In the 18th century, in Parma, Italia, there was fine printer and typographer named Giambattista Bodoni -- his work was called by many of his time and since, as the exemplar of sophistication in design. Beautiful books, exquisite typefaces, amazing sense of airiness and restraint. The type of our masthead is custom designed and hand-drawn by Tim Girvin and his team in NYC | Seattle, creating a perfection on the classics from centuries past, to a new revised and refined titling treatment -- just for us! Sniffapalooza Magazine Banner by Tim Girvin. Sniffapalooza logo/banner: Bond No. 9 is a registered trademark of Laurice & Co. ©2008
Our spectacular back issues have won rave reviews and each issue is full of fascinating interviews, fragrance reviews articles and much more.
Interview with Francis Kurkdjian
Owner and Perfumer;
Maison Francis Kurkdjian
By Cristiane Gonçalves
Francis Kurkdjian opened recently his new House, the Maison Kurkdjian in September, 7th, 2009, a memorable occasion when a beautiful dream came true - the dream of a very talent perfumer and composer in opening his house - an invitation to his world of fragrant Arts, his Maison as the genuine meaning of the word, as he naturally and splendidly says:
“I chose to add the word “Maison” (house) before my name. It is not stylistic concept but rather a way to express what I believe”. A house has soul and history, inhabitants and friends and sometimes children. All those emotions derived from “home” join together under this word and animate my dream: to create as my greatest happiness the ability to inspire even little pleasures for others” (1)
I am far from the Parisien Rue D’Alger, n. 5 – the new address of Maison Kurkdjian, however I would have the pleasure of feeling the doors opened to his artistic world in this interview, coming into there and, much more, be inspired one more time by a dedicated and visionary artist of the scents whose perfumes always captured my fragrant tastes. As always, Francis Kurkdjian is very spontaneous and captivating – fascinating virtues, mainly, to work with emotions, people and fragrances, besides, as a real gentleman and sensitive soul demonstrates he is an artist whose passionate enthusiasm and discipline in the métier is to bring beauty, harmony and joy to the world.
I warmly welcome Francis Kurkdjian and you, dear reader, with one more amazing interview at the Magazine. – Cristiane Gonçalves
CG: If you should define yourself fragrantly and in some words, which is the scent behind Francis Kurkdjian that evokes who you really are?
FK: There have been no scents to date that are me or represent perfectly who I am and what I feel. I guess since I have been a perfumer, I am running after the perfect scent and fragrance knowing it does not really exist. This is why I keep creating, working and searching even though Le Male by Jean Paul Gaultier, the very first fragrance I have created is a huge success. After a few years within the industry, I noticed that perfumers were claiming that perfume is an art form but beside commercial works...more
Interview with Francis Kurkdjian By Cristiane Gonçalves as he talks to us first about his new line Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
All rights reserved 2006-2010. All content belongs to Sniffapalooza Magazine. All articles by individual writers and contributors, understand and agree that each article that is accepted by the Editor for publication; becomes the property of Sniffapalooza Magazine for the sole purpose of publication for Sniffapalooza Magazine. Articles may be archived for permanent use on the web site for Sniffapalooza Magazine and for future issues.
All articles remain the property of Sniffapalooza Magazine for display purposes only. Sniffapalooza Magazine is independently owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley.
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Sniffapalooza Magazine is independently owned and operated by Raphaella Barkley since it's inception in 2006.
Marian, first, let me congratulate you on winning the 2009 Canadian Fragrance Awards; Best Media Editorial Awards for your article on Kilian Hennessey titled "II Fragrance Delecto"-The Scented Mask of Kilian Hennessy that was published on Basenotes. What an honor, how did this feel?
MB: Thank you Raphaella. Well, winning my first media Award was a shock as I really see myself more as a fragrance correspondent or interpreter of scents. When I won my second, it was another unexpected thrill and now winning my third Awards with Kilian and Basenotes, I feel a lot more confident but I still have a lot to learn. Kilian was most generous with his time and answers and we share this Award with him.....please everyone’s tastes so they must create scents that hopefully hit their targets in each Country. In terms of body chemistry, I cannot reveal how my formulation is created publicly, and I could never train someone to do my work. It is part research based on hundreds of thousands of consultations with the fragrance public, part intuitive and mostly experience fine-tuning my nose to pick up specific notes or accords with different body chemistries...View full interview here...
"The pursuit of fragrance is merely humanity coveting
and cloaking ourselves in the very best of nature". - Marian Bendeth
Interview with Marian Bendeth
Global Fragrance Expert and owner of Sixth Scents
Marian Bendeth is President of Sixth Scents and is a Global Fragrance Expert and consultant to many top perfume houses. She is truly a pioneer in the fragrance consulting industry. She is the first person anywhere in the world to provide the public and perfume houses with personalized fragrance wardrobing consultations based on body chemistry, psychology, fashion sense, environment and lifestyle as well as psychological profiling on over 2,000 plus fragrances. Since entering into the fragrance industry in 1983, and opening Sixth Scents in 1989, Bendeth can still claim this exclusive role. She is the only one in the world to provide direct consulting to everyone involved in the fragrance industry from Perfumers, Fragrance and Flavour Houses, Retailers, Vendors, Distributors, Buyers, Marketers, Trainers, the Media and the General Public. Marian Bendeth truly has a rare business and a rare gift.
“Fragrance should never be worn like a thick scented choker, where the scent emanates from the neck in strong blasts like a foghorn! Rather, it should sparkle like twinkling stars, where small bursts disperse here and there; they elude us, pique our curiosity and make us want more.”
–Marian Bendeth
Sniffapalooza Magazinegarnered TWO nominations in the TOP FIVE finalists in the category of Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 Blog
The Fragrance Foundation/2009 Fifi Awards recently announced the Top Five finalists in the category of Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2009 Blog.
