THESPRINGISSUE
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR:
March 25, 2012
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and/or guest contributors and do not necessarily state or reflect those of The Perfume Magazine LLC, Raphaella Brescia Barkley or Mark David Boberick.
All content included on this site, such as text, graphics, logos, icons, videos and images is the property of The Perfume Magazine, LLC. or its content suppliers and protected by United States and international copyright laws. The compilation of all content on this site is the exclusive property of The Perfume Magazine, LLC. and protected by U.S. and international copyright laws.
The Perfume Magazine.com is solely owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley Raphaella Barkley; Editor, Founder and Owner of The Perfume Magazine LLC.
The Perfume Magazine Forums, The Perfume Magazine.com, The Perfume Magazine FaceBook,The Perfume Magazine Twitter, and Sniffapalooza Magazine.com, as well as all The Perfume Magazine Social Media, is also solely owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley and The Perfume Magazine LLC.
THE PERFUME MAGAZINE LOGO & BANNER
Perfume Magazine Brand Consultant: Tim Girvin
Our logo was created by GIRVIN | Strategic Branding, based in Seattle, NYC, and Tokyo. This is a specially built font that their design team created exclusively for Perfume Magazine. It is a custom cutting, redrawn and founded on a type design originated in 1798 by Giambattista Bodoni, drawn from the archives of Firmin Didot, an exemplar of luxurious design principles for hundreds of years. GIRVIN's team built the "fume" trail, as well as composited the arrangement of the bottles as part of the branding strategy.
The Perfume Magazine Banner was designed exclusively by GIRVIN and is the property of The Perfume Magazine, LLC.
All images appearing in the banner are registered trademarks of their respected company and are used with permission.
Creed Bottle image in The Perfume Magazine Banner is a registered trademark of Creed and used with permission.
Fracas Bottle image in The Perfume Magazine Banner is a registered trademark of Robert Piquet and used with permission.
The logo and banner are property of The Perfume Magazine, LLC. and are protected by U.S.and international copyright laws.
© Copyright. 2012. All Rights Reserved. The Perfume Magazine LLC 2012
Welcome to The Perfume Magazine!
This issue is a celebration of Spring, starting with our Cover Story that explores the collaborative process between Neela Vermeire and Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour as they worked together to create Neela Vermeire Creations, one of the most intriguing and incredible new lines that I have encountered in quite some time. I first met Vermeire at the Elements Showcase in New York City, I was completely taken - not just by her superb perfumes, but by Neela Vermeire, herself. She is a strong woman with a vision - a vision for perfection and a desire to honor her heritage and both of these visions come to stunning realization through the work of Bertrand Duchaufour. It was a true honor to be granted an opportunity to speak to both of them on their journey from the concept to the finished product.
Besides the trilogy from Neela Vermeire, we continue our series of threes. Contributor Clayton Ilolahia offers another entry for our Mens Department and profiles three masculine fragrances that take inspiration from Vermeire's India, drawing from the subcontinent's immense raw materials catalog. Senior Editor Beth Schreibman Gehring shares with us three of her favorite spring fragrances. I profile three masterpieces from Dutch fragrance house Puredistance, and three spring candles that are sure to fill your home with the perfect aromatic ambiance.
Raphaella and I are hours away from hopping on a plane and heading to Milano for Esxence. There, we will join several of our contributors to cover the best of niche perfumery. We will scour the city and the countryside for olfactory inspiration in preparation for next month's Italian Issue. The Perfume Magazine heads to Italy and you can catch the event LIVE! Find out how, below!
MARK DAVID BOBERICK | Managing Editor
Click here to add text.
MISSED THE PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE PERFUME MAGAZINE?
Catch up on what you missed, right here!
The Proliferation of Perfume Communication
A Commentary by Marian Bendeth, Global Fragrance Expert
I recently bumped into an old High School chum, we were best friends back in the day and had much to catch up on. As we giggled our way down memory lane, she paused for a second and then said "You always smelled like an old lady, I don't mean a Senior but like a grown woman. I always smelled of strawberries and girly stuff," she said, "but you Marian, were grown beyond your years".
As daft as that sounded, I could understand what she was saying. My childhood years were spent wearing grown-up fragrances going back to the age of three. It was hard
discussing my obsession with other kids. They didn't understand my passion for something so adult. There were no computers, cell phones with apps, tweets, zines and blogs to reference. Only my local library where I would devour foreign magazines in languages that made no sense but oh, those ads of the latest scents were always exhilarating to pore over. I would also order scarce books on perfumes which I would voraciously read cover-to-cover and hand-copy...
THE MARCH ISSUE
February 22, 2012
MANDY AFTEL of Aftelier Perfumes
Interviewed by Dana El Masri
People come into our lives at any given time, sometimes you know the reason behind the encounter, and sometimes you don’t. I was meant to ‘meet’ Mandy Aftel.
Mandy is hands down one of the leading natural perfumers in the industry, having gained mainstream recognition. She is remarkably multi-faceted; a FiFi Award Finalist, teacher, collaborator, a stunning author, and she has been a trailblazer in the world of natural perfumery.
