Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label Fragrance Foundation. Show all posts

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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Thursday, 31 May 2018

INDIA by Marina Barcenilla Parfums

When Marina Barcenilla won Best New Independent Fragrance for India in the 2016 Fragrance Foundation Awards it set in motion a complete rebranding of her company, gained her industry recognition, and also a loyal following of perfume fans that were fascinated by her approach to scent. The Perfume Garden, which she had launched in 2011, was renamed Marina Barcenilla Parfums and at the time she said, “while the name has changed the ethos remains the same, to create the finest fragrances using what nature has to offer.” Two years on I think it’s time to revisit India and see exactly why it became an award winner.

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Monday, 28 May 2018

The Fragrance Foundation Online Training Course

Part of the experience of purchasing a fragrance is the interaction that you have with the sales assistant. The information about a perfume, or even the little snippets of history and advice, can turn a simple shopping trip into a memorable visit. However, “memorable” isn’t always good if the information is wrong. Most perfume companies offer training programs but it isn’t always possible to cover everything, and this is why The Fragrance Foundation now provides their Online Training Course. It’s advertised as a chance to gain more knowledge about the history and workings of the perfume industry, but does it succeed?

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Thursday, 15 March 2018

Pledge Furniture Polish - My Scent Memory

So National Fragrance Week is behind us for another year but there’s one aspect of it that continues for the full twelve months, and that is #ScentMemories. It’s a way for industry insiders, perfumers, writers and also fragrance fans to talk about the perfumed memories that have made a lasting impression on them. This isn’t always a fragrance, sometimes it’s a place or an experience, because different types of smells trigger different memories. My contribution this year concerned my mother’s obsession with cleaning and, in particular, her “joined at the hip” love affair with Pledge Furniture Polish. Let me explain.

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Monday, 5 March 2018

STEPHAN'S SIX - NATIONAL FRAGRANCE WEEK

Today marks the beginning of National Fragrance Week, a celebration and promotion of the perfume industry. Over the next seven days you will see companies vying for your attention with events and special offers so, to ease you in gently, I thought that I would take a look back at six of my favourite “Stephan’s Six” interviews from the past two years. I advise you to hold on tight as we revisit Jo Fairley, Lawrence Roullier-White, Liz Moores, Michael Angove, Monsieur Guerlain and Odette Toilette to discover their scented secrets.

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Monday, 6 November 2017

THE DARK HEART OF OLD HAVANA by 4160 Tuesdays

I’ve said before that the constant quest for “newness” means that many perfumes are overlooked in favour of the latest, the biggest, the brightest and the loudest new releases. Companies have fragrances that gather loyal followers but sometimes these scents get overlooked in later years. One of these is Dark Heart Of Old Havana by 4160 Tuesdays. Roullier White described the company as putting “the fun and the feeling back into British perfume” and, with a whirlwind of a founder at the helm, this is a perfect description. So, four years after it launched, let’s revisit the dangerously seductive Dark Heart Of Old Havana.

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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.

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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.

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Thursday, 30 March 2017

My Fragrance Foundation Scent Memories

The Fragrance Foundation was formed in 1946 by six of the largest perfume companies of the period. Chanel, Elizabeth Arden, Helena Rubinstein, Coty, Guerlain and Parfums Weil agreed that the time had come to recognise the many achievements in the fragrance industry and later on also provide training for consultants, journalists and marketing departments. This greater understanding allowed the industry to develop and grow into the huge machine that it is today. As part of their commitment they also introduced #ScentMemories which runs alongside National Fragrance Day. It brings together peoples memories on the subject of fragrance and I’ve happily contributed for the last two years, although the recolections were very different.

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Thursday, 3 November 2016

The "Delightful" Leighton Denny

The wait is over! LIGHT & DARK DELIGHTFUL, Leighton Denny’s fourth fragrance, is finally released in its 70ml size on Monday. You probably already know that LIGHT & DARK DESIRE won a coveted Fragrance Foundation award this year, but did you know that his whole perfume range was almost never made? Now, I've known Leighton since 2006, when we were both based in Harrods, but I thought it was time to find out more about his “perfume journey” over a good old-fashioned Sunday roast.

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Thursday, 12 May 2016

LEIGHTON'S DESIRE

When a company launches its first fragrance a lot hangs in the balance. One of the biggest gambles is whether it will gain an audience in an ever expanding perfume market. Some excellent scents come and go without making an impact, some novelties are badly judged, and some of the breakthroughs surprise everyone. An existing customer following is an advantage, but not a guarantee, so it was still a gamble when Leighton Denny launched LIGHT & DARK in 2014. With a further two fragrances arriving at the end of 2015 it's now time to look at the complete set of three, and see whether Leighton's fragrances offer the same variety as his celebrated nail varnishes.

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Wednesday, 11 May 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - FRAGRANCE FOUNDATION NOMINEES 2016

On Thursday 12th May the results will be announced for the UK Fragrance Foundation Awards 2016. Four of the nominees were featured on "Stephan's Six" during 2015, and I am thrilled that 4160 Tuesdays and Papillon Artisan Perfumery are on the list alongside the usual big hitters. Leighton Denny is back for another year, along with the regular addition of Roja Dove, so let's look at these nominees and revisit the secrets that they revealed when they succumbed to "Stephan's Six".

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Monday, 9 May 2016

STEPHAN'S SIX - CLARE REES

When Demeter Colognes launched in the UK under the name of The Library of Fragrance it was with Clare Rees at the helm. An unconventional perfume lover, which is why she was perfect for the brand, Clare has FINALLY succumbed to "Stephan's Six". I've subtitled this interview, "From Hairspray to Haute Couture", and with her eclectic selection you'll quickly understand why.

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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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Thursday, 4 May 2017

Thursday, 30 March 2017

Thursday, 3 November 2016

Thursday, 12 May 2016

Wednesday, 11 May 2016

Monday, 9 May 2016