CaFleureBon Profiles in American Perfumery: Stephen Nilsen of Givaudan + FiFi Award Draw

Photo: basenotes.net 

If you don't know Stephen Nilsen, you should…especially if you are a fan of both niche and  maistream fragrance. Here are some of his creations 

Anthropologie 5 O’Clock At Belvoir Castle (2009)
Anthropologie Silk Road Caravan (2009)


Apothia Pearl (2009) ( with friend in fragrance Ron Robinson)
Avon + Hervé Léger Homme (2010)
BCBG Max Azria (2011)

Bond no. 9 Andy Warhol Union Square (2008) Michelyn's favorite Bond
Hilary Duff With Love Hilary Duff (2006), with Rodrigo Flores-Roux) Another Michelyn favorite
Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries Bare Skin (2009)


Tom Ford Private Blend Moss Breches (2007)

Marc Jacobs Lemon Splash
 Six Scents Series 2 and Series 3

 

Profile- Stephen is an American perfumer who attended Stanford University where he completed his PhD in chemical engineering. He began as a florist for Proctor& Gamble in 1996 and by 2001 decided to follow his passion for fragrance joining QUEST International in Manhattan and is now with Givaudan.

 

On Six Scents American perfumery: Stephen'sefforts with Daisuke Obana of N. Hoolywood for Series Three ‘#087’, earned him and his team a coveted FiFi award in the Indie category; the inspiration was each designer’s childhood and adolescent experiences. Stephen translated Obana's favorite ingredients and coming-of-age story into a thoughtfully constructed fragrance that captures Americana from a Japanese perspective.

I constructed fragrance that captures Americana from a Japanese perspective.Series Two was based around the question: What place or memory (real or imagined) would you preserve forever if you had the opportunity? This question was posed to the designers of Series Two. Henry Holland visualized an oversized purple sofa where people would gather and that became the starting point for my work on the fragrance

 

 

I was very inspired by Henry’s very specific visualization of the fragrance. This was such a vivid and extremely personal feeling that he conveyed to me, that I felt compelled to capture it. I started with the idea of the color purple, and what that smells like and added other elements that were touchstones for Henry.

These included the idea of comfort and warmth and an overall relaxing quality that Henry expressed was important to him. Henry also shared his favorite natural ingredients to me including the smell of pine trees and beach memories of suntan lotion. Purple flower pedals of lilac & jasmine form the center point for the fragrance with the soft, fluffy texture of Musk. It is an embracing hug of a fragrance that wraps you in its comfort

-Rocky Li Contributor and Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

For our draw you can choose Sixth Scents Series 2 Smell or FiFi award winning Sixth Scent's Series 3 #087 (Mark Behnke's review)

Editor's Note: Sixth Scents is co-owned by Joseph Quartana whose boutique Seven New York features up and coming designers. Series 4 is coming soon and CaFleureBon will be amongst the first to break the new collection. A portion of all sales are donated to various charities.

To be eligible for the draw tell us something that you learned from this article or one of your favorite fragrances from Steven Nilsen.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 The draw ends Sept 28, 2011 EST

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25 comments

  • Well a PHD from Stamford is really an accomplishment! That’s awesome. But wanting to create a scentual warm hug is on a whole new level of awesomeness. And seriously, I love purple couches. Husband would never allow one in our house but I picture a velvet tufted wing back couch and wearing series two! I’m a purple gal it’s a power color. I love that this scent started with purple. I learned alot from this review but mostly I’d like to give him a hug for creating series 2 even though I’ve yet to sniff it:))) thanks Cafleuerebon:) xo I’d be an honored winner of series 2.

  • wow, i did not even know this perfumer *existed* —
    let alone any of his scents.
    so it’s all news to me!

    i’d be happy with either, but if i get to choose:
    i would want it to be the one that smells *more* of dry wood and (dry) pine needles (if one of them does.)
    if i should win — you guys choose (since i’ve never smelled them.)

  • I had never actually heard of this series of scents before, I really like the idea of creating scents inspired by one’s childhood memories. The series #2 Smell is the one I think I’d be most interested in trying.