Our paths have crossed even in my day-to-day, whether it was reading Voltaire’s Candide...
FASHION
and
FRAGRANCE
by
Clayton
Ilolahia
___________
Last month I was at a dinner party and a guy sat next to me. I commented on his fragrance, which began a discussion of perfume. He was wearing Joop Pour Homme, a fragrance he had been using for almost twenty years. The conversation spread to other males at the table and two things struck me. The first thing was, these men have never purchased a perfume for personal use in their lives. The second point I came to realize was that these men were all wearing fragrances that were at least twenty years old and I was surrounded by Joop Pour Homme, Yves Saint Laurent Kouros and Davidoff Cool Water. I think this is a common scenario amongst. . .
I seem to be having a love affair with all things Tom Ford. First it was his luscious woodsy Violet Blonde, followed by the surrealistic Jasmin Rouge and then Neroli Portofino, the refreshing fragrance that was to be my muse for quite a while. But three weeks ago I shamelessly fooled around and fell madly and hopelessly in love with Tobacco Vanille. Trust me when I say that I’ve fallen hard, a bit like the time that I first laid eyes on my husband in a dark swirling dance club at about 6 minutes to midnight. The effect was very similar because I had to have him and I pursued him both recklessly and relentlessly until he finally gave in. Indeed Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille manages to be decadent. . .
Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille
Love At First Bite
by Beth Schreibman Gehring
The Book of Lost Fragrances
by M.J. Rose
___________________________
NEW BOOK RELEASE
It is not every day that a book suitable for the shelf of a fragrance lover is released. Indeed, there exist far too few tomes that celebrate the world of Fragrance. Thankfully, Author M.J. Rose has given us one.
Last summer, Joya Studio’s Frederick Bouchardy read an advanced copy of The Book of Lost Fragrances, and was inspired to interpret the magical scent in the book. Joya’s Âmes Sœurs hints of Frankincense, Myrrh, Orange Blossom and Jasmine. It’s smoky uncommon finish suggests the past and the future, and lost souls reunited.
Our friends at The Perfume Shoppe in
Rehoboth, DE were recently featured on
FOX Philly. Watch their story, below!
Masterpieces of Artistic Perfumery
4th edition, March 29 - April 1, 2012
Palazzo La Permanente - Milan, Italy
For the first time in Italy, the leading event of Artistic Perfumery, now in its fourth edition, will have a dedicated web-tv channel in Live Streaming. Thanks to the joint-venture between Esxence and Extrait, which will guarantee a worldwide visibility to the event and to all of the brands that will take part in it...
Thanks to our friends at Extrait, The Perfume Magazine will be presenting a live stream from the event in Milan, Italy on our Facebook page.
ANNOUNCING UPDATED VENDOR'S LIST
CREED Adds New Celebrity Clients and
Robert Piguet Announces
the Launch of 5 New Scents
in the Nouvelle Collection
Luxuriousss Abandon
Xerjoff XJ 17/17 Irisss
Impressions From Elements Showcase
by Brian Place
The photography world has its "prosumers" -- consumers who approach photography on a more professional level without making it their career. In that sense, I'm a fragrance "prosumer." My passion has been more than a hobby, yet less than a career for the past several years. I’ve been
following Elements Showcase for a while, now and jumped at the chance to attend as a representative of The Perfume Magazine. Elements Showcase was my first encounter with many people I've known online for a while, and it also gave me a chance to meet a number of industry people whose work I really respect including. . .
CARON
L'Accord 119
by Mark David Boberick
IRIS | The Winter Hip-Note
By Mark David Boberick
The next time you pass by your local flower shop, take a minute to stop and smell the irises. No, really – lean in close and inhale deeply. What do you smell? More Than likely, you’re not smelling very much of anything – at least, nothing reminiscent of the iris note found in many of the most recent fragrances to hit the perfume counters. And the reason is very simple – you’re smelling the wrong end.
Unlike many flowers such as rose and jasmine whose essences are extracted through varying processes from the buds and petals, the true beauty of iris. . .
Paris. 1904. Ernest Daltroff opens a perfumery on the Rue de la Paix. This perfumery, named CARON, will eventually become one of the most successful and exclusive French fragrance brands, renowned for innovative and extraordinary compositions. Among them, the iconic Tabac Blond, launched at the prologue of The Roaring 20s, and a provocative symbol of feminist liberation. For a 108-year-old fragrance house to maintain its place at the forefront, it occasionally may realize the need to give in to trends that eventually stop being just trendy.
The trend in question? Fruity-Florals, which is a genre that tends to get an undesirable reputation amongst fragrance connoisseurs. . .
OLIVER VALVERDE of Oliver & Co.
Interviewed by Bettina d'Onofrio
The Perfume Magazine always welcomes the opportunity to introduce our readers to new faces of the niche perfume industry. This month, Bettina d'Onofrio speaks with artisan perfumer Oliver Valverde from Spain.