The Perfume of the Wind: An Interview With Jean-Claude Ellena with an Introduction by Michel Roudnitska
"In extracting the oils, the angels take their share."
-Michael Edwards
Exclusive interview with Michael Edwards
Fragrance Expert and Author of "Fragrances Of The World"
By Mark David Boberick
In 1984, Michael Edwards changed the Perfume Industry when he launched Fragrances of the World, a guide that classified perfumes. Updated yearly, it would grow to be a vital resource for perfume retailers the world over. Today, Edwards’ body of work includes the “Fragrance Bible” which is in its 26th edition and lists over 7000 fragrances as well as the Fragrance Database which lists just about every detail one could want to know about a fragrance. Edwards is the author of both Fragrances of the World and Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances, the cult book and collectors item that opened up the secret world of perfume.
According to the Fragrance Foundation, Michael Edwards has become the "perfume experts' expert." He was recognized by two FiFi awards for his contributions to the fragrance industry and his annual Fragrances of the World guidebook and his Fragrances of the World.Info database are considered the world's most comprehensive references for professionals, retailers and fragrance lovers alike.
It was a great honor to spend the day with Michael Edwards, to interview him and finally, to present to you; this rare interview.
You can also view his Fragrance Wheel inside. Raphaella Barkley; Editor (see Editors Note inside) and I sat down with Michael in New York City several months ago for the following interview...full interview inside.
-Mark David Boberick"My first recollection of meeting Fragrance Author/Expert, Michael Edwards will forever be etched in my memory like a beautiful Lanvin stopper. The year was 1998 and we went to a luncheon in some lovely cafe in Cannes, France during the World Tax Free Show. I recall a tall tanned and elegant Gentleman in an off-white linen suit striding towards me. As we began our journey on scents, his lilting and gentle English accent effortlessly glided across scent names and history like an Olympic skater, his pirouettes: precious nuggets of fascinating information that only a select few would know. It was magic and anyone who is fortunate to hear him will also be enraptured.
Michael Edwards' Award-winning contributions and knowledge of perfumes are limitless. As an author, his language and phenomenal attention to detail is breathtaking. His classifications, spellbinding to those who seek out the truth with facts and integrity. His passion and authoritative joie de vivre, utterly infectious.
A living legend, Michael Edwards is without question, the most recognizable and highly accredited Fragrance Expert to date. His story is remarkable and his knowledge? Well, see for yourself in the following interview..."
- Marian Bendeth; Global Fragrance Expert, Sixth Scents
Atelier Cologne New Releases
Atelier: A workshop or studio, specifically of an artist, artisan, or designer. A place for the execution of handcrafts or to practice arts and leisure; a place where an artist creates his body of art. Cologne: The original eau de cologne was created three hundred years ago by an Italian perfumer established in Cologne, Germany. His fresh blend of citrus oils was inspired by the memory of his homeland. It offered a revolutionary alternative to the heavy scents of the times and inspired a new way to wear personal fragrance.
The company is founded by founded by Sylvie Ganter and Christophe Cervasel and the perfumers behind the creations are Ralf Schwieger, Cécile Krakower and Jérome Epinette.
Atelier Cologne: Perfume house crafting colognes of character. The master perfumers of Atelier Cologne blend unexpected and rare extracts with signature fresh citruses to create Colognes Absolues, concentrated formulas with distinctive and long-lasting sillage. The first collection depicts five moments, five characters: Orange Sanguine, Grand Néroli, Bois Blonds, Trèfle Pur and Oolang Infini. Each scent captures treasured emotions and powerful memories. The new fragrances are:
Orange Sanguine, a zesty and energizing burst of crushed ripe fruit,
plays off sweet blood orange juice against bitter orange peel and sensual
notes of geranium. “It was the kind of moment you would want to revisit. Everyone was here, gathered on the terrace for breakfast, and the scent of fresh oranges was diffusing in the yellow heat. A symphony of their laughter and waves hitting the cliffs played in the air.”
Grand Néroli, a romantic ingénue, wraps elegant orange blossom flower
around layers of clean herbal notes, warm musks and addictive brushstrokes of vanilla. “The windows were thrown open to let in the afternoon sun, along with a breeze of orange blossoms. She secured fresh flowers into her hair and her eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation. She had been a whirl of precise motion in her final preparation and took pause to dream about the moment to come.”
Bois Blonds, a sophisticated yet mischievous elixir, entwines unique and
precious woods and incense with sensual orange flower and vetiver.
“They spoke in whispers, breathing at the pace of the wind. The sun streamed through the trees in long rays of gold. Suddenly, the sky became the muted colors of twilight, it felt like hours had passed in a moment or that time had stopped altogether.”
Trèfle Pur, a landscape of vitality, surrounds violet leaves in green woods,
freshly cut grass and dewy earth. “He had a good feeling about it. That’s the thing about luck, you feel it or you don’t. This moment, he felt it. He found the morning’s rain had left everything looking greener and a bit sharper, like he was seeing it all for the first time, and he headed off with a spring in his step.”
Oolang Infini, a full-bodied, mysterious concoction, captures blue tea and bergamot in the warmth of smoke and leather. “His breath fogged the window while he watched new snow fall upon the frozen lake. He came here to catch up on his writing and escape the city. At that moment, the fireplace crackled, ice settled in his glass and his thoughts made their way back to the ink.”
'
A Rose Fragrance Collection in Four Parts
The long awaited Part Four is finally here! Part Four Raphaella’s Roses below features over 110 old and new scents. While most are “straight up” rose scents, others have enough rose in them to add to the list. Surprisingly, during my research, I learned that both a “perfume scientist” and a “fragrance expert” classified certain fragrances as “rose” scents. There were many roses that I did not include because they were either discontinued or too hard to find to purchase. I do hope you enjoy Part Four of Raphaella's Roses, a huge collection of rose fragrances...