  • I love the idea of creating a scent based on childhood memories and wrapping a fragrance around a color. My choice is number 2!

  • The fragrances by Stephen Nilsen u may know are
    Anthropologie 5 O’Clock At Belvoir Castle (2009)
    Anthropologie Silk Road Caravan (2009)
    Apothia Pearl (2009)
    Avon + Hervé Léger Homme (2010)
    BCBG Max Azria (2011)
    Bond no. 9 Andy Warhol Union Square (2008)
    Hilary Duff With Love Hilary Duff (2006, with Rodrigo Flores-Roux)
    Leslie Blodgett Perfume Diaries Bare Skin (2009)
    Tom Ford Private Blend Moss Breches (2007)

  • Speaking of Nilsen work, I would choose TF Moss Breches as the one I like. I guess No. 2 would address me. I expect high quality scent considering Stephen’s career path and experience. Many thanks!

  • I´d love to give the #087 a go. I looked through notes ….motoroil!? that must be an intresting scent. + a FiFi. I really likes the series two Smell.

  • Tom Ford Private Blend Moss Breches is my favorite fragrances from Steven Nilsen and I’d like to try Sixth Scents Series 3 #087. Thanks for the draw.

  • I have seen that Stephen Nilsen created Tommy 10 with Calice Becker. That perfume didn’t get much love, but I liked it. I was tempted to buy a full bottle some years ago. It was fresh and nice.

    If I win, I would pick Series 3 #87, but it’s a difficult choice because I really like the notes of Series 2 Smell. I think I would love any of them, but I choose #87 because of the woody notes.

    Thanks for the draw!

  • I’m not a fan of celebrity fragrances but I actually do like Hillary Duff With Love, so it was fun to learn about the man behind the scent. My pick would be Series 3!

  • I know the only perfume from Steven – it’s Tom Ford Private Blend Moss Breches – and it’s gorgeous! Pity it’s discontinued..
    My choice would be #087
    Thank you for the draw!

  • Stanford University and PhD in chemical engineering? That’s something to remember.
    Chemical engineering and Moss Breches? That’s interesting.

    Series 2 and a purple hug are my choices.

  • This whole article was a learning experience! I’ve never heard of this line and checking out their website and reading the review here was enlightening. I think The Scents Series 2 would be the best choice for me to try first! Thank you.

  • He started his career at Procter & Gamble? That’s really interesting, a lot of people did and do but I never think of that as a road for a perfumer. My choice would be #087. Thanks for the chance!

  • One of my favorites from Stephen Nilsen is Anthropology Silk Road Caravan. I thought it achieved an interesting translucency yet remained complex and comforting. My choice is #087. Thanks for the draw.

  • I hadn’t heard of this line or of Stephen, so it was all quite informative. I really like the concept behind Six Series. And I’m intrigued to try a fragrance from a chemical engineering PhD! Interesting that he started out as a florist. I’d love to try #087 from series 3 if I win.

  • Sixth Scents Series 2 Smell sounds truly comforting- I’d love to see how it works on my skin. I found it interesting that the whole idea stemmed from the color purple, and love this notion of fragrances based on color. Thanks for the draw!

  • Die he works as a florist or as a flavorist? We have already Andy Tauer, a chemist-turned-perfumer creating outstanding and unique perfumes, so you got me hooked with the description if Stephens career and his scents. I would choose series 3 #87. Marine Knize Ten? Yes!

  • To answer what I’ve learned from this article would be easy… and hard, should I stay brief. It would be easier to say what I did know before reading it! The rest was learned.

    I am impressed by the idea of creating scents that capture people. I love the way Neil Morris wrote about it with some of his Parfum d’ — Ida, Odette…

    I have not tried on my skin any of Stephen Nilsen’s fragrances! If I am a lucky winner, Series 2 Smell will be the first one!

  • I didn’t know that #087 had won a FiFi in the Indie category. That fact alone makes me yearn to try it!

  • I’d say probably my favourite Stephen Nilsen frag, of the ones I’ve smelled so far that is, is Avon’s “Herve Leger