By Mark David Boberick
The Italian fragrance house of Xerjoff has done it again. They have driven me to the point of obsession. First, it happened in November with Homme, an exceptional masculine leather fougere and now it happens with Irisss – a fragrance so hauntingly beautiful that it makes many of its iris-based predecessors seem like bottled water.
One of the most outstanding things about the House of Xerjoff is that the entire fragrance range is seemingly laden with precious orris butter from the Iris Pallida plant that grows in abundance in the region outside of Florence. At over $75,000 a kilo, this is one raw material that is hardly ever used anymore. Its cost is far too difficult to work around. . .
An Inspired Collaboration
Neela Vermeire and Bertrand Duchaufour
by Mark David Boberick, Managing Editor
IN THIS ISSUE
India and the Modern Man
by Clayton Ilolahia
Fall into Spring with this trio of candles that perfectly complement your home with their aromas that reawaken the senses after a few months of hibernation.
Featuring
CAMBRIDGE
Astier de Villatte
MOSAMBI BLOSSOM
Charlie Gardener Collection
VETIVER
elizabeth W
Spring Candle Round-Up
by Mark David Boberick
puredistance: master perfumes
by Mark David Boberick
She Comes In Colors, Everywhere
Perfumes To Fall Madly In Love With This Spring
by
Beth Schreibman Gehring
I think that it was Robin Williams who said “Spring is Natures way of saying Let’s Party!” These days I couldn’t agree more. It’s been unusually warm here in Cleveland, 86 degrees yesterday and it would seem that March has become the new May! Daffodils and forsythia are blooming everywhere, my crabapple trees are filled to bursting with creamy pink and white buds and every rose bush in my yard is filled with beautiful green leaves and the promise of many a bloom. It’s usually still snowing here this time of year so all fears about climate change aside I’ll take it! Here in Ohio we’re definitely. . .
Does the idea of exclusivity rest solely in availability and distribution? Can the concept for an exclusive fragrance line surpass branding and permeate into the fragrances themselves? Jan Ewoud Vos, founder of Puredistance, has created a perfume line that turns a branding idea into a rock-solid concept that expertly lends itself to every aspect of the company – from packaging and presentation to the trio of exquisite perfume extracts.
Based in the Netherlands, Jan Ewoud Vos’ inspired vision was carried out by Master Perfumer Annie Buzantian in New York and Professeur de Parfum Roja Dove in London . . .
Artists have often looked to India for inspiration in their work. The colours, tastes and sounds of India have provided an amazing resource of ideas for designers and creators within the world of fashion and beauty. Recently, Karl Lagerfeld referenced India with his acclaimed Metier d’Art collection for Chanel and 19th century French jeweller Louis Boucheron was keenly inspired by a garden he visited in the city of Jaipur. When the jeweller began offering perfume, Boucheron Jaipur Pour Homme was eventually created in 1997. . .
Shelley Waddington
Perfuming With Natural Isolates:
The Complete Reference Manual
with a profile by Raphaella Barkley
Shelley Waddington, Perfumer and Owner of En Voyage Perfumes is a talented niche and indie perfumer who recently released her latest book titled “Perfuming With Natural Isolates”. Michel Roudnitska, master perfumer from Grasse, recently stated that the book was “A wonderful idea and useful contribution to our profession”.
This resource book is perfect for budding perfumers as Waddington extensively covers Natural Isolates from Botanical Sources . . .
NEXT MONTH: THE ITALIAN ISSUE
Fresh from our return from Esxence in Milan, this issue is a celebration of Italian perfumery and will be an olfactory love-letter to Italy, drawn from our sensory experiences in Lombardy and Veneto.
We are pleased to announce that Mark David Boberick will be taking part in an upcoming panel discussion at Esxence in Milan. Mark David will be on a panel consisting of other journalists, authors, bloggers, and fragrance experts.
The Chairman will be the esteemed Michael Edwards, fragrance expert and author of Fragrances of the World. . .
More details Inside!
Translating Perfume Into Words:
Writing About An Unseen Artform
Workshop at Esxence 2012 in Milan, Italy
What happens when a serious and passionate fragrance lover decides to launch her own line of fine fragrances? She turns to Master Perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour and launches an exceptional trilogy of perfumes celebrating her homeland: India. The result is Neela Vermeire Creations, 2012’s most exciting niche fragrance collection.
Neela Vermeire was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata), the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. As a young child coming of age in the Indian tropics, Vermeire was met with a wide variety of smells from a very young age. “In India, you are always assaulted with various smells – good, bad, and ugly. I spent my summers at my grandparents’ country home which was surrounded by many tropical flowers and fruits. I have great memories involving scent – time spent with my family during various ceremonies, celebrations and feasts, holidays by the sea all over India and the Himalayan Mountains. Sandalwood paste used as a face mask while growing up. Tea gardens in Darjeeing and Munnar, visits to other cities, life in Calcutta - pocketfuls of beautiful smells,” says Vermeire. . .