Parsons and MoMA in Partnership with IFF,
Coty and Seed Present HEADSPACE:
A Symposium on Scent as Design
Presented by Parsons and MoMA, with Seed, IFF, and Coty.
March 26 Event Marks Establishment of new MFA Transdisciplinary
Design program at Parsons with leading designers, scientists, artists and perfumers. Info inside
Parsons The New School for Design and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), in partnership with International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (IFF), Coty Inc. and seed, present HEADSPACE: A Symposium on Scent as Design. Taking place Friday, March 26, at Tishman Auditorium at The New School, this daylong event will bring together for the first time leading designers, scholars, scientists, artists, and perfumers to explore this new territory for design. The event marks the establishment of a new MFA in Transdisciplinary Design at Parsons. More inside and registration...
Friday, March 26, 2010 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tishman Auditorium, Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall, 66 West 12th Street
Admission:Free; seating is first-come first-serve.
HEADSPACE: ON SCENT AS DESIGN
Why do designers rarely use scent in their work? Is scent difficult to work with? Hard to control? Is it beyond representation and representational thinking? Does it defy design? Parsons The New School for Design is holding a one-day symposium to consider these questions on March 26, 2010. HEADSPACE: On Scent as Design considers the conception, impact, and potential applications of scent. It brings together leading thinkers, designers, scientists, artists, and established perfumers as well as a selection of architects, designers, and chefs who have been invited to experiment with scent. HEADSPACE challenges the traditional understanding of scent, exploring the possibilities it offers design.
Moderated by Paola Antonelli, Adam Bly, Jamer Hunt, and Laetitia Wolff. Speakers include Anna Barbara, Carlos Benaïm, Chandler Burr, Jean-louis Frechin, William Hanson, Sylvia Lavin, Toshiko Mori, Susana Soares, Sissel Tolaas, and Leslie Vosshall. Presented by Parsons and MoMA, with Seed, IFF, and Coty. More inside and registration...
The Humanity Fragrance
I was ammazed that this original hand-made perfume bottle with the Humanity Fragrance is priced just right- and this gorgeous custom-designed glass sculpted bottles of the Humanity fragrance are now availiable. The Humanity fragrance is based around the Indian white lotus flower, a symbol of purity from ancient cultures. Rich in vanilla inflections with notes of maté tea and sustainable sandalwood from Australia, the scent is fresh, sheer, floral and woody,
and comes blended in a base of three organic oils.
The anatomical heart inspired bottles with white glass corks were designed by Lance McGregor and Alan Iwamura, and handmade by Alan. Each bottle is numbered by perfumer Anne McClain. The Humanity perfume fountain will emit a fragrance inspired by an act of humanity, transforming a small Brooklyn park into a place for communing, contemplation,
and compassion. The Humanity fragrance is based around the Indian white lotus flower,
a symbol of purity from ancient cultures. Rich with vanilla inflections with notes of maté tea
and sustainable sandalwood from Australia, the scent is fresh, sheer, floral and woody.
Lance McGregor, who has developed projects at Baron & Baron Inc and Tom Dixon Studio,
a cofounder of Mari-Studio and founder of McGregor & McGregor Inc, a full service design
studio with well noted works with Marc Jacobs, David Yurman, Ralph Lauren and DKNY,
worked with Alan Iwamura, an emerging Brooklyn-based glass artist, to create an anatomical
heart-inspired vessel to bottle the Humanity fragrance. Each bottle is handmade and will be
packaged with a postcard addressed back to the perfumer, giving people a chance to
communicate any moments of compassion they experience while wearing the fragrance...
You must view their blog; just gorgeous!
image by Claire Benoist
AFTELIER PERFUMES LAUNCHES NEW PERFUME TRÈVERT
EAU DE PARFUM
Trèvert Eau de Parfum’s ultra greenness -- in all ways -- is created from verdant pine absolute, leafy flouve absolute, and ambery clary sage. Mandy always loved both the color and the aroma of pine needle absolute and wanted to create a perfume that was as beautiful to look at as it was to smell. The intense emerald color comes naturally from the jammy-sweet pine needle absolute. Trèvert is a word play on the ways this beautiful new EDP is “very green”: the emerald color, the herbaceous notes, and, of course, the pure and natural foundation of all Aftelier fragrances. Trèvert EDP is available at aftelier.com in a 30 ml spray ($150).
Aftelier Perfumes are created by Mandy Aftel, author of the award-winning Essence and Alchemy: A Book of Perfume, which has been published in seven languages. Dubbed the “angel of alchemy” by Vanity Fair, Aftel has designed custom blends for Hollywood stars, writers, and restaurants, as well as private labels. She is passionate about helping the art of natural perfumery, once near extinction, to evolve and thrive. “Mandy Aftel is a recognized authority in Natural Perfume and a true pioneer in the modern field of Naturals” – Rochelle Bloom, President, fragrance Foundation
All Aftelier perfumes are pure and natural. Today, almost every commercial perfume is created from synthetic essences. Although synthetics approximate the odors of natural ingredients, they have none of the complexity, mystery or emotional depth. We bring an inexplicable emotional intensity to the experience of an authentic smell and the memories it sparks and creates. Mandy Aftel’s approach to creating artisan natural perfumes is based in the quality and integrity of the ingredients. Unlike most commercial perfumers, for each of our hand-crafted liquid and solid perfumes, Mandy chooses from among more than five hundred of the finest natural essences found anywhere in the world, using organic or wild-crafted oils whenever possible. The materials that she loves working with are often expensive, and she wants the creative freedom to use not just one or two but several in a blend. Most of the all-natural fragrance materials that she uses cost between $2,000 and $14,000 per kilo. She uses no artificial colors, no synthetic fragrances, no petrochemicals, no phthalates, and no parabens.
