CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Brent Leonesio of SmellBent + Let’s Get a Room Draw

 

Brent Leonosio is my new BFF.  In a series  of emails we found out that we that we had much in common. I was a Fine Arts Minor and was accepted to F.I.T;  Brent was a Fine Arts  Major   and was close to attending Parsons School of Design in New York. I had always dreamed of becoming a Fashion Designer but failed Home Economics, (which means not only did I burn toast, but I was hopeless behind a sewing machine); Brent was a Fashion designer. Editor Tama Blough announced  on Facebook that  her SmellBent Collection rivals her Guerlains. Mark Behnke  reviewed Unititled 8 by  Brent Leonesio for Luckyscent (by now you know I was Luckyscent's former publicist and  did the press  for Untitled 1-6). Mark  then took us on a trip to Alaska with Brent's new North by Northwest collection Let's all get a room!

 

Profile I guess you could say I’m very bicoastal.  My father grew up in a little town in Northern California and my mother is from Niagara Falls, Canada.  Other than an Italian last name, I’m pretty much a mutt.  I was an “indoors” child and spent a lot of much childhood dressing up and pretending to be somewhere or something else.  It didn’t surprise anyone when I decided to be an artist. 

 

 Cool Cat spinning  from Brent's blog

My love affair with perfume started about 6 years ago.  If it weren’t for the internet, I probably would have never become a perfumer.  But the beauty of the web is that there’s a home for everyone.  No matter how usual or obsessive we are.  This is how my passion took flight.  I read about perfume everyday.  I traded and collected.  And then one day, I decided to tinker.  The rest, as they say, is fragrant history. 

 

American Perfumery

America’s contribution to the world of perfume is everyday glamour.  It’s about feeling pretty and being able to pay your rent.  It’s wearing your favorite perfume whenever you want.  It’s Youth Dew bath oil.  It’s feeling like a million bucks when you only spent $20.  It’s my grandmother’s Topaze by Avon. It’s spraying with abandon.  It’s getting more than you paid for.  It’s about having a real life and a real experience.  It’s smelling good no matter who you are or how much you make. 

 

 

Art

I was an art major in college and I started my career as a graphic and fashion designer.  I often consider myself a visual artist first and a perfumer second.  smell bent is about merging those 2 worlds – marrying the olfactory and the visual realms.  But art is always an influence. 

Ed Ruscha’s work has really spoken to me recently.  It’s irreverent, it’s beautiful, and it’s personal.  This is what I try to do with my own work.  I want my audience to experience the world as I experience it.  I want them to go to Alaska with me.  I want them to see how absurd and joyous perfume can be.    Just making beautiful perfume isn’t enough.  There must be content and there must be context.

 -Michelyn Camen,   Editor in Chief  

She Looks Just Like a Playboy Femlin

For our draw Brent  is letting every reader share our room with a 35ml EDT.Here's  how. Leave a comment on what you learned about Brent, a favorite quote (and for extra credit come up with a name for a new smellbent perfume)PLEASE NAME YOUR FRAGRANCE IN YOUR POST. Draw ends  October 27 EST.

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery because this series will run throughout the remainder of the year; and your entry will count as two. We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize wil be just spilt perfume

 prFoFF

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


17 comments

  • Brent’s neat. His comment that perfume can be “everyday glamour” really resonated with me, as one of the first things I wonder each morning is what perfume I’ll wear that day. I work from home, and though I don’t often look glamorous, I definitely always smell glamorous. PJ’s and perfume: it’s a good life.

    I love the quote, “it’s never too late to become who you are,” and though Brent is young, and his Bachelor of Fine Arts didn’t long detain him from his destiny as a perfumer, it’s an interesting mantra.

    A few friends and I have recently started a band, and we’ve been casually throwing names around. One I liked, that didn’t go over well for whatever reason, was “3am Muse”. As a part-time artist, my creative pursuits often drag me into the wee hours. My boyfriend jokes that I need to stop chasing the “3am Muse” if I want to get a good night’s sleep. As a perfume, I imagine something called “3am Muse” would smell earthy: carrot seed, orris, violet, poppy, milk…

  • I adore Brent – I think he is one of the most talented perfumers out there, in that he not only creates some really great perfumes, but he creates perfumes that surprise and delight. He takes risks. He creates scents I have never smelled the likes of. I love that he considers American perfumery as being about everyday glamour, because it’s true!

    Fun draw, too!

  • Great interview.
    I appreciate Brent’s take on American perfumery and lack of snobbery, “America’s contribution to the world of perfume is everyday glamour. It’s about feeling pretty and being able to pay your rent.” The democratization of perfume, that is something to be proud of America for.

  • I love Brent! Who doesn’t love Brent??! He’s fun and witty and makes amazing scents. He also flattered me by selecting my name suggestion for his Chanukah scent last year. Everyone owes it to himself/herself to get a couple Smell Bent sample sets and go for a nice ride… there’s something for everyone. Awesome to see Brent and Smell Bent covered here. I wish there was a HQ in LA that I could make a pilgrimage to. 😉

  • Sorry for not mentioning a scent… I love several, but I’m absolutely swooning for “Bollywood or Bust” these days. Perfect for fall and winter (even here on the California coast).

