As creator-led brands gain steam, Kenny Sebastian bets on fragrance with Bombay Shaving Co.

A growing number of influencers and digital creators are no longer limiting themselves to selling products or collaborations – they’re building full-fledged brands. Kenny Sebastian, a comedian by profession for the past 15 years, views this as the logical next step for creators who have already mastered the art of converting audiences into paying customers.

“We already sell tickets. We know how to convert audiences into paying customers,” he says, adding that creators understand distribution and engagement far better than traditional celebrities.

Kenny himself has entered the space with The Stage, his fragrance line developed in partnership with Bombay Shaving Company (BSC). Though practically speaking, he is clear that creators can’t do it alone.

“You need someone who understands production, capital and distribution. It’s a marriage of two strengths,” he says, highlighting how the collaboration brought his vision to life.  The partnership began organically after a conversation on a podcast with BSC’s founder, Shantanu Deshpande, where the two discussed legacy, creativity and building products from scratch.

He recalls that Deshpande challenged him on why he had never considered creating a product despite a 15-year career in entertainment.

“My entire career was based around non-product work. But I always wanted to make something tangible,” he said, adding that earlier attempts with merchandise and journals had taught him how difficult it is to build a product that meets high creative and quality standards.

A year-long development process

Kenny did not want to run up things and fall into the creator brand “launch-and-fade” trap. He explains that his goal with The Stage was never to create a temporary spike in buzz. He wanted to avoid becoming a one-time novelty that fades when a new fragrance arrives. 

Many creator-led businesses enjoy strong launches but eventually lose momentum, and he was determined not to fall into that pattern.

“I don’t want people to think ki achcha toh woh chala gaya (Oh, so he is gone.) The whole point is that The Stage should feel like a steady, ongoing brand,” he says.

He followed a year-long journey into product development – from selecting fragrance oils and visiting factories to choosing bottles, packaging and brand identity.

He says he was given “complete control” over the process, reviewing nearly 90 fragrance samples before narrowing them down.

The line launches with two variants, priced at Rs 1,495 for 100 ml: Mic Check, an aqua daytime fragrance, and Spotlight, created for evening wear. The names stem from the world he knows best: the stage. “Before any show, we always do a mic check. It made perfect sense for a fragrance meant for stepping into the day,” he said.

He also emphasises that every component – oils, bottles, packaging – is made in India.

Why fragrance?

Currently, we know about many brands led by influencers across categories such as fashion, FMCG, makeup, athleisure and even intimacy, so what made Kenny choose fragrance?

According to him, fragrances offer creative scope without the safety risks associated with food or skincare. “I wanted something I understood but could also learn more about. And I would rather not make a product that could cause any health problems,” he says.

View this post on Instagram

He adds that as a comedian with a critical and discerning audience, he was wary of creating a product that felt purely commercial. “My audience can tell if something is made just for money. I needed to build something I genuinely like and use,” he adds.

Kenny is now part of a wider movement of creators turning entrepreneurs. Kusha Kapila has launched her own lingerie label, Underneat; Bhuvan Bam co-founded the sexual wellness brand Peppy; and Parul Gulati built Nish Hair, a hair extensions and accessories brand that has grown significantly since its inception.

Marketing through lived experiences, not hard sells

Kenny says he does not intend to market the fragrances through traditional ads or brand placements in his comedy sets. Instead, the products will appear “organically” across his life- his podcast, shows, giveaways, and interactions with fans.

This is quite unusual for the field he works in. A lot of stand-up comics now slide in brand collabs while performing. In fact, POP UPI and Spinny sponsored Samay Raina’s India's Got Latent show on YouTube.

On the other side, comedians go viral during some shows and then get brand deals. Again from Latent, Sharon Verma, a stand-up comedian, went viral online for describing herself as a “weak independent woman” and later partnered with credit card company OneCard for a collaboration.

In this instance, a brand leveraged her dialogue to promote its product effectively.

“It’s a lifestyle product, not something you need but something you want,” he said. At live shows, audience members can even try testers. “I’m going to talk about it the way I would if I were selling it to myself,” says Kenny.

He also acknowledges the challenge of selling fragrances online, where customers can’t test the product firsthand. Still, he is realistic that it would take time for people to discover and trust the brand.

Integrating the brand across his IPs

To maintain momentum, Kenny has embedded the fragrances into all his creative properties and frequently collaborates with fellow creators – only those who genuinely like the product.

He insists on letting them test it on camera, aware that comedians, in particular, won’t hesitate to give unfiltered reactions. Authenticity, he says, is non-negotiable.

His expansion plans are driven by the passionate “fragrance community”—people who own dozens of perfumes and share detailed feedback, from summery notes to peachy variants. He wants future launches to be shaped by this group while ensuring casual users can also find a scent they love. The long-term vision is a curated range of 10–12 distinct fragrances.

For now, he has no plans to expand into other categories. Even when the brand suggested it, he declined, preferring to master one domain first.

“You can’t become an expert in six months,” he says. For now, he’s focused solely on making fragrances that feel unique and thoughtfully crafted.

He stays away from brand partnerships as a professional unless he has complete faith in the product. Even earlier ventures- like his premium journal, priced at Rs 1,500—prioritised quality over mass appeal. His contract with The Stage's production partner reflects this: if quality drops, he will walk away.

As a first-time entrepreneur, Kenny’s success metric is emotional rather than financial. He says he’ll feel truly accomplished when someone tells him they use the fragrance because they genuinely love it. 

What excites him most is the tangibility of the fragrance. Unlike videos or performances, a perfume sits on someone’s dressing table – an everyday presence that carries meaning. 

“It’s a small way of being part of their life even when the show ends,” he says.