Tuesday 30 May 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - LEE KYNASTON (Grooming Guru)


"The Grooming Guru", it's quite a title but one which has definitely been earned by Lee Kynaston. A journalist for over twenty years, and a go-to for your daily insight into the workings of the male mind, Lee has observed, advised and even led the way on everything to do with men. So, after commenting on everyone else I thought it was about time we found out a little bit about the man himself during “Stephan’s Six”.

Thursday 25 May 2017

LIME & BERGAMOT by Bronnley

"Summer means citrus"
. There you have it, three words which sum up an entire season in the world of perfume. Okay, I know that I'm generalising slightly, because there are numerous other fragrances released at this time of the year as well, but the sparkling citrus scents always prove eternally popular when the weather gets warmer. Sunshine means drinks by the pool, lemonade on the beach, a Gin and Tonic in a holiday cafe. In a fragrance, however, I wanted a green citrus with a mouthwatering freshness, and that is exactly what I got with Bronnley's Lime & Bergamot. So, grab your flip-flops and discover your new summer spritz.

Monday 22 May 2017

Crabtree & Evelyn Celebrate The Gardeners Collection

Any company with a range that reaches a twenty-year anniversary is to be congratulated. Two decades is, after all, a long time to retain customer loyalty in today's trend-driven market. With more and more companies offering similar products there has to be something special to keep the original alive, and this certainly applies when it comes to Crabtree & Evelyn. The brand launched in 1972 but one of its most iconic ranges arrived in 1997, the Gardeners Collection. In celebration of its twentieth birthday Crabtree & Evelyn has released a candle in the same scent, but does it really measure up?

Thursday 18 May 2017

IDLE by Romilly Wilde

The success of any company lies in the ability to connect with a variety of customers. New businesses often launch with a single product or a single range and then struggle to move outside of that original market. Romilly Wilde had a clever idea when they appeared in 2016, and it was one that has gained them fans in both the skincare and fragrance market, as well as nominations in the highly coveted 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards for
Best New Fragrance In Limited Distribution and Best New Independent Fragrance. So, let's take a closer look at Romilly Wilde's debut scent, Idle, and the creative duo behind it.

Monday 15 May 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - SHYAMALA MAISONDIEU


Shyamala Maisondieu is a Malaysian born perfumer who collaborated with Calice Becker and Nadège Le Garlantezec on L’Occitane’s Terre de Lumière. After studying at the Givaudan Perfumery School in Grasse, Shyamala moved to their Paris office and has worked with Comme des Garcons, Lancôme and Etat Libre d’Orange amongst others. Her love of Iris is well known, but what else would I discover during “Stephan’s Six”?

Thursday 11 May 2017

JOYEUSE TUBÉREUSE by Guerlain

When Guerlain launched the L’Art et la Matière series in 2005 it was a capsule collection of three scents. Originally conceived as a way of showcasing a star ingredient, the concept was to celebrate the artistry of the perfumer by focusing on the way that they used the material. Technically the first commercially available “exclusive” range from the brand, it set the benchmark for the collections that would follow. With the release of Joyeuse Tubéreuse the L’Art et la Matière series now has nine members, having said goodbye to Iris Ganache and Myrrhe & Delires, but what does the latest addition add to the collection?

Monday 8 May 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - TESSA WILLIAMS


Tessa Williams is the author of Cult Perfumes, which looks at the releases and history of the boutique perfumeries. Alongside launching her own fragrance range, Tessa is a journalist who was written for Vogue and The Times, amongst others. At home with being the interviewer, I thought it was time the tables were turned as I asked her “Stephan’s Six”?

Thursday 4 May 2017

The Age Of Transparency

"Transparency" is a word that you often hear mentioned when it comes to the perfume industry. For many years perfume houses would release fragrances under their own name, or assign them to an in-house "nose", when they had actually been created by an outside company. This wasn't done maliciously; it was just the way the industry worked. Customers were not particularly interested in who had made the juice in the bottle, just that it came with their favourite company's logo on the glass. Of course there had always been fans that wanted to know every detail but it’s only recently that "transparency" has become the industry's key word.

Monday 1 May 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - DARIUSH ALAVI (Persolaise)


If you don’t recognise the name Dariush Alavi then you might know the man by his pseudonym, Persolaise. He first appeared on March 11th 2010 and since then has challenged, praised and critiqued hundreds of fragrances via his Blog and in many publications. A Jasmine Award Winner, a flamboyant dresser and a mean hand at jam making, I thought it was time to discover Dariush’s own perfume memories during “Stephan’s Six”.