Succulent fruits, bursting with overripe juices, is what many people think of when autumn shows its face. The days of warm breezes and sand between your toes are replaced by woolly jumpers and the click of the heating. These fruity aromas also appear regularly in the new perfume releases at this time of the year, partly as a hark back and partly to signal the approaching festive decadence. Now, overly sweetened fragrances are not to everyone’s taste, and even including a fruit in the name can be troublesome. Thankfully Jessica Buchanan of 1000 Flowers has dared to challenge preconceptions with the textural Figuier Sauvage.
There are certain names that have become synonymous with particular products, whether that’s fragrance or homeware, because they are acknowledged to be the experts in their fields. This expertise is often the result of spending years honing their craft, but can also include the act of sidestepping from one similar career to the next. One of the biggest examples of this is surely the Queen of Layering, Jo Malone. She built her empire on the basic foundation of providing beautiful scents in a variety of forms, and one of the most popular of these must surely be her famous shower gels and body lotions.
The tree has been brought down from the loft and, if you're anything like me, you're also desperately trying to remember where you put the fairy lights. This can only mean one thing, it’s Christmas! Alongside all of the traditions that go with the festive season, my annual contribution is recommending which flickering piece of scented magic needs to take pride of place in your home this year. We often fall back on the old favourites in December, but I'm going to ask you to try something a little different. This year’s choices have been harder than ever, but the time has finally arrived to reveal my Top Five Candles for Christmas.
One of the hardest challenges facing the fragrance industry, even in the days when you could actually get near a shop, was how to bewitch your customer into buying your perfume. A cold wall of bottles staring starkly back may have worked in the past, but companies are always having to dream up inventive ways to entice people to purchase. Getting the product onto the skin is always the challenge, that is unless you’re the undisputed Queen of persuasion. Jo Malone changed the perfume industry forever with her scented services, and the tradition continues with her newly relaunched Fragrance Paintbrush.
Welcome to 2021 and a whole new year of perfume releases. To say that the past twelve months have been challenging would be an understatement but, thankfully, there’s already some scented excitement to kickstart an overcast January. The idea of finding designer names at high street prices is still a quest that, more often than not, turns up few results. However, when Zara decided to collaborate with Jo Malone, the person rather than the company, it heralded a whole new collection of scents under the Emotions banner. Originally a series of eight, it’s time to welcome the latest arrival to the range as we enjoy a taste of Jo’s Rhubarb.
Twenty-six years ago a fragrance was launched that would go on to change the way British perfumes were perceived around the world. Conceived by a determined and strong-willed lady from Bexleyheath, the most famous Cologne since Mülhens 4711 was launched in 1991 and took the industry by storm. With its uplifting citrus notes, a "transparent" quality, and the quirky addition of a fresh aromatic, Lime Basil & Mandarin by Jo Malone became the “must have” fragrance. After a quarter of a century I thought it was time to take a look back at the creators and the creation of this now legendary scent.
One of the best times to write about fragrance is as we approach the festive season. Throughout the previous twelve months there will have been numerous launches and products, but during Christmas we fall back on some old favourites and maybe introduce a few new ones. With this in mind I've been working hard, honestly I have, to find this year's top five candles. Whether it's delicate, inspirational or even historical that you're looking for I think that I've found something for everyone. So, close the door, pass me a mince pie, reach for the matches and let that fragrant flicker combat the winter cold.
When Jo Malone opened her first fragrance store in 1994 she had already become known as an "English scent maverick". From simple blends created by hand in her own kitchen she went on to steer her company to become a worldwide phenomenon, eventually selling to Estée Lauder in 1999. Jo Malone remained the creative director for seven years before finally leaving in 2006. After a "contractual" silence she launched a new venture in 2011, Jo Loves. To celebrate the company's fifth birthday, and her own indomitable spirit, let's look back at one of those "comeback" fragrances, the spectacular Gardenia.
"A legend is a tough act to follow", says Lorna Luft, but she is no longer living in the shadow of her famous mother. Daughter to Judy Garland and half-sister to Liza Minnelli, Lorna has proved many times over that she is a talent in her own right. I caught up with her in Palm Springs to ask her "Stephan's Six".