Ulrich Lang Nightscape
Fragrance Review By Mark David BoberickThe year 2009 saw many new releases, but as I look back through the bottles that I acquired last year, there is only one that has a noticeable amount missing from it. The exquisite Nightscape, created in collaboration with Frank Voelkl of Firmenich, marks the third fragrance by former L’Oreal executive Ulrich Lang and is a beautiful departure from his Anvers series. Like Anvers 1 and 2, Ulrich Lang continues the marriage of photography and fragrance by having the scent visually interpreted by an artist. For Nightscape, Lang partnered with American photographer Matt Licari Who wandered about
New York looking to capture the perfect image. The chosen photograph is of a less Metropolitan
side of New York – with landmarks so far away that they blend in with the 6-story apartment buildings
in the foreground. But the city only plays a third of the role in the photograph – the night sky which
grades in shades of grey eventually captures your eye and manages to keep it there...more
FORWARD BY BETH GEHRING: I adore roses! I grow many different varieties but my father taught me to especially love the oldest ones, the less pretentious looking ones. In my father’s garden grew old fashioned Rosa Rugosas and lovely blowsy English climbers and at a young age I learned to appreciate how different each variety smelled. Some were sweet and some were spicy and many were musky and heavily reminiscent of a rich sexuality. Roses have been considered sacred throughout all of recorded history and their profoundly simple beauty speaks to the human imagination in a way that almost no other flower does. The fragrance of a rose garden becomes a total symphony at dusk on a warm summer’s eve and it’s almost impossible to choose a favorite variety! One Bourbon rose is exquisite but bourbon mixed with damask.....the combinations of scent is endless and almost impossible to fathom.
So it is with Raphaella’s Rose’s. Created by Raphaella Barkley, you will find a rose fragrance here for absolutely everyone. With the same commitment that she pours into everything that she does, Raphaella has created the most concise compendium of rose fragrances that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Her devotion to her topic is absolute and the information is delivered in a way that is both fun, passionate and without pretension. I’ve never met anyone who loves rose fragrances as much as Raphaella and her complete and obvious adoration for the subject matter is infectious. With her trademark wit and almost encyclopedic knowledge of the subject she’s given us a gift that I know that I’ll return to time and again. My wallet might not be thanking her but my heart definitely is. There is no flower on earth that has the ability to transform and transport my imagination as much as the perfume of one heavenly rose and the perfume of the rose can heal my spirit while delighting all of my senses. Even if you think that you don’t like rose perfumes come and immerse yourself in Raphaella’s world for awhile. You’ll be glad that you did because there is a luscious rose perfume just waiting for you here. I promise!
FORWARD BY CHRISTINE LEWANDOWSKI: Raphaella's Roses have, from the very beginning been a labor of love. It began as an idea to list rose scents because our Editor In Chief loves them. Over the life of the magazine, Raphaella’s Roses took on a life of its own, as more and more people responded to this particular section of the magazine. It is little wonder, considering the lengthy and varied history of roses. Indeed, fossil records indicate roses have existed as long as 35 million years ago. Fossilized rose flowers and hips are found in the western United States and in Europe: along with petrified rose wreaths in Egyptian tombs. Most of us are familiar with the many ways in which the rose is used as a symbol. Be it by color, to represent emotions or flower to represent nations. The rose has been used to represent everything from English factions in the War of the Roses, Christian martyrs, the Rosicrucians, the divine feminine, New York City and The Alchemy Guild. A sixteenth century lexicon states that the rose is a symbol that has many very profound meanings in all branches of the Hermetic mystery. The Rosicrucian esoteric fraternity adopted the rose on a cross as their symbol. The cross chosen was one of equal lengths and not the crucifixion cross. Sir Francis Bacon is purported to have been a Rosicrucian and went so far as to wear roses on the toes of his shoes."
The rose has been used in literature from ancient Buddhist and Confucianism, the Old Testament, Shakespeare and Alice in Wonderland. Is it any wonder that the rose and rose fragrances continue to fascinate us?
We hope you enjoy this fourth installment of Raphaella’s Roses. View Raphaella's Roses here...over 110 rose fragrances...
Annick Goutal Ninfeo mio
New Fragrance Review
The Gardens
That I See In My Dreams...
By Beth Gehring
How do I love the house of Annick Goutal, just let me count the ways!
I first made my acquaintance with their fragrance Hadrien when
traveling through Neiman Marcus in Chicago many years ago.
It was one of those devastatingly hot Michigan Ave days where
the pavement was literally sizzling underfoot and I was looking
for something light and refreshing to spritz. A wonderful sales
associate named Kent began to inquire as to what I was looking for.
He smiled when I said that I was after something little sweet and a lot
citrusy and it was at that point that my love affair with Goutal began.
I’ll never forget that moment and my husband still laughs when he tells the story. What a pushover I can be for a little bit of good attention! Kent led me over to the Annick Goutal Counter and grabbed the bottle of Hadrien splash (sadly, no longer available) spritzed some on my wrist and with a flourish worthy of any studied Southern man, he dipped low and with a soft deep breath blew gently where he’d sprayed.
That was it…..My husband laughed so hard that he was almost in tears and of course I walked out with what was to be the beginning of a mighty addiction!...more
GREENWITCH
This Saturday, for the Spring Equinox, the final version of the fragrance GREENWITCH
goes out into the world in honor of the White Lady, Tethys.
Artist and eco-luxe, niche fragrance designer Roxana of Roxana Illuminated Perfume will launch the first edition of
GreenWitch to coincide with the Vernal Equinox. The perfume has been formulated as a Green Chypre featuring
seaweed, built with elements from the story by the same name. Read more here Roxana chooses to craft her
fine art of perfumery by utilizing essences produced by nature, with socially conscious principals. Each flacon sold
will give a percentage to GreenPeace. The fragrance will be available March 20th, 2010 in sample sets,
1 gram vials and the 7gram flacon at Roxana's E-shop
By Roxana Villa...
