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.
The term “best seller” is one that gets thrown around with ease these days. Everything seems to qualify for the description, from fragrances through to books, so you often wonder what they’re actually being compared with? The days of the true “international best seller” are long gone, because customers demand constant variety and novelty, but it wasn’t always that way. Forty-six years ago a perfume was released by Max Factor that truly took the world by storm and, excusing a few reformulations, is still in production. Familiar to many, but possibly new to some, it’s time to rediscover the legend that is Halston by Bernard Chant.
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.
The past few months have been challenging, liberating, and deeply emotional in equal measure. Having to reach inside ourselves to find the strength to carry on, when we’re so often used to relying on the support of others, has been a new experience for many of us. This feeling of being without the usual scaffolding that we surround ourselves with has meant that we’ve had to draw on our own hidden reserves, and it has become a time of great personal change. It’s this idea of independence and self-discovery that is at the very heart of Ruth Mastenbroek's 2015 fragrance Oxford, and there’s never been a better time to discover it.
The fashion for home crafting seems to be at an all-time high at the moment with new businesses springing up every day. The Etsy platform has really helped to push these companies to greater prominence but it’s come at a cost. The majority of them are producing products based on other companies’ fragrances and many don’t even alter the name. How many times have you seen Lime Basil & Mandarin or English Pear & Freesia? One company that is trying to do something a little different though is Osmic. Their latest scent, Sea Salt & Driftwood, is a great example that home crafting can dare to be different.
One of the problems faced by established fragrance companies is that their catalogues can sometimes require some pruning to make way for new releases. Jo Malone London have accomplished this by adopting a “one in one out” approach in recent years, although last year saw both White Jasmine & Mint and Nutmeg & Ginger discontinued in favour of English Oak & Redcurrant and English Oak & Hazelnut. This year sees the phasing out of their 1995 French Lime Blossom, which has been a staple of their range for twenty-three years. So, let’s revisit French Lime Blossom before it’s too late.
Now in its eighth year, Jo Malone London’s annual Brit Collection has gathered a loyal following for those looking for a transitory fragrance to take them from spring to summer. This year sees the release of English Fields, which is inspired by “the goodness of grains with the freshness of flowers”, and it promises “the rich, golden fullness of harvest-ready fields”. To realise this latest collection Celine Roux, Head of Fragrance Development, has once again turned to perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui, who had previously created Myrrh & Tonka for the company. With five fragrances to choose from, what does English Fields have to offer?
Hot on the heels of Christmas and New Year comes Valentine’s Day with a new set of stresses about what to buy, when to buy and even who to buy for. It’s a gift that can so easily go wrong and one that many people greet with the phrase, “it’ll be half the price next week”. With this in mind I thought that I’d steer away from fragrances this year and focus on another perennial favourite. Candles, and everything that goes with them, are great choices as romantic gifts and there is something for the most modest budget and even the hardest of hearts. So, let me show you my top three choices for 2018.
We’ve arrived at the “four days to go” mark and the grand panic will start to begin for many festive shoppers. Christmas Day comes at the same time every year, but every year people seem to get caught out. Internet shopping is a big mistake this late in the day, whatever the companies may promise, and so it’s time to fall back on the tried and trusted high street department stores. You need to say farewell to any prospect of a niche offering and embrace the best of the mainstream. To help you out I’ve chosen four that are guaranteed to put a smile on any recipient’s face. Let’s go shopping!
The continuing obsession with oud fragrances is something that, until recently, had seemed to have escaped the Grasse perfumers. I'm talking here about Fragonard, Galimard and Molinard. Their usual audience were looking for rich florals, spicy orientals, delicate eau fraiche, definitely not heavy resinous oud offerings. That is until now. With a huge influx of Russian and Middle Eastern tourists the perfumeries had to adapt, and all three now offer an oud-based fragrance. Fragonard and Galimard have made theirs boutique exclusives but Molinard have gone mainstream with their latest release, Oud Magnétique.
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.
Originally from Suffolk, Matthew Axe studied Graphic Design before going on to work with companies such as Thomas Pink, John Lewis and Gieves & Hawkes. After relocating to New York he was Creative Director on Martha Stewart’s award-wining magazine, Martha Stewart Living, and regularly oversees campaigns in the beauty industry. Recently working on Jo Malone’s Basil & Neroli launch, I wondered what would he reveal about his own perfume favourites during “Stephan’s Six”.
Autumn feels as though it is well and truly here with the first leaves starting to change colour, the weather getting cooler and the nights beginning to draw in. With wood stocks starting to be replenished ready for open fires and thoughts turning to bonfire night, the timing of the latest perfume release from Ruth Mastenbroek couldn't be more perfect. The combination of leather, rose and oudh is nothing new, but in her talented hands the results are devilishly sensual, delightfully mysterious and truly intoxicating. With the release of Firedance, Ruth Mastenbroek shows once again why she is at the top of her profession.
Every year we see literally thousands of fragrances released both worldwide and also in specific countries. We are already half way through 2017 and if you have managed to smell every one of those launched so far this year then I am very impressed, but also more than a little sceptical. Every time you turn around there seems to be a new advertising campaign, a new “exclusive” ingredient, and a new dreaded flanker. So, you can be forgiven for missing a few of these new releases along the way. This week I was told, “everything is new to someone”, and in the world of perfume releases that couldn't be truer.
"Summer means citrus". There you have it, three words which sum up an entire season in the world of perfume. Okay, I know that I'm generalising slightly, because there are numerous other fragrances released at this time of the year as well, but the sparkling citrus scents always prove eternally popular when the weather gets warmer. Sunshine means drinks by the pool, lemonade on the beach, a Gin and Tonic in a holiday cafe. In a fragrance, however, I wanted a green citrus with a mouthwatering freshness, and that is exactly what I got with Bronnley's Lime & Bergamot. So, grab your flip-flops and discover your new summer spritz.
"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.
It’s blossom time again for Jo Malone London! A now regular tradition for the company, the limited edition Spring/Summer floral immediately follows their Brit Collection every year. This time it’s the turn of Star Magnolia, which promises to be “flirtatious, pristine and gleaming”. The company has once again turned to Anne Flipo of IFF to create this “tantalising” bloom in the hope that it will mirror the success of last year’s Nashi Blossom by Fabrice Pellegrin. Having already created their 2016 Herb Garden collection, as well as Basil & Neroli, Anne understands the style but how would she fare with this Shanghai floral?
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.
