CaFleurebon Profiles in American Perfumery: Darryl Do of Delbia Do + Ex Animo Fragrance Draw

darryl do of delbia do by Remy Bhatia

Darryl Do Photo Courtesy of Remy Bhatia of Givaudan

 I have known Darryl Do for nearly eight years, since we first met at Sniffapalooza. I have visited Delbia Do labs in the Bronx on several occasions, where Darryl runs a small independent  and family owned fragrance business that manufactures, formulates and creates many perfumes and ancillary products such as scented lotions, soaps and creams. Some of them you would know or heard of but based on confidentiality, he cannot be given credit as the perfumer– and is as Maurice Roucel once called himself–a ghost (three are in my permanant collection).  Delbia Do is also a Certified Organic Producer and has created a number of organic perfumes. Darryl's life is not only about essential oils and perfume. He is known as "Sensei" to his friends, lives in New York City and is as an accomplished a martial artist as he is an olfactive artist (Darryl is a Black Belt, 4th Dan). And he rides a Harley. Which I won't get on, but thought it was time that Darryl revs his Engine for the readers of CaFleureBon.-Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

darryl do of delbia do in his lab in the bronx

Darryl at Delbia Do

Profile: I fell into the world of perfumery quite by chance, it's not something I sought out.  I was immersed in it growing up.  I was born and raised in New York City and as a child I would travel to visit family in Hawaii, where my dad is from.  He was born on the Garden Isle, Kauai and this is where he developed his appreciation for fragrance.  On these family vacations to see my uncles and aunties, my father would point out all the different varieties of flowers to me.  One of my earliest memories of fragrance is stepping off the plane in Hawaii where the warm fragrant air enveloped me in an aromatic cocoon.  The combination of the flowers and the sweet smell of pineapple permeate the air.  When dad would drive us around the island, I would sit in the back seat with my eyes closed and I began to know where we were just by how it smelled.  This is how my fragrance education began.  I always knew that I wanted to work in a creative field.  Before I joined the company full-time, I had a job as a photographer and I would spend hours in the dark room making modifications to prints.  Which is exactly what we do in perfumery where you need patience and imagination to figure out how each modification, each subtle change will noticeable in the end product.  After that stint, I realized that I enjoyed the creative aspect of perfumery.  When I asked to join the family business my dad was very happy that I chose that on my own.

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Darryl Do

You could say I trained under my Father my entire life.  He was a perfume and flavor chemist at several international companies in his career before starting his own company in 1968.  Growing up, any chance I would get I would spend time with my Dad at work. He would often take time out to show me what he was working on and how he constructed it. Unbeknownst to me he was training me how to evaluate essential oils and other raw materials.   My formal training occurred under the tutelage of Vincent Ellis for 4 years, who was a chief perfumer at Felton and a past President of the American Society of Perfumers.  After this time, I began creating my own fragrances, primarily for small niche brands but I can scale up production to 5,000 kilo batches.

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One thing that has become clear from my training is that I truly appreciate essential oils, the different grades and their country of origin.  To me this is similar to wine.  The same grape found in different countries at different altitudes will have different characteristics. Much like a sommelier, the perfumer learns to distinguish the slight nuances of say, a Geranium Bourbon from Egyptian or Chinese, or a Turkish Rose versus a Moroccan Rose.   When given the opportunity and creative license, I always gravitate toward using these luxurious essential oils that are so complex and full bodied on their own, where adding a few drops can really round off the product. 

ambercafleurebonsixscentsdarryldo

Darryl created Amber for Six Scents' exhibit at the Arnhem Mode Biennelle  (the largest fashion exhibit in the Netherlands) in 2011, which explored the olfactory notes and themes behind this fragrance

Recently, I created a Blood Perfume for Kaimin Noir and Nicola Formichetti’s Zero Zero Project in collaboration with Joseph Quartana of Six Scents notoriety.  I chose a creamy Turkish Rose and a warm Patchouli as the main notes.  After the third mod, they signed off on it and did a soft launch at Colette in Paris before bringing it to the US later this year. While I love natural products, I’m conscious of the limited amounts available globally and as a result, I try to use sustainable crops.  Over the past decade I have become a USDA certified manufacturer and have created several products under this guideline. This year we are launching a line of USDA certified products starting with face oil for Manveena’s Solutions with other products to follow.  Recently we launched a line of hair and body perfumes inspired by the flowers of Hawaii for Ex Animo Fragrances, O’Delish, O’Me, O’Hana.  One of the reasons I enjoyed this project was that it reminded me of the conversations I had with my dad whenever we’d go back to visit family in Hawaii.