Initially I intended to follow a traditional floral chypre formula when I set out to create this fragrance. A basic floral chypre
consists of a Labdanum, Oakmoss and Patchouli base, floral heart notes with citrus at the top, Bergamot being the most favored. Some formulas from my books include Vetiver and Sandalwood in combination with the prior mentioned trilogy. Being a fan of Vetiver I choose to include it in my chypre base... more here
Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and Parfums des Beaux Arts
Presents A New Fragrance: Bancha
The season of new life, new beginnings and renewed wellbeing, spring signifies a rebirth through a harmonious celebration of balance and revitalization. To welcome this invigorating time of year, niche perfumer Dawn Spencer Hurwitz has expertly crafted a brand new and very special ayurvedic scent elemental to the season, Bancha. In alignment with nature, the refreshing fragrance of Bancha eases the wearer through transitional months, as signs of vitality and fresh starts begin to resurface all around. Memories of winter’s coldness quietly fold into warm breezes as the renewed element of invincibility overtakes the mind and senses. Bancha’s earthy-green notes are inspired by the fresh tones of the traditional Japanese tea of the same name and comprised of essences used in traditional ayrudedic medicine, to ensure complete wellness through simple scent meditation. Charismatic and refreshing, the bold citrus top notes of Bancha intertwine with a base of earthy, green aromas for a crisp, lively fragrance that will revive the senses and restore harmony. The unisex scent welcomes spring’s fresh start…
Top Notes: Green Mandarin, Lime Peel, Mint, Yuzu. Middle Notes: Holy Basil, Centifolia Rose, Sambac Jasmine, Pine Needle. Base Notes: Australian Sandalwood, Himalayan Cedarwood
Bancha is the ultimate uplifting aroma, ever so fitting to welcome the spring season. With heady green undertones, the sweet notes of this fragrance create a wholly balanced sense of well-being and reinforce holistic healing. Bancha will be available in early 2010.
To learn more about Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and Parfums des Beaux Arts
Bancha is available in: Parfum - 5 ml Antique Presentation Extract / $80.00
Eau de Parfum - 1oz EDP Spray / $70.00; Mini Dram Bottle / $18.00.
Soulgasm by Sasha Varon Luxe Parfums
from press release:
Established to create masterpieces uniquely rebellious of today’s status quo, Sasha Varon steals the stage with its first offering; SOULGASM, Heaven Sent, Hell-bent… Characterized as ‘luxury artistic niche’ Sasha Varon believes in starting from the artistic and moving into marketing not the other way around. An increasingly difficult aspect of the luxury niche perfume market is defining exactly what it is. As a rule breaker it is difficult to pin down. As soon as you define it and try to hold it, it breaks free and finds new expression. In an oversaturated market where differentiation is crucial for sales success, Sasha Varon’s Soulgasm, with its provocative, sexy, vintage-inspired styling & feel takes you back in time, telling a story that reaches out and dares you not to pick it up and satisfy your curiosity. Once you sample its juice, you’re drawn in further. NOTES: Head: Succulent Peach, Anjou Pear, South African Freesia, Ripe Black Currant. Heart: Wild, Night-Blooming Jasmine, Delicate Eurasian Lily, Multi-Faceted Woodberry. Base: Clean Musk, Warm Amber, Sweet French Vanilla
Truly a perfume, not an EDP, with thirty-three percent of fragrance oil to diluents, Soulgasm’s scent characteristics are genuinely unique and unmistakably feminine. Its bottle, equally stunning with its vintage atomizer brings a modern twist to a classic time and style. With the age of independent and niche beauty and fragrance developers introducing breakout successes; consumers now more than ever need to be seduced and triggered by the “must have” sense that Soulgasm provokes. To simply be satisfied with the old standby favorites, line extensions and “me too” fragrances no longer serves today’s market. Consumers crave and embrace the new, the authentic and the extraordinarily unique.
Sasha Varon’s philosophy of brash individuality and unapologetic boldness in a fragrance company doesn’t end with our love of perfume and beauty. We are equally committed to using our voice to reach the public, and in turn, help a most precious resource; the children of the world. With each sale of Soulgasm, Sasha Varon through our dedicated partnership with VitaminAngels.org will provide life-giving nutritional supplements to a child at risk of malnutrition for one year.
New Bond No. 9 High Line
Release from Bond:
The scent of wildflowers, green grasses … and urban renewal. Like our latest and most dynamic neighborhood, the High Line—which serves as the subject of Bond No. 9’s Spring 2010 eau de parfum. The Highline is an improbable aerial walkway lined with concrete planks and railroad tracks, landscaped with meadows, wetlands, and wildflowers, the High Line hovers 30 feet above street level as it meanders along its route from the Meatpacking District to the former 34th Street rail yards--- sometimes bridging its way through buildings along the way. Lately too it’s begun serving a daily parade of New Yorkers and visitors wanting both a respite from and a fresh take on our non-stop kaleidoscopic city.
We at Bond No. 9, purveyors of New York neighborhood fragrances, have long been enamored of the High Line and its perfume possibilities. A scent that conveys a whiff of urban wildflowers and a hint of industrial grit, with bits of Tenth Avenue energy and Chelsea gallery style added to the mix--- this intrigued us. So we set about creating Bond No. 9 High Line.
The result is an androgynous floral-marine bouquet, contrasting the hardy flowers and greens that grow along the High Line’s route with intriguing notes from far away. The scent starts off with a prairie grazing weed—purple love grass—mixed with citrusy bergamot and zesty Indian rhubarb. The perfume’s floral heart is red-leaf rose, Lady Jane tulips, and grape hyacinth. Its lingering base notes combine bur oak—from the sheltering tree that thrives here—with imported sea moss, to evoke the Hudson River’s proximity, along with musk and teakwood, to remind us that Bond No. 9 High Line is a metro-perfume.
