I love scented candles. I love the way they create a mood, or evoke a memory, or enhance a season. I like having a wide variety of scents and I recently added a new one to my collection from 100 Years of Love. I purchased it at the Spring One of a Kind Show and had the opportunity to meet and chat with the company’s co-founding brother and sister team, Tim and Suman Guram. I got to know about their brand values, how they create their scents, and learned the interesting stories behind some of their product names. It’s a pleasure to introduce Tim and Suman, and 100 Years of Love candles.
Tim and Suman were born and raised in Toronto and share a deep love for their home city, especially for its diverse mix of people that make up its population. They created their company based on the idea of boundless love — their brand philosophy reflects the diversity they see in Toronto and their belief that love is about everyone regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation. Tim and Suman’s candles are their way of bringing this love and positivity to the world, since the act of lighting a candle allows you to focus on that positivity, take a moment to reflect, and share that positivity forward. For all the love and positive energy they put out there, Tim and Suman focus just as much thoughtfulness and care internally into their product, and make the most effort to put the best quality product into the market. 100 Years of Love was founded two years ago, but Tim and Suman spent a year focusing exclusively on research and development to create their line of scented candles.
I had a hard time settling on which candle to buy because they all smell so amazing! In the end, I chose Mujer de la Noche, with a fragrance note derived from tuberose. The scent is made up of sophisticated and rich floral notes and opulent tuberose. My experience of the scent takes me back to some of my favourite memories: vacations spent laying on a beach by the ocean, and summers relaxing by the pool (there’s something about the scent that reminds me of my sun-bathing products!). While I was initially attracted to the scent for scent’s sake, I have to admit that I was also drawn in by the candle’s name, and the story behind it. “Mujer de la Noche” translates to “Woman of the Night” in Spanish, and the reason Tim and Suman chose to give this candle a Spanish name was to honour the tuberose’s Mexican and Central American origins. They also wanted the name to have a sexy connotation, since in Victorian times it was believed that if a woman was left alone in a room with a tuberose blossom, she would die from seduction! There’s a story behind the name of each candle, and the name of the main fragrance ingredient usually ties in with the name they give the candle. As you might imagine, Tim and Suman had a lot of fun naming their products, and they were obviously very meticulous and thoughtful in doing so.
100 Years of Love is a conscious company and I love what they stand for. I’m so glad to have been introduced to this brand because it’s so rewarding to find a great quality product from a company that shares my own values. Tim and Suman are business owners who want to run a business that cares about things. Their brand name, 100 Years of Love, isn’t named for the last 100 years, they are so named because they are a forward-thinking company looking ahead to the next 100 years, a company that wants to live in a world that’s all about love, and their candle offering is how they share this love with the world.
Want more? Here’s what #WeWantToKnow about Tim and Suman:
Tim Guram:
I can't start my morning without...my morning meditation – I like to take a moment at the start of every day to set an intention. This plays a theme for the day and helps me approach any challenges ahead with positivity and determination. And I also need a very large coffee!
I have a weakness for...pink clouds – it’s maybe an obsession! I am currently obsessed with the beautiful pink clouds of contemporary Australian artist Brooklyn Whelan. I desperately want one of his pink cloud paintings!
Most people don't know that I...once rode my bike from Toronto to Montreal to raise money for the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation. I met so many great people on this ride, and saw some of the most beautiful starry skies along the way!
Currently reading... The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho – I was feeling incredibly left out whenever I heard people talking about how much they liked this book. I decided it was time to give it a read and form my own opinion…so far, so good!
An important lesson I learned from a challenge I faced...there are no mistakes in life or business, only learning opportunities.
I want... see my answer for, “I have a weakness for…”
Suman Guram:
I can't start my morning without...an Americano, reading my daily postcard from Condé Nast, and sending Tim an extremely early text – which I know he must love!
I have a weakness for...gold, cameo jewelry, brocade silk, men in suits, and gold…again!
Most people don't know that I...speak Italian! Our collection is inspired by the desire to utilize the finest and most unique ingredients, such as bergamot, which I discovered while traveling in Italy. Not only did I fall in love with bergamot, I fell in love with all things Italian.
Currently reading... Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins – I love his Morning and Evening Power Questions. He is a positive force like no other and really gets me thinking about how I can take on the world!
An important lesson I learned from a challenge I faced...every problem has a solution – meaning, no matter how big or small a problem is, there is always a solution and a way to move past it.
I want...to be able to make a positive impact on those around me, as well as on my community. 100 Years of Love is rooted in love, kindness, diversity, and positivity and I want to share these values with others!
Thank you Tim and Suman, for participating in #WeWantToKnow! You do a fantastic job of creating beautiful, timeless scents for your candles and it was great to meet you!
