Monday, 23 September 2019

STEPHAN’S SIX - JONATHAN WARD


Creativity shows itself in many ways and, for Jonathan Ward, it’s the second bite of the cherry that has proved to be the sweetest. After a successful career in fashion, Jonathan launched the attention-grabbing Scent of Time candle collection in 2018 and expanded it last month to include the accompanying diffusers. After creating aromas for others I thought it was about time to discover his own scented secrets during “Stephan’s Six”.

Thursday, 19 September 2019

VERT FOUGÈRE by Floris London

With heritage comes tradition and, unless it’s managed carefully, can easily become a double edged sword. Customers are naturally drawn to the latest and loudest fragrances and, if you’re not offering something similar, you run the risk of being left behind. Floris definitely has heritage and tradition, which are both impressive to say the least, but what they also have is a determination to remain loyal to the standards originally laid down by the founder, Juan Famenias Floris. The latest fragrance, Vert Fougère, combines traditional apothecary aromatics with the refined fashions of Jermyn Street and continues Floris' famous heritage.

Monday, 16 September 2019

STEPHAN'S SIX - ADRIANA CARLUCCI


Adriana Carlucci is the force behind the wonderful Ancienne Ambiance store in London’s fashionable Chelsea. The boutique came about as an extension of her family’s love of antiquity and quickly developed a very loyal following for its fragrances and home products. To celebrate the company’s fifteenth birthday I thought it was time to discover Adriana’s own scented secrets during “Stephan’s Six”.

Thursday, 12 September 2019

RYDER by Ex Idolo

The niche market is the same as the mainstream market in that the vast quantity of releases every year makes it absolutely impossible to try everything when they actually launch. Many brands simply get lost under the weight of the latest, the biggest, and the brightest new perfume but they bide their time until they're rediscovered. One such company is Ex Idolo and it’s a name that will be new to many people. This British brand, which launched in 2013, now has four fantastic fragrances in their collection. Whilst all have been created with passion, Ryder is a journey into the private world of mahogany, pipe smoke, and cognac.

Monday, 9 September 2019

EAU DE MENTON by Prestige de Menton

One of the joys of summer is a welcome return to the glorious eau de cologne style of scent. The effervescent and bright explosion of citrus and aromatics is wonderfully cooling and incredibly uplifting. This category of fragrance has seen a remarkable resurgence in recent years, accompanied by some ridiculous price tags, but there are still some classic companies that have never stopped producing their celebration of sunshine. One such brand is Presitge de Menton and, after two years of sympathetic updating, their new Eau de Menton collection retains the original Provençal charm but adds a touch of Parisian chic.

Thursday, 5 September 2019

STONE and HONEY BADGER by Yates Perfumes

There are times when you feel as though you’ve read about every possible journey into the world of perfume and then, out of nowhere, you are confronted with the most incredible career change story. It’s always fascinating to discover the direction that perfumers took before they entered the industry but I wasn’t prepared for the incredible twists and turns that led to Melissa Hale launching Yates Perfumes in 2010. With an apothecary feel to her creations and an uninhibited style that presents itself as fearless, it’s time to visit Lakewood Ohio and be bewitched by her evocative Stone and Honey Badger fragrances.

Monday, 2 September 2019

MARARI by Thomas O'Brien

For every perfume release that is trumpeted as the latest “must have” fragrance there are thousands that, for one reason or another, never get to see the light of day. These can be rejected submissions, modifications of the same scent, or even creations that the perfumer chooses not to release. However, during a perfumer’s training they also make fragrances as experiments and these rarely get to be tried by anyone outside of the course. One such perfume is Marari by Thomas O’Brien, his graduation piece from The Perfumery Art School. So, it’s time to discover what secrets this unreleased oriental fragrance holds.

Thursday, 29 August 2019

Natural Room Mists by Bramble & Blossom

The reasons for starting a company are always incredibly varied but the days of “I want to be successful and then be bought by a large corporation” are thankfully on the wane. The vast increase of new brands has diluted the industry to such an extent that it’s now very rare for smaller houses to make enough of a mark to be noticed, or even seen as a rival. When Bramble & Blossom was launched in March 2019 it was out of a desire to produce products that respected the environment and provided relief from the mass market offerings, and they’re definitely one company that is well worth noticing.

Monday, 26 August 2019

SANTAL VOLCANIQUE by Maison Crivelli

In the world of retail there are certain “buzz words” at the moment that every new company attempts to throw into all of their communication. “Sustainability, authenticity, and traceability” are important concerns for customers and so it’s not surprising that they are trumpeted as loudly as possible. Now, not all of the companies are quite as transparent as they claim to be but one brand that is flying the flag for honesty in perfumery is Maison Crivelli. With an ethos and philosophy born out of the founder’s personal experience, this is most definitely a fragrance collection with an eye on the future.