The textured silkscreen surface design on the clear glass High Line bottle furthers the beauty-emerging-in-a-gritty-urban-industrial-environment narrative: In the foreground, hardy blades of tall grass and determined fuchsia tulip buds sprout from gunmetal grey rail tracks (affixed to the bottle as a metal plaque) displaying the name, High Line. As for the Bond No. 9 token logo, it appears raised in relief as a backdrop.
Bond No. 9 has joined forces with and became sponsors of Friends of the High Line, the nonprofit organization which spearheaded and oversaw the revitalization and reuse of this abandoned rail line in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation. For more information about the High Line and Friends of the High Line, go to www.thehighline.org.
Appearing on-counter in March 2010,
Bond No. 9 High Line will be sold at our four New York stores, Saks Fifth Avenue, and at bondno9.com.
CREED VINTAGE TABAROME
CREED North America President Thomas Saujet is releasing to the public his personal stash of CREED Vintage Tabarome, the last 50 bottles anywhere of the rare and heady blend originally created by Henry CREED in 1875, with a cult following since then. But in 2010, the warming climate has made it almost impossible for the CREED family to continue to create this gem.
Created in 1875 by Henry CREED, Vintage Tabarome –- sometimes also called Private Collection Tabarome or Tabarome Prive –- is a fragrance of depth, character and clubby luxury that commands a dedicated following into the 21st century. Yet in today’s warming climate, this blend of more than 60 natural ingredients is almost impossible to produce. The quality and quantity of natural ingredients available no longer meet the standards of the CREED family. Speaking recently from France, the family stated that rather than use “substitute” ingredients yielding an inferior result, they have halted all production of Vintage Tabarome with no plans to resume. On March 9, fifty bottles, the personal reserve of the President of CREED North America, will be offered for the enjoyment of clients: 25 at www.creedboutique.com and 25 at CREED, 794 Madison Avenue in New York. This is the very last of Vintage Tabarome.
Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose
Fragrance Review
Review by Beth Gehring
I’ll never forget the first time that I smelled The Perfumers Workshop “Tea Rose”. We were looking for a new salesperson to be
a bridal registry specialist in my carriage trade store. We had interviewed several very good candidates although none had yet stood out in my mind as “The One”. I knew that I wanted someone unusual; my husband who was managing the store at the time was looking for someone practical. We were pretty sure that we would never find the right combination of both. Then in walked Mimi Carroll. For my husband it was love at first sight, but for me, it was definitely love at first smell!
Mimi Carroll was about 73 years old when I first met her and she came in to interview for the position based upon the recommendation of an old friend who swore to me that she knew that Mimi was spry enough for the job. A sales position at my store required long thankless hours of standing on your feet and racing around after the many young brides who were picking out their fine china, crystal and silver everyday in my store. It was a job that required patience, style and a certain amount of untouchable elegance. The second I met her I knew that Mimi was “The One” I’d been waiting for. She had long lovely natural red hair that she wore in a bun and was dressed in a soft pink suit. She had worked for many years at a lovely department store in downtown Chagrin Falls and she was a grandmother who’d been through several weddings of her own.
She had a wonderful dry sense of humor and was quite the lady through and through. She harbored a secret love for Lucky Strike non -filters, which was one of the many reasons that I was totally smitten with her. Those wonderful cigarettes coupled with her very inappropriate sense of humor and the Tea Rose perfume which smelled utterly amazing on her made her an absolute delightful to work with.
Mimi understood the need for a bit of raucous impropriety in the middle of my very proper existence and would sneak me out for one of her delicious cigarettes when she sensed that I’d had about enough of being such a good girl. We’d stand outside and laugh together then smooth our skirts and walk back in ever so appropriately with her Tea Rose fragrance wafting behind us.
I loved it, because it was so ladylike yet it held a subtle aura of something a bit dated, yet sexually exquisite and wonderful.
I could almost hear the piano playing and the spurs clanking in an old western bar as the heroine climbs the stairs and lets her hair down and then the pause as her man comes in and shuts the door solidly behind him. Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose isn’t a delicate English Rose. Instead it’s a lusty period piece that comes galloping out of the bottle and right into your imagination. One spray lasts for hours and it is still one of my favorite perfumes. On me, it’s a delightful little bit of legal sin!
I sadly haven’t seen Mimi for many years now but I can’t help but think of her every time I smell her Tea Rose perfume.
For me it will always remind me of her and her wonderfully naughty influence on my life. Mimi knew that the borderline between being extremely ladylike yet completely sensual and totally wonderful was a very fine one. She didn’t try to hold onto her youth like so many of us try to do, and she allowed herself to gracefully become a totally captivating woman of a “certain age”.
She knew herself and her Tea Rose suited her beautifully, it’s not a fragrance that professes to be subtle and Mimi wasn’t a subtle sort of woman. She spoke whatever was on her mind with a frankness that belied that sweet strawberry blond complexion. Lusty and practical she was, and definitely one of the last great broads as well as one of the very first women besides my mother that I’d ever met who truly knew the meaning of “ Be a lady in the boardroom and a mistress in the bedroom.” That phrase is in a nutshell the very essence of The Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose perfume.
You can wear it out, but why not try spraying it behind closed doors just to see who you turn into. My mind always goes straight back in time to black and scarlet lace, old washbasins of porcelain and stagecoaches. After all, what is this passionate love of fragrance for anyhow if not to provide and excuse to completely indulging all of your unspoken fantasies?
Write me please and let me know who you become the first time that you wear Tea Rose!
Histoires de Parfums: The Tuberose Trilogy
by Mark David Boberick
I’ll be frank - whenever a House releases more than one fragrance at a time, I get incredibly nervous. Why? Because in my more than occasional naivety, I like to think that one good (or great) fragrance at a time is better than mediocrity in multiples. But I’m even hesitant to chalk it up entirely to my possible naivety – because there actually have been multiple releases at a time from several high-profile Houses (which shall remain nameless) that really were not as good as they should have been. Or sometimes there is one great scent in the bunch, another one that is good, and the other half dozen are dull and lifeless. Thank God that Histoires de Parfums has me humbled with their latest release – The Tuberose Trilogy. They are a 3-person cast of leading ladies.
