Twenty Blotters For… Céline Verleure
Persolaise Pick a blotter… read the question… give a short, snappy answer! Céline Verleure‘s perfumery experience is far too vast to be reduced to a brief, introductory paragraph. But here’s a…
No Lies, No Compromises – An Interview With Perfumer Quentin Bisch
Quentin Bisch (left) with Etienne De Swardt at the Etat Libre D’Orange shop in Paris Quentin Bisch’s connection with Etat Libre D’Orange goes back to the days before the young…
A Product Of The Blogosphere – An Interview With Matthew Zhuk Of Ex Idolo
Matthew Zhuk at Fenwick, the latest retailer to pick up Thirty Three Matthew Zhuk is in an interesting position right now: his brand, Ex Idolo, attracted serious attention in 2013,…
“You Have A Brand Here” – An Interview With Carlos Huber Of Arquiste
You never know who you’re going to bump into at Harrods. A few weeks ago, I had some time to kill in London, so I decided to pop up to…
Win Candles From A Room With A View + Interview With Founder Graham Way
I wonder whether the home scent market is harder to break into than the world of fine fragrance. At least when someone launches a new perfume brand, they can invoke…
“Frivolity Will Save The World” – An Exclusive Interview With Etienne De Swardt Of Etat Libre D’Orange
During a recent interview with Etienne De Swardt, founder of Etat Libre D’Orange, I asked him if it’s difficult to expand his brand without diluting its personality. “That’s the permanent…
You Have To Be Modest Sometimes – An Exclusive Interview With Frederic Malle (part 2)
The first instalment of this exclusive interview ended with Frederic Malle commenting on the pressure he places on his perfumers – and on himself – to aim for the highest…
The Achilles Heel In Our Business: An Exclusive Interview With Frederic Malle (part 1)
If there’s one figure in the niche world who needs no introduction, it’s Frederic Malle. This is more than a little ironic, as the Frenchman owes his status and reputation…
Keeping It Moody – Karl Bradl And Bertrand Duchaufour At London’s Aedes De Venustas Launch
image: Aedes De Venustas Mood boards, rare irises and the conservativeness of the French market all came up when I met Karl Bradl and Bertrand Duchaufour in London recently to…
Twenty Blotters For… Neela Vermeire
Pick a blotter… read the question… give a short, snappy answer! Although her eponymous brand has been around for a relatively brief time, Neela Vermeire has already managed to convince…
“This Is The Moment To Do It” – Madalina Stoica On The Fairy Tale Beginnings Of Jul Et Mad
The story behind the creation of Jul Et Mad has ‘PR gold’ written all over it in letters so shiny, it’s difficult to stop the cynic in you from questioning…
“Nahema Is A Weapon Of Mass Destruction” – Guerlain’s Thierry Wasser Pops Into London Again
Thierry Wasser was on fine form during a recent visit to London. When one of the writers in attendance suggested that Boots is the British equivalent of Sephora, he begged…
A Little Bit Of Oud – Alberto Morillas On Making Iris Prima For Penhaligon’s
When Alberto Morillas (CK One, Kenzo Flower) hopped over to London a few months ago to launch Penhaligon’s Iris Prima, he revealed that the perfume contains – shock horror –…
Not A Middle Eastern Brand – An Interview With Thameen Founder, Basel Binjabr
There’s a new perfume brand at Selfridges and – surprise surprise – it hails from the Arab world… or does it? Click here to read my Basenotes interview with its…
Speaking Your Mind – An Interview With Atelier Cologne’s Sylvie Ganter
Despite its relative youth, Atelier Cologne has made a considerable impact on the niche (and not-so-niche) perfume circuit. One of the brand’s co-founders, Sylvie Ganter, popped into London’s Les Senteurs…
Chandler Burr’s Secret Perfumer Answers Readers’ Questions
Image: OpenSky Those of you who follow Chandler Burr‘s thought-provoking Untitled Series on OpenSky (link no longer active) will no doubt be aware that ‘Season 1′ has reached its tenth…
Looking Beyond – Francis Kurkdjian At The Launch Of Aqua Vitae
I realise I may be sticking my neck out on the line by typing the following words, but I do honestly think that Francis Kurkdjian is being unfairly maligned by…
Aurelien Guichard At London Launch Of Issey Miyake’s Pleats Please
Aurelien Guichard was in London in March to promote Pleats Please, the new feminine scent he’s made for Issey Miyake. Click here for an account of my meeting with him,…
Carlos Huber & Rodrigo Flores-Roux On The Magic Behind Arquiste
I’ve already hinted at the fact that Rodrigo Flores-Roux is a great interview subject: he talks at length, but he doesn’t waffle, and he remains focussed on each question he’s…
Twenty Blotters For… Rodrigo Flores-Roux
Pick a blotter… read the question… give a short, snappy answer! I mean this as a compliment: Rodrigo Flores-Roux loves to talk. The Givaudan perfumer is a bundle of anecdotes,…