Stephan Matthews

Thursday 31 October 2019

SOMETHING WICKED by Ivy's Poison

When we think about niche fragrance companies, or artisan if you prefer, we often conjure up images of perfumers hunched over a cluttered wooden desk with a single incandescent bulb burning dimly in the corner. It’s the world that Patrick Süskind described in his book, and later the film, Perfume. Now, things have thankfully moved on a lot since then but the important point about artisan perfumers is that they can work anywhere in the world. It’s this opening up of the industry that has resulted in some terrific new companies emerging, and one such example is the Canadian based Ivy’s Poison.

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Monday 28 October 2019

ATHENA and NARCISSUS by Aaron Terence Hughes

The road that many people take to starting their own perfume company can be a complicated series of forks and detours but, with perseverance and determination, it can also result in the most wonderful rewards. Perfumers come from many backgrounds and the days of it being simply for the elite of society has long gone. Talent is talent, regardless of where you were brought up, and it’s often this closer connection to “real life” that results in the most incredible fragrances. The latest entrant into the hall of fame is Aaron Terence Hughes and he’s called on divine intervention with his two new fragrances, Athena and Narcissus.

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Thursday 24 October 2019

AURORA by Charles Wong

Anyone that launches a new business of any description in the current climate deserves the utmost admiration, but even more so if that person chooses to enter the perfume industry. This marketplace is full to the brim with established brands and artisan creators which means, in a nutshell, that you’re fighting an uphill battle from day one to be heard and to be seen. However, there are still those that choose to take on this challenge and, with a little bit of luck, manage to be noticed. One such person is Charles Wong who promises to provide us all with some much-needed timeless elegance in the form of Aurora.

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Monday 21 October 2019

DAGIAN by Ruth Mastenbroek

The general speed of fragrance has gone from sedate to supersonic when it comes to the number of releases that a company will tend to launch in a year. In an effort to keep their customers interested, and in order to generate those much needed column inches in the press, new launches seem to come thick and fast. Whilst this offers quantity it doesn’t always offer quality. One perfumer who takes a much more measured approach to her creations is Ruth Mastenbroek. Two years since her last release, this month sees the launch of the much anticipated Dagian and it has most definitely been worth the wait.

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Thursday 17 October 2019

POÈME DE SAGANO by Sonia Constant

The job of the perfumer is very similar to that of an actor, both professions require you to adapt your skills to the latest role or challenge. An actor will play many parts during their career but we often forget that numerous fragrances, be they luxury or high street, are often created by the same talented “nose”. Perfumers create to a brief, and often to a strict budget, but all of that changes if they are brave enough to venture out on their own. Sonia Constant has recently launched her ELLA K range and, whilst inspired by empowered journeyers, her Poème de Sagano offers some much needed space for contemplation.

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Monday 14 October 2019

STEPHAN'S SIX - OLIVIA BRANSBOURG

Olivia Bransbourg is no stranger to the world of perfume. From Christine Nagel and Benoist Lapouza’s Attache-Moi to a three year stint at Takasago, Olivia’s role as Creative Director has resulted in some truly spellbinding fragrances. Currently enjoying success with her new Sous le Manteau collection, which was created in collaboration with Nathalie Feisthauer, I thought it was about time to discover her own scented secrets during “Stephan’s Six”.

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Thursday 10 October 2019

MADAME by Marie Krnakova

The selection of perfumes that is available to fragrance fans gets bigger every day, but so does the various qualities that these scents possess. From natural to organic, and vegan to mixed media, there really is something for everyone. Our individual tastes determine which direction we go in, but it’s often difficult to differentiate the fact from the fiction when it comes to a company’s values. Thankfully there are some out there that are wonderfully transparent, and one such company is MW Perfumes. A natural fragrance brand, and a Fragrance Foundation Award Nominee in 2019, it’s time to meet Madame.

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Monday 7 October 2019

STEPHAN'S SIX - SONIA CONSTANT

After training at ISIPCA in Versailles, Sonia Constant joined the world-famous Givaudan and went on to create for the likes of Guerlain, Narciso Rodriguez, and Alexander McQueen. She possesses the rare talent of combining passion with precision and so when I met her at the UK launch of her own perfume range, ELLA K, I wanted to discover the perfumer’s own fragrance memories during “Stephan’s Six”.

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Thursday 3 October 2019

TEISENDDU by Frassaï

There are scents from our childhood that have such a strong association that they almost conjure up an emotion inside you rather than a memory. That wonderful wash of happiness, or sadness in some cases, cannot be contained and bursts through the dam-like walls of our very souls. Sometimes even the description of a fragrance does it and that was exactly what happened to me when I read about Teisenddu by Frassaï. Proudly described as “the first woman-owned niche fragrance house from Argentina,” I knew that I had to discover more about the fascinating links with my native Wales.

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After twenty successful years as an actor, I decided the time was right to begin a new career, and that was in the perfume industry. Scent had always been a passion of mine, and working alongside a new group of creative minds ended up being the perfect fit.

As a Brand Consultant, Evaluator, Copywriter and New Business Advisor, the variety of work is exciting, and definitely draws on my acting background. Every day brings new challenges, experiences and delights to a workplace that is crammed full of new releases, evergreens, and fading classics.

This website brings together my ramblings on all aspects of the perfume industry from bottle design to fragrance, companies to noses, and everything in between.

Opinions are my own and do not in any way represent the views of the companies mentioned. Where products or services have been provided by the companies it is stated at the end of the article.

Companies and readers are welcome to contact me by using the Send Me A Message option below.

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