideaway — part gathering, part ritual space — with sweeping skyline views, private outdoor terraces, and rooftop views of the endlessly-invigorating NYC skyline. Family, friends, and fashion-world fixtures drifted through all day, bathing in the world of 39BC.
Among those popping by: Jon Gray of Ghetto Gastro, Vogue's Fashion Market Editor Naomi Elizée Blue, KRAUM founder Annie Kreighbaum, and designer Tremaine Emory — a crowd fluent in both cultural codes and good scent.
The setting did plenty of the talking. Designed by Hannes Peer, The Manner’s Penthouse leans into old New York glamour with a modern edge (it was inspired by Halston's iconic offices in the Olympic Tower on Fifth Avenue). Brutalist bones softened by a residential sensibility, all wrapped in bold red lacquer. A dramatic double-height window anchors the space, while plush carpeting and layered details create a cocoon-like calm. It couldn't be more 39BC if it tried.
At the heart of it all was 39BC’s debut collection, Alexandria: four scented bath and shower oils inspired by ancient bathing rituals and the enduring mythos of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. Think private tenderness meets soft power, bottled – an alluring combination for a city that demands both. Throughout the day, Sharmadean Reid personally introduced guests to the world of 39BC, guiding them through the scents with the ease of a host rather than a founder — sharing the stories, rituals, and references behind each oil, and encouraging everyone to experience them slowly, on skin, in their own time.
In a place that’s seen everything, 39BC’s New York introduction made an intimate impression. It's sure to be the first of many.