Tuberose 2 – Virginal is the brightest and most effervescent of the lot. It opens with a big, dewy Tuberose; bold and fresh à la Ropion’s Carnal Flower for Frederic Malle. The most well done cherry note I’ve come across (they’re usually nauseating) enters soon after and stays right through till the end. Supporting the sumptuous opening is a tropical heart of jasmine, tiare, and frangipani – neither of which are distinct enough to really overpower the other, instead, they meld into what seems like a brand new tropical flower altogether. The base relies on a touch of patchouli and vanilla. Overall, Virginal is a tropical cherry fragrance that is not as heavy as Guerlain’s Mayotte or any of the Chantecaille white flower fragrances. It is very approachable and definitely worth seeking out.
Tuberose 3 – Animal is the sexy siren of the Trilogy, both spicy and sweet and incredibly seductive. It opens with a blast of Tuberose and neroli with a pulpy kumquat note. This is all of the legendary Tuberose fragrances updated to be as current as possible. As all of the restaurants in the US ban smoking, so does Animal – this is Marlene Dietrich without her Cartier cigarette case. It is Giorgio Beverly Hills without the shoulder pads. The heart of Animal is a spicy herbal combination sweetened by plum and the scent finishes with the first Imortelle note that I have ever liked in a fragrance – which softens the journey right through to the final steps. And throughout, we feel the Tuberose embraced and celebrated.
The Tuberose is the mother of all white flowers – heady, sensual, bewitching, and not to mention a fragrance that is detectable within a 5-block radius with a half-life not unlike that of Uranium. And you know what? That’s precisely why it has always been one of my absolute favorite notes. Some of you are reading this with “But I don’t like tuberose” at the forefront of your thoughts. To those of you, I want to thank you for reading this far, but I want to tell you to disregard that thought altogether because these scents are not Tuberose soliflores, and at least one of them reads as nearly entirely iris. Still with me? Good.
Tuberose 1 – Capricious is the most mysterious of the group. Right from the start, we get a salty iris note supported by saffron. The Tuberose comes in a few minutes later and the dry-down finishes the scent off with a fantastic suede, cocoa and iris finale. If you really want to, you could search for the tuberose, and you’ll find it – but the high-quality Iris in this is so good and so strong that I don’t even bother because I am in love with this from the minute it goes on my skin. An iris scent like this does not yet exist in perfumery, but I would say Giacobetti’s Hiris for Hermes is its closest relative. This is a bit sunnier than Hiris, which relies on a more rooty approach with a carrot note. Capricious is a hard act to follow when you’re trying the Trilogy in order like I did, and while this remains my favorite of the group, the scents to follow are just as well crafted and interesting.
MARK DAVID BOBERICK - "MD" (Editor of The State Of Perfumery.com) is an Interior Designer and self-proclaimed Perfume Enthusiast who has been in love with scent for as long as he can remember and has been collecting fragrances since the age of 12. Mark has written extensively on perfume, especially for Sniffapalooza Magazine and has been published in Men's Health Australia. In 2009, MD conducted the first of what has become an in-demand workshop entitled "The Poetry of Perfume" in which he familiarizes his guests with perfume history and composition, and introduces them to many different perfumes from the classics to the niche and obscure. A lover of art and music, MD frequents museums, theatre, and the opera. He is the first person in over 10 years to interview global fragrance expert and author, Fragrances of the World, Michael Edwards. He is also an accomplished theatrical set designer having already amassed a large portfolio of work for only being 25 years old. MD is an avid supporter of Nationwide Greyhound Rescue programs and adopted his 8-year old retired racer in 2009. MD currently resides in Cape May County, NJ.
This is Mark David Boberick's first nomination for the Fragrance Foundation's 2010 FIFI TOP FIVE FINALIST- EDITORIAL EXCELLENCE IN FRAGRANCE COVERAGE FOR A BLOG for Sniffapalooza Magazine.com (NOW The Perfume Magazine.com)
About Beth Schreibman Gehring
Sniffapalooza Magazine welcomes professional writer Beth Gehring as a new featured contributor. Passionate about life, colorful and inspiring, Beth Schreibman Gehring has been helping others create lives that they love for over 20 years. Years of experience as a visual stylist blended with an extensive background in public relations and an emphasis on personal and corporate branding allowed her to work in and eventually become the President of one of the most prestigious Jewelry, Gift and Tableware businesses in Northeast Ohio.
Along the way she discovered that many were drawn to her for her ability to live everyday with beauty, creating each moment as a magical new gift, a never-ending circle of celebrations, feasts and fun. It is her belief that in designing powerful and beautiful rituals for our lives and beautiful environments to live in, we create magical experiences for ourselves and our families. A life filled with personal revelry and celebration supplies all of the magic necessary to create anything that we can dream of! An experienced personal shopper, life stylist and bridal registry consultant, she has the taste and expertise to help you choose gifts for yourself and others that that you will love giving and delight in receiving!
Beth has been privileged to have many of her articles published nationally, and has enjoyed giving many interviews over the years, most notably to Martha Stewart Living, Gifts and Decorative Accessories, Town and Country, The Cleveland Times and Tableware Today. A gifted cook and creative hostess, Beth has also had the distinct honor and pleasure of designing the table settings for several TV series, including "Julia Child cooks at home with Friends", "Julia Child cooks with Jacque Pepin" and the " Todd English and Olives restaurant" cooking show. She has also created the table setting designs for the books of the same name. Beth is also delighted to be a featured writer on Perfume Smelling Things www.perfumesmellinthings.com
Characteristics: A woody, rich, full-bodied fragrance of British luxury that wafted through Parliament as its primary clientele included lords and several Prime Ministers.
Top Note Includes: Bergamot, Citrus Notes. Mid Note Includes: Indian Pepper. Base Note Includes: Sandalwood, Ambergris, Pepper
Offered in a shatterproof 1.7 oz caramel Italian leather-wrapped spray embossed with CREED’s crest and etched with our Paris address. Ideal for air carry-on.
Price: $405 - Available: 50 Bottles Only - Starting March 9, 2010
CREED, 794 Madison Ave.- New York, NY
1-877-CREED 44 -www.creedboutique.com
Also, If you've not seen it, here's a look at the CREED store at 794 Madison at 67th, our only U.S. outpost:
April , 2010
In this very special issue, it is a great honor to present; in a rare and exclusive interview By Mark David Boberick with Fragrance Expert and Author of "Fragrances Of The World" Michael Edwards . If you love fragrances you do not want to miss this rare and in-depth interview as he discusses fragrance and how he came to create "The Fragrance Bible".
We also feature the new Atelier Cologne, Raphaella's Roses Part Four, Parsons Design/MoMA in Partnership with IFF, Coty and Seed Present HEADSPACE: A Symposium on Scent as Design, Ulrich Lang Nightscape fragrance review By Mark David Boberick and Annick Goutal Ninfeo mio new fragrance review "The Gardens That I See In My Dreams..." by Beth Gehring, Histoires de Parfums: The Tuberose Trilogy new fragrance reviews by Mark David Boberick, Perfumers Workshop Tea Rose fragrance review by Beth Gehring and the launch of the new Humanity Fragrance.
We then feature a review of fragrance Afire by Neil Morris Fragrances by Cristiane Gonçalves, The House of Creed makes a special announcement about CREED VINTAGE TABAROME, Aftelier Perfumes launches Trèvert Eau de Parfum, New Bond No. 9 High Line, Dawn Spencer Hurwitz and Parfums des Beaux Arts presents a new fragrance: Bancha, new fragrance Soulgasm by Sasha Varon Luxe Parfums, and finally; GREENWITCH, A Green Chypre Perfume.
In the Month of April; the Magazine celebrates it's Fourth Year Anniversary!
The Tuberose Trilogy is a most welcome addition and a great start to the first quarter of the 2010 fragrance release calendar. So good in fact, that I hope this House can keep topping itself with every release. And what’s next? Can I place my vote for a Narcissus Trilogy? There are not enough narcissus fragrances to keep me satisfied, I would love 3 more winners. The Tuberose Trilogy shies away, momentarily, from the Anthology of years and historic figure fragrances that this House has done so well. Like 1876 Mata Hari – an incredible spicy rose. Or 1969 – a legendary patchouli and a legendary year so famous that it doesn’t need any additional support in its title. Instead, they have celebrated not a person or a place, but a mythical flower - a symbol of love, desire, and danger.
Retail for $185/each at www.histoiresdeparfums.com, as well as at select retail locations nationwide. (Takashimaya NY)
AFIRE by Neil Morris
New Fragrance Review
by Cristiane Gonçalves
One of the greatest inspirations in wearing a unique
and sensual perfume is its power of moving us to a
wonderful state of olfactive excitement that excites
ourselves and potentially others that may be fascinated
by the powerful trail of a fragrant elixir and be surrendered
by an unavoidable spell. The perfume kisses the body,
the skin is inflamed by passion as be embraced by
aromatic flames in a dreamlike pleasure of senses and,
the most imminent desire is to feel the pleasure of the
own scented skin through the olfaction. The enrapturing,
exciting, blazing scent of desire.
There are few perfumes that have the gift of wearing us in the passionate fire of a seductive fragrance. The perfume that exhales and breathes sensuality, which makes us fall in love by ourselves, that make us burn in the passion flame of the perfumery, but find one of them is a powerful moment in which the passion is uncontrolled....more...read full review here
The Fragrance Foundation and The Fifi Awards announced April 23, 2010, the Top Five Finalist in the category of Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage Blog.
Sniffapalooza Magazine garnered TWO nominations again in the TOP FIVE Finalists in the category of Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage Blog.
See two of the top five articles from Mark David Boberick "Scents My Sister Loved" and Michael Davis for "Real Men Wear" here in their entirety. This is the second year that Sniffapalooza Magazine contributors have placed Top Five FiFi Finalist. Congratulations to Mark David Boberick for his article "Scents My Sister Loved" and Michael Davis for the "Real Men Wear" series!
The TOP FIVE FiFi finalists in the category of Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage 2010 Blog is as follows:
Allure Magazine Blog - "Scents of SIn", December 23, 2009
Sniffapalooza Magazine.com "Scents My Sister Loved" by Mark David Boberick
Sniffapalooza Magazine.com "Real Men Wear" by Michael Davis
Nathan Branch.com - "Flying Under The Radar"
The Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage Blog category is an historic and appreciative gesture on the part of The Fragrance Foundation for the quality work on online fragrance blog sites, legitimizing them as editorial vehicles. This is truly a great honor for us. Sniffapalooza Magazine also placed two articles in the Top five last year, making Sniffapalooza Magazine a four time Top Five Finalist for Editorial Excellence in Fragrance Coverage Blog.
A sincere heartfelt thanks to the Fragrance Foundation and FiFi Awards. Congratulations to the winner and to all of the nominations.
In this interview, you will be able to read and explore thoughts that no one has ever discussed on the internet or anywhere. It is truly groundbreaking.
It is an honor to interview and introduce a dear friend as well; someone that I consider “the real deal” in the fragrance industry. Not only is she highly respected in the fragrance industry, she is extremely knowledgeable about fragrance and has a formidable amount of friends and influence in the industry. On a deeply personal note, Marian is the most humble woman I have ever met and she has changed the way that I view fragrance. I also love what she states about the blogging industry. You can find more information on Marian Bendeth here, as well as links to her various award-winning articles. - RB
