Monday 30 March 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - MARCUS FELLOWES


When Marcus Fellowes retrained as a barber he never imagined that it would ultimately result in the creation of a collection of four fragrances. Designed to alleviate the worries of his clients through scent, they soon expanded to include a beautiful range of body products. After creating for others, I wondered what scented secrets he would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

Thursday 26 March 2020

ROOK by ROOK

One of the issues that many perfume companies face when they try to upscale their business is that it’s often hard to adapt their core values. The idiosyncrasies that make you unique run the risk of being buried within a new corporate structure, and existing fans can be disillusioned by the changes. You can’t remain the same when production dramatically increases, especially when there are outside investors keeping a close eye, but it’s how you manage that transition that is key. The latest company to take on the challenge of upscaling is Rook Perfumes and, whilst the packaging may have changed, the heart has remained.

Monday 23 March 2020

ASSASSIN BELARUS by Jonathan Ward

There are times when real life can suddenly turn an intimate event into a major occasion. That is what happened on Tuesday 17th March. Plans had been made months in advance to launch the latest candle from Jonathan Ward at his Hackney studio, but a global pandemic was coming ever closer to the United Kingdom. By the time the day arrived all fashion shows and product launches had been cancelled, and so an independent studio in E8 was about to host the final physical event in the beauty industry's calendar. The candle is called Assassin Belarus and it truly does shine a light in these dark times.

Thursday 19 March 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - NICOLA THOMIS


Nicola Thomis is the founder and lead writer on The Sniff, a website that has given her the opportunity to review both classic and modern fragrances. A fellow Jasmine Award nominee, and the queen of the York fragrance scene, I wondered what fragranced secrets she would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

Monday 16 March 2020

The Comfort of Soaps

We are living through extraordinary times but, never one to miss an opportunity, the beauty industry has been cashing in on the public fear. With a shortage of hand sanitiser, all thoughts turned to the humble bar of soap and the marketing machines have rumbled into action with “anti-bacterial” messages and questionable pricing. Thankfully many companies have not gone down this grubby route and have retained some dignity. So, I’ve raided my bathroom cupboard to bring you some honourable favourites that won’t break the bank. And talking about cost, I also bought all of these scented beauties myself.

Thursday 12 March 2020

GFT by Geo F Trumper

When a new fragrance company launches into an already overcrowded marketplace it is important that it starts to create a history from the outset. It’s this story that the brand will be able to build on as it hopefully progresses. Unfortunately the loyalty of a customer to a brand is not as all-encompassing as it once was and so many, regratably, won’t survive. The days of a diehard commitment to a company have gone, so those that have already secured this have a huge advantage. Geo F Trumper has an impressive history stretching back to 1875 but this year sees the twentieth anniversary of the much younger GFT.

Monday 9 March 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - BAPTISTE BOUYGUES


A background in the gold mining industry might not be the usual start for the founder of a perfume company. When Baptiste Bouygues launched Ormaie, he had also had experience with Louis Vuitton and Givenchy so the world of fine fragrance was definitely in his blood. With such an unusual journey into the fragrance industry, I wondered what perfume memories he would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.

Thursday 5 March 2020

MA BÊTE by Eris Parfums

The archives of perfumery are strewn with the well-meaning, yet misguided scents that promised to rock the world. They launch in a blaze of glory but, after the novelty fades, it quickly becomes apparent that they’re nothing more than novelties. However, every so often a brand comes along that sets pulses, and temperatures racing. It’s not that it taps into a trend, it’s more that it reignites a passion that has become dormant. Well crafted, exquisitely packaged, with a style that is unequalled in modern perfumery. I’m talking about Ma Bête from Eris Parfums, and it definitely feels as though it was made just for me.

Monday 2 March 2020

STEPHAN'S SIX - MARIE-LISE JONAK


A career spent working with the likes of Guerlain and Nina Ricci meant that it was only a matter of time before Marie-Lise Jonak, along with her son Baptiste Bouygues, decided to launch her own company. Ormaie is a natural brand that has an emphasis on the visual presentation as well as the scented experience. With this mind, I wondered what fragrance memories she would reveal during “Stephan’s Six”.