Stephan Matthews

Showing posts with label ISIPCA. Show all posts

Monday, 28 August 2023

1828 by Histoires de Parfums

A bottle of the 1828 perfume from Histoires de Perfumes in front of two Jules Verne books

The quest for new experiences and undiscovered places is something that seems to resonate deeply with fragrance fans. This may be because the ingredients that are used in perfumery come from all around the world, perhaps it’s because we understand the exciting link between science and synthetics, or it could just be that we’re an inquisitive bunch. Whatever the reason, linking fragrance to the idea of mysterious lands and vast oceans is irresistibly tantalising. When Histoires de Parfums used Jules Verne as the inspiration for a scent it was always destined to have a nod to travel, so get ready to set sail with 1828.

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Monday, 26 April 2021

ROSE CHARCOAL by Emmanuelle Moeglin

When a new company truly grabs their customers’ attention then the sky really is the limit. A small and intimate start-up can, over time, take its place as a fully-fledged and successful brand. This is what happened to Emmanuelle Moeglin and her Experimental Perfume Club. Originally launched in 2015, they've just opened their new shop in London’s historic Monmouth Street and it promises to add a new experience to this theatrical thoroughfare. With the paint still fresh on the doors, I took the opportunity to visit and delve into Emmanuelle’s collection, and within seconds I fell for the wide-eyed charms of Rose Charcoal.

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Thursday, 2 July 2020

4711 REMIX COLOGNE by Alex Lee

Summer is the time of the year when we all hunt out the latest effervescent spritz to accompany us through another beachside holiday or weekend getaway. This year might see our vacation being considerably closer to home, but that doesn’t have to stop us creating our own little bit of sunshine. The fragrances that come out at this time of the year are all traditionally designed to uplift and energise us, and there is one company that has once again absolutely delivered on this promise. Now in its third year, Mäurer & Wirtz have released their latest 4711 Remix Cologne, and this time it’s a twist on the classic lemon.

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Monday, 29 June 2020

LA TERRE by Floratropia

One of the battles that the perfume industry faces is having to balance the desire for sustainability against the demands for appearance. Many customers will say that they want less packaging, because they’d prefer a company to fit in with their own environmental concerns, but when confronted with a basic bottle they often feel that a little of the glamour is missing. It’s this challenge that causes problems for many companies, but is actually one where niche brands are managing to gain ground. One of the latest is Paris based Floratropia, and their debut collection of four fragrances takes sustainability to the next level.

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Monday, 25 May 2020

MUGUET 56 by Daniel Pescio

As soon as we mention florals in the same sentence as perfume our minds instinctively turn to feminine fragrances. We have been brought up to believe that flowers are for girls and woods are for men, in the same way as choosing pink and blue, but thankfully things are changing. A willingness to challenge stereotypes has seen many men reaching for florals. Sometimes it’s to disarm but mainly it’s simply a love of this style of fragrance. One perfumer that has an incredible skill and creating florals is Daniel Pescio, and this is perfectly displayed in his beautifully constructed lily of the valley perfume, Muguet 56.

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Monday, 8 July 2019

GUESS 1981 LOS ANGELES by Clément Gavarry

The perfumes that launch with the name of a fashion house or a celebrity on them are often looked down on by certain sections of the fragrance industry and also some customers. It is wrongly assumed that they will be low quality, unbalanced affairs that have been hastily put together and will disappear as quickly as they arrive. However, this isn’t the case and just as much effort often goes into them as you would expect from a Dior, a Chanel, or even a Guerlain. The latest fashion release is Guess 1981 Los Angeles and, if you’ve shied away from fashion houses in the past, you may be surprised by this beautiful summer fragrance.

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Thursday, 18 April 2019

VALENTIN by Olivier Pescheux

There is nothing better than receiving a glowing review from Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez, but it does make the imminent launch of your new fragrance a little bit of a nail-biting experience. This was the position that Fragonard found themselves in this year after the reviewing pair fell for the charms of L’Aventurier. It had been created by Jordi Fernandez of Givaudan, and built upon the success of the previous Homme Élégant by Quentin Bisch, but 2019 had already been scheduled for the release of the company's new male fragrance. So, how does the romantic Valentin by Olivier Pescheux fare?

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Monday, 18 March 2019

CHAMELEON by Zoologist

When a perfume company takes a very particular inspiration for its fragrances it can often run into difficulties with breaking out of a perceived style. This has been one of the challenges with Victor Wong’s Zoologist range, but it’s one that is about to be blown out of the water. The brand became known for highly scented animalic fragrances that often veered more towards “olfactory artistry” than “wearability” and, with the exception of Hummingbird and Camel, were very anchored in a niche clientele. This month sees the launch of Daniel Pescio’s Chameleon and his balance between style and substance is absolutely spot on.

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Thursday, 29 March 2018

VERVEINE by Fragonard

Fragonard has an established history of celebrating the best that Grasse has to offer, originally as a tourist attraction for wealthy visitors and then as a perfumery in its own right. When it first opened its doors to the public in 1926 it was catering for a growing demand for “leisurely pursuits” around the Côte d’Azur but the success of its fragrances went far beyond a mere souvenir of a holiday in France. Still most famous for Belle de Nuit in 1946, this year sees Fragonard release Verveine as its new “Flower Of The Year”, although the company’s love affair with this ingredient is already well know.

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Monday, 3 April 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - EMMANUELLE MOEGLIN

Emmanuelle Moeglin trained at ISIPCA in Versailles from 2006-2008 before going on to found The Experimental Perfume Club in London. Alongside holding regular classes in perfumery for novices right through to experienced perfumers she now also has her own consultation and creation business. With a career that includes PUIG, L’Oreal and Symrise, what would we learn about Emmanuelle during “Stephan’s Six”?

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Thursday, 23 February 2017

THE BLOOMSBURY SET by Jo Malone

One of the signs that the long, cold days of winter are about to be left behind for another year is the appearance of the Spring Collection. This has become a regular fixture from perfume companies in recent years as they grab our attention ready for the big summer release. One company that really has embraced this idea is Jo Malone. Each year their customers are treated to a new selection of fragrances that form the Brit Collection. Manufactured in a strictly limited quantity, this year's collection is called The Bloomsbury Set and it really does challenge the traditional Jo Malone style.

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Monday, 6 February 2017

STEPHAN'S SIX - DANIEL PESCIO

ISIPCA is a school based in Versailles that teaches the formulation of perfumes, cosmetics and flavours. Now, many perfumers have passed through its doors but one of the newest is Daniel Pescio. His background in cinematography has definitely influenced his style, with bold choices littering his creations, and when I met up with him in Paris I took the opportunity to find out more about this new perfumer during “Stephan’s Six”.

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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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Monday, 28 August 2023

Monday, 26 April 2021

Thursday, 2 July 2020

Monday, 29 June 2020

Monday, 25 May 2020

Monday, 8 July 2019

Thursday, 18 April 2019

Monday, 18 March 2019

Thursday, 29 March 2018

Monday, 3 April 2017

Thursday, 23 February 2017

Monday, 6 February 2017