darryl do with his mother, brother and Annette green former President of the Fragrance Foundation

Annette Green, former President of the Fragrance Foundation with Darryl Do, his mother and brother

On American Perfumery: I think American Perfumery is more like a series of short stories as opposed to traditional French Perfumery I see more as literature in the way it’s constructed like the formulas of Jean-Claude Ellena and Edmond Roudnitska. Most of my fragrances are formulated for niche brands with a focus on domestic distribution and have smaller production runs allowing me flexibility to use essential oils with a smaller crop yield so I don’t have to consider a supply that will have to produce global distribution and the hurdles that entails.  Over the years I have had the pleasure of working with DelRae Roth, Sarah Barton King, Kelly Podorsek   (Kelly & Jones Notes of Wine) and Horst Rechelbacher (who founded Aveda) among others. Every time I would speak with Horst he was always excited to tell me about his current formulation and how good it is for the body. He would end our conversations telling me I have to become an organic farmer like him. As a result, I am starting a farm in Nicaragua to grow organic vanilla.

lenny kravitz on a harley motorcycle

Darryl's favorite song by Lenny Kravitz is Let Love Rule

Favorite American Artist: One artist who I admire and had the opportunity to meet is Lenny Kravitz. I love his music and the feeling you get when listening to it and how it changes your emotions, your energy and your perspective.  Plus, we’re both motorcycle enthusiasts. When Lenny is writing a new song he first plays all the instruments on his own and once he puts the tracks together, then he calls the rest of the band in.  I thought this was a very interesting the way construct his music.

Darryl Do, Perfumer and President of Delbia Do

ExAnimo fragrances

Thanks to the generosity of  Suzanne DeWitt and Nanette de La Pena of Ex Animo Fragrance (who partner with Daughters of Cambodia, a non-governmental organization that embraces a lasting vision by providing safety, education, and innovative opportunities, for victims of sex trafficking) we have a reader's choice draw for a US reader of O'Delish, O'Hana, O'Me which are perfumes for the hair and body. To be eligible, please leave a comment about what you found fascinating about Darryl Do and your choice of Ex Animo Perfume. Draw closes June 25, 2014.

lenny kravitz tattoos

Gratuitious Photo of Lenny Kravitz added by Michelyn (who met him, but this is Darryl's story!)

Please like CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery on Facebook and your entry will count twice.

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 spilled perfume

 

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24 comments

  • Janet in California says:

    I love the idea of Mr. Do riding with his family in Kauai, eyes closed so to better smell the scents around him. What a beautiful image.

    I live in the US and would like to try O’Delish.

    Thanks!

  • Jennifer witt says:

    I found the representation of american perfumery as short stories compared to french perfumery as literature intriguing. If I win the draw I would choose O’Hana. i live in the US.

  • I really enjoy Darryl’s environmental sensitivity. I’m also fascinated by the idea of him as a “ghost”…and now I’m dying to know what scents I might have of his! (Also, thank you for both pictures of the gorgeous Lenny Kravitz, as he is a lovely, lovely man.)

    I live in the US and would like O’Delish. Thanks for the draw!

  • I think it’s awesome that Darryl rides a Harley and loves Lenny Kravitz ( I do too ) It’s also AMAZING that he is growing organic vanilla.
    I live in the U.S.and would like to win O’Hana. Thanks for the draw!!

  • I can appreciate his statement of “from my training i learned that I truly appreciate Essential oils, the grades and their origins.”Each is unique and offers up something unique from the soul of the ground and origin they are grown in. I also was inspired by all the wonderful people he has worked with over the years. Kudos in becoming USDA Certified Manufacturer also. I can only imagine how proud his father was when he choose the family business. Great profile. These are always so enlightening to me. I am in the US and would love O’Me.

  • It seems to me that a disproportionate number of perfumers come from Hawaii! It makes perfect sense (of scents!), of course 🙂 I am in the US, and I would love to win O’Hana.

  • What an interesting profile! I’m impressed that Daryl is a USDA certified manufacturer and that he is planning to start a farm in Nicaragua to grow organic vanilla. I live in the US and I would love to win O’Delish.

  • It’s not often that we see an Asian-American perfumer. Reading this article makes me extremely curious about his overall aesthetic and his seemingly varied lifestyle and upbringing. I’m also curious about his anonymous work!

    I would love to win O’Hana. I’m in the US and thanks for the draw!

