The Fragrance Files

The conversation covers JK's journey with Closet Perfumes, including the challenges of rebranding, supply chain issues, and the creative process. We delve into the complexities of being an independent perfumer and the impact of creative control and financial aspects on the brand's development. We hope to see you at Fumed Expo Atlanta! Chapters 00:00 The Journey of Closet Perfumes 02:00 The Impact of Rebranding and Supply Chain Issues 02:48 The Essence of Being Independent 03:50 The Ambiguity of 'Niche' in the Fragrance Industry 36:26 The Evolution of Indie Fragrance Brands 37:17 Blurred Lines: Indie, Niche, and Corporate 38:42 The Value of Authenticity and Originality 39:10 The Impact of Financial Backing on Creative Control 41:14 The Significance of Community in the Indie Fragrance Space 52:26 Taking Risks and Embracing Creativity 01:00:02 Looking Forward to Fumed Atlanta

Teri Johnson, the owner of Harlem Perfume Co. and Harlem Candle Co., shares her journey from travel and lifestyle expert to creating a brand focused on history and storytelling through fragrance. She discusses the inspiration behind her fragrances, the importance of the Harlem Renaissance, and the unique storytelling capability of perfume. The conversation delves into the creative process of fragrance and candle creation, emphasizing the importance of storytelling and historical authenticity. Chapters 00:00 The Journey to Perfume 01:05 From Travel to Harlem Candle Company 03:39 Inspiration from the Harlem Renaissance 21:30 The Power of Fragrance Storytelling 32:14 Collaboration and Creative Briefs 34:00 The Art of Storytelling in Fragrance Creation 38:23 Symbiotic Relationship Between Perfumer and Creative Director 42:41 Expansion into Sephora and Brick-and-Mortar Retailers 47:36 Celebrating Black Culture and Untold Stories

We take on the audience questions again, with libations flowing we get into some more contentious areas and hot takes. Let us know what you want to hear from us next! Chapters 00:00 The Impact of Storytelling and Marketing in the Fragrance Industry 14:40 The Future of the Fragrance Industry and Audience Engagement 18:32 Accessibility in Fragrance Stores 31:20 Fragrances and Personal Memories 31:37 Fragrance Experiences and Emotional Connections 34:30 Fragrance Memories and Personal Traditions 35:44 The Direction of the Fragrance Industry 42:11 Fragrances to Smell vs. Wear 47:13 Appreciating and Disliking Fragrances 53:01 The Influence of Brand Storytelling 56:12 The Impact of Feedback on Fragrance Creation 01:00:24 Perception of Fragrance Notes 01:05:51 The Role of Influencers in Fragrance Culture

This week we were able to sit down with the mother of PerfumeTok and founder of Influxious- Funmi Monet to discuss her rise in social media and what changes when you become a founder vs a reviewer. Chapters 00:00 The Scented Journey 05:03 The Evolution of Fragrance Content 08:13 Representation and Diversity in Fragrance 12:28 The Impact of Social Media on Fragrance Talk 20:49 The Sheinification of Perfume Talk 26:35 From Collaboration to Brand Creation 29:40 Creative Control and Ownership 34:09 Principles of Excellence 37:55 Foundational Experiences and Fragrance Creation 43:01 Gold Standard and Magic Hour 48:37 Magic Hour and High Life 54:00 The Creation of High Life Fragrance 55:09 Inspiration from Nigerian Culture 56:06 Launching in Sephora and Navigating Criticism 57:08 Empathy for Brands and Creators 01:03:15 Promoting Black-Owned Fragrance Brands 01:12:29 Highlighting Favorite Black-Owned Fragrances

Dana El Masri of Jazmin Saraï shares her olfactory journey, the intersection of scent and music, and the challenges of olfactory art in the modern world. The conversation delves into the intersection of scent, culture, and identity, exploring the emotional and cultural significance of fragrance. It also addresses the Eurocentric nature of perfumery and the impact of music on scent creation. Takeaways Olfactory art requires a level of awareness and perception that often goes unnoticed in the modern world. The emergence of AI and digital platforms has impacted the fragrance industry, creating challenges and opportunities for perfumers. Cultural complexity influences scent creation Eurocentric bias in perfumery Music's influence on scent creation Emotion and authenticity are integral to the creation of fragrances Fragrance plays a significant role in preserving history and culture

We asked you, our viewers, to give us questions you've wanted our perspective on. This is one of the most fun episodes we've had and hope you enjoy. If you'd like to submit something for part two- DM us on any platform or comment below!