  • Oh, I forgot to say which one I would want – Chastity Begins at Home, an amazingly sexay leathah.

  • I am not eligible but Hunny bunny is my idea of a great name Notes : Vanilla, musk, davana, Peach, plum, blackcurrant, honey, jasmine, white cedar, , almond, iris butter, , sandalwood, tonka
    Definitely would be a good scent for a hypothetical smell bent
    animal collection such as black sheep rocky raccoon Eau deer wild e coyote
    Snake charmer animal crackers is the collection name

  • EDT I would like-Commando
    In regards to a name for a Smell Bent scent, I suggest
    Bish!-cause I think it’s funny.
    It could have a flanker called Old Bish!. Old Bish! should be the
    better scent, though.

  • What a fantastic interview! What resonated the most with me was Brent’s comment that “the beauty of the web is that there is a home for everyone, no matter how unusual or obsessive we are”. My freakish obsession with fragrance (which began at age 6 and has spanned 40 decades) has always been marginalized and misunderstood by family. friends and co-workers. When I moved out of my hometown (NYC) in the mid 90s I lost touch with all the wonderful new perfumes and perfumers, until my recent discovery of internet perfume blogs. Although I regret coming to this “internet perfume” party a bit late, I am making up for lost time through daily readings! My morning always starts with a good cup of tea in hand while reading the latest review on CaFleureBon, as these talented writers have done what I never could:perfectly articulate why perfume is truly an art 🙂 !!

    Brent sounds like a really great guy and from what I am reading his fragrances sound equally as wonderful! I would love to be entered in this draw. Given that I love sweet and vanilla as a dry down I would pick Michelyn’s favorite :Hunny Bunny.

    As far as a name for a new scent how about “Michelyn”?It’s pretty and French and a great tribute to a great lady who brought this blog-a-thon together. Then Brent can add to the collection with future scents titled “Mark”, “Ida”, etc., etc. 🙂

  • I didn’t know that Brent had been a graphic designer before being a perfumer, but I should have guessed it because this line always has so funny and creative packaging and pictures…

    My favorite quote is: “I want my audience to experience the world as I experience it”. That’s what any perfumer should try with his/her creations.

    It’s difficult to choose just one perfume, but if I won I would love to try Little Miss Panda.

    And a name for a future scent: “Mediterraning” 🙂

    Thanks on the draw!

  • Just realized that Honey Bunny is not a real smellbent so for the draw I would love to try Commando- it sounds like a really great unisex skin scent!

  • One final comment ( I promise! 🙂 ): Brent, if you are reading this please consider Michelyn’s suggestion: I love the notes she listed for Hunny Bunny. It’s right up my alley and sounds like it would make a sensational gourmand fragrance!!

  • I love smell bent, and am so excited for this draw! I have a strong desire for Horny Little Devil (LOVE the name, adore the description even more), so that would definitely be my choice. I was interested to learn that Brent’s passion for perfume partially stemmed from the accessibility of the internet, as I would say this had a strong hand in broadening my own perfumista tendencies. “America’s contribution to the world of perfume is everyday glamour.”~ that says it all! Also love- “It’s spraying with abandon.” After my own heart! So, if I were to name a scent for smell bent, I would love to see Brent do his take on Turkish Delight, with a twist, and I would call it “So Where’s The Lebanese Delight?” (or maybe just “Lebanese Delight”) which is a reference to the cult classic indie flick “Party Girl.” Loved reading this and thanks so much for the draw!

  • Cool article! Seems like he would be a fun dude to converse with. I fully relate to pretending through dress up to be someone and somewhere else! Sometimes I still do. I was also accepted to FIT and was forbidden by my father to attend anything but a university. And I was a screwball so I did’nt graduate I think I owe them 8 credits for a diploma.
    I agree as well that perfume no matter what the cost can make you feel like the most wellput together you inside and out. A new scent name could be “dimestore million”. Id want to smell it knowing no matter the price what it could accomplish could be quite nice!!
    If I were your winner, Id be your hunny bunny:)

  • Oh, I have name suggestions!
    Amber Alert
    Leather Go
    Orange You Something
    Happilily
    Little Orchid Annie
    Rose Hipster

    And I completely agree with Brent about the most distinctive contribution of American perfumery: Fabulous fragrances that are affordable. Estee Lauder is a great example, and Youth Dew bath oil is right on the money, so to speak.

  • SmellBent has been my favorite fragrance house find in the last two years. Brent’s concoctions are fun, innovative, and have a unique point of view. I loved that he described himself as an “indoors” child. I am glad he ventured outside and found inspiration from the places he visits. My ultimate favorites have been Sexy Turtleneck and Never Never Land.
    I am still waiting for him to do a sexy fragrance with a hay and musk note…called Hey, Sailor. Or a great tobacco fragrance with a bit of smoke…called Smoking section.