If Shelley Waddington, the perfumer and founder of En Voyage Perfumes is unfamiliar to you, chances are you have not been following the multitude of bloggers and perfumistas around the world who have been touting her evocative perfumes over the past two years. 2011 was an amazing year for Shelley as she garnered quite a few blogger awards including CaFleureBon's "Rising Star-Indie" and "Best Collaboration" (for her work with Puerto Rican Perfumer Juan M. Perez on Nectar des Isles and Vent Verdant). Shelley also introduced her first natural fragrance collection in 2011 and her first (L'emblem Rouge) debuted first on CaFleureBon Behind the Bottle.
In 2012, Shelley premiered her first book, Perfuming with Natural Isolates. Like many indie perfumers she has been working at her craft for over a decade until she was "discovered".
Shelley's maternal grandmother Marion Ruth Williamson
Profile: I’m the 1st generation from British Columbia on my father’s side of the family, who originally came from Lancashire, England. My mother’s ancestors were Dutch Mennonites (Amish) who migrated to the American Midwest to escape religious persecution. Mother’s side has been here a long time and we are Daughters of the American Revolution. I grew up in a tiny, eccentric art colony on the northern California coast.
This invisible community ran completely contrary to the norms of the day. Behind intense international distrust, political and national boundaries, flourished a collaborative community of decency and apolitical solidarity, with the goal of developing and sharing new information for world posterity. After the grant ran out, I remained on as a volunteer for another 10 years.
Eldin Dedini
Favorite American Artist: I could never pick only one. I went to school with cartoonist Gus Arriola’s and Hank Ketcham’s sons, with Carmel artist Dick Crispo, with several members of Carmel photographer Brett Weston’s family, and with Carmel artist Ephraim Doner’s daughter. Eldon Dedini the Playboy magazine cartoonist dropped by the house on occasion. Naturally I’m a fan of all of these local Carmel artists. I am mad for the images of Annie Leibovitz and Richard Avadon. For the existential satire of Saul Steinberg. And of course the gorgeous Georgia O’Keefe florals.
Shelley with friends at the Louvre-Paris
On American Perfumery: As an American Perfumer my perfumes are all-American jazz- improv and impressionist riffs that are based on my study and solid understanding of European classical methods. Even after perfuming for 14 years I am still in the stage of my career that I have a great deal more to say artistically. And at the end of the day I’m a world citizen rather than a flag-waver. I stand in solidarity with our collaborative international perfume community with the goal of contributing unique beauty to the world.
–Shelley Waddington, En Voyage Perfumes
For our Draw.. You have a choice of any of Shelley's twelve perfumes (including two naturals L'Emblem Rouge .25 oz edp and Go Ask Alice in the .50 edp) in a .5 oz eau de parfum. In order to be eligible, please leave a comment on what you enjoyed about Shelley's story and be sure to leave your choice of an edp in the comment a well. Draw ends February 8, 2012 EST
Editor's Note: The first blogger review of any of Shelley's perfumes was on CaFleurebon- Makeda, and in this I combined a little known history and perfume. Mark Behnke's review of Carmel de Ville was next and former Sr Editor Ida Meister's review of Peche Noir followed.
–Michelyn Camen, Editor-in Chief
We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilt perfume