Beyond the perfume, Douglas Little is building haunted worlds. In this episode of The Fragrance Files , we sit down with the founder of Heretic Parfum to explore why darkness, folklore, horror, and the supernatural have always been fertile ground for scent. Douglas shares the origins of Heretic, the challenges of building an independent fragrance house before niche perfume became mainstream, and why natural materials continue to inspire his creative process despite their unpredictability. Together, we unpack fragrance as storytelling, from texture and atmosphere to emotion and memory.

Following Scent Fest, we sat down with Michael Nordstrand to re-record the second part of his episode. Apologies for the delay but enjoy a poignant, hilarious, and extra long episode to make up for it where we discuss the importance of authorship in perfumery

It's the Scent Fest Episode Y'all! Delightfully unhinged, we dive into the memories made, the people we saw, and brands we loves, the perfumes we missed, and the bottles we brought home!

The conversation this week delves into the challenges in the fragrance industry, disrupting the industry, accessibility and experience, the model of Olfactory NYC- with the founder JJ Vittoria discussing the role of perfumers, creating fragrance elements, and customer connection and experience.

Samira shares her early fascination with fragrance, influenced by her mother's anosmia and her own emotional connection to scent. She introduces House of Iyrah and discusses the emotive approach to fragrance creation. The conversation delves into the importance of smell and the process of evaluating fragrances, as well as personal aversions to certain fragrance notes.

This week Josh sits down with Sebastian Jara, also known as The Perfume Guy. With over a decade of perfume content creation and a collection spanning in the thousands, Sebastian has a distinct vision of fragrance as an industry, art form, and community. Tune in next week when Michy returns, back to our normal Friday spot!

Liz, also known as The Vapor Parade, shares her contrarian outlook on fragrance, emphasizing originality and authenticity. We explore her journey of discovering fragrance, niche fragrances, and the impact of specific scents on her life, as well as, transition from the service industry to the tech industry.

This week it's just the two of us talking about Michy's trip to Milan for Esxence and about things we're loving heading into the summer. Lots of recommendations and lots of PR this week. Thank you to the brands who are supporting our work!

This week we sit down with Paula Morales of The Pitaya Collective to discuss how spirituality, memory, death, and grief are tied to scent. Fragrance functions as a bridge between the physical, psychological, and spiritual in a way other scents cannot. We wanted to explore that facet with Paula and their perspective as a Mayan Timekeeper and an archivist.

**Disclaimer at the time of filming this episode the Estee Lauder and Puig merger was still happening. It has since fallen apart. Dries Van Noten will not be part of Estee Lauder.** This week is the first part of a highly anticipated conversation with the one, the only, Michael Nordstrand about the state of the perfume industry, the ugly underbelly of being a perfumer, and the shifting role of the perfumer in a world trying to focus on scale and sales. Tune in next week for part two!

This week we sit down with Eddie and Bryson of The Alloy Studios to discuss the brand's foundation in black culture and queer culture before moving into fragrance as fashion, armor, and a way of life.

This week we sit down with Ember, the founder and perfumer of Hoshi Gato on everything from the brand's origins to the snake oil educators of faux perfumery on social media

Title kinda says it all on this one, we talk about Fumed and hear from both attendees and brands from the show.

This week the conversation delves into the emotional and practical role of fragrance in daily life, exploring the impact of comfort scents on emotional regulation and relaxation. We discuss the complexity vs. simplicity in fragrance creation and the significance of bedtime rituals and comfort scents in our lives.