  • How thrilled i am to come across someone inspired and evolved by my own former mentor, Horst Rechelbacher!

    indeed, i do not doubt that Horst encouraged everyone he met to become more involved in organics, but that Darryl would take that mission to heart is so gratifying (and beneficial to everything living.)

    although the frags sound exquisite, there is no need to enter me into the draw… i’ve won already to know that the legacy and mission of Horst is still influencing and changing the perfume (and cosmetic) landscape! good for you Darryl!!

    (and btw, thank YOU Michelyn for the photo of Mr. Kravitz. now that’s a nice jewish boy i’d like to bring home to mother! 😉 )

  • I love the reference here of how perfumery in America is like a gathering of short stories. I like to think of the American industry as a collective of inspired, passionate individuals creating a legacy of respect for the tools they use and for allowing individual differences and abilities to be evaluated and recognized for their contribution to the creative art that it is.

  • I like the reference of starting an organic vanilla farm, as I’ve had the same desire except mine would be in Indonesia. I would choose O’Hana, but all the scents sound appealing. I’m in the U.S. Thanks for the draw.

  • I’m fascinated by the idea of riding around Kauai with his eyes closed, recognizing location by scent! I visited Kauai as a child and remember vividly how wonderful everything smelled. The way he recognized that he wanted to work in a creative field early on is impressive too. And of course, I’m a Lenny Kravitz fan. I would choose O’Me, I’m in the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • Fascinating (to me) is him being a USDA certified manufacturer. I am picking O’Me for the draw. US.

  • silvrolive says:

    I am always happy to see your profiles on American perfumery because there are so many talented people working on amazing projects. Mr. Do ‘s organic vanilla farm and his working with social justice oriented Ex Idolo is inspiring. Beauty and luxury and doing good for the world- what more could you ask for? I live in the US and would like to try O’Delish. Thanks for the draw!

  • To fall into the world of perfumery “by chance” then to get this far in it is fascinating for sure.
    I would love to win the O’Me. In the U.S. & ty 🙂

  • I thought it was neat that Do’s father was a perfume and flavor chemist who took his son to work and talked to him about it. The Ex Animo fragrance I would most like to try is O’Hana. I live in the US. Thanks for the draw!

  • I am dying to try O’Hana now. I assume someone from Hawaii will have captured the delicate florals listed perfectly 😉 I love Mr. Do’s comparison of perfumery to photography. I live in the US. Thank you.

  • Valentine girl says:

    Really enjoyed reading this post – what a fascinating story, from his fragrant Hawaiian childhood memories to starting a vanilla orchid farm! I completely agree with his comments comparing essential oils and wine & the similar role of perfumers and sommeliers in their ability to distinguish subtle nuances in aroma. Having a little experience in the wine industry myself, I can distinguish the difference in a Sauvignon Blanc from Bordeaux, or from New Zealand. So it follows there are slightly different aromatic nuances depending upon the geographical sourcing of the raw ingredients used in making the essential oil. I also really admire his awareness of the limited nature of source material and his focus on using sustainable crops & domestic distribution with smaller production runs. And he likes motorcycles too!! I would love the chance to try O’Hana – got me with the night-blooming jasmine!

  • Latifah S says:

    The most fascinating thing was his journey. There are those people that know from a very young age what path in life they wish to take… then there are those that find their place by happenstance. I am always intrigued by the journey. His appreciation for Mr. Lenny Kravitz is also interesting. TY Michelyn for the additional photo. 😉 I would like to try O’Delish because it sounds so different than anything I would typically seek out. .. or O’Hana because it sounds stunning. I live in the US. Thanks for the draw.

  • Fazal Cheema says:

    Darryl is really one of the industry insiders with huge influence i have never heard of and has quite an adventurous life being a martial artist and harley driver in addition to being a perfumer…his title of Sensei suggests his ancestors might have been from Japan before embracing Hawaii as home. I am already a member of CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery . thanks for this draw and my choice will be O’Me. I am in the US

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    I enjoyed reading about Darryl’s relationship with his father who took every opportunity to teach him and then let him come to the fragrance craft on his own. I would like to try O’Hana – a bouquet of ylang ylang, jasmine and honeysuckle for my hair! And the bonus of vitamin E and aloe to nourish the strands.
    I am also a Facebook fan

  • Mahalo Everyone for your kind words. All the references to my Dad keep his spirit alive. Today, June 24th is my Dad's birthday, he would have been 84 and I'm sure he would have gotten a kick out of  of profile  on CaFleurebon and Michelyn's article.

  • I think it is so cool that Darryl is starting a farm to grow organic vanilla! I would love to be involved in a project like that someday. He is an inspiration. I’d really love to try O’Delish and I’m in the U.S. And, happy birthday to Darryl’s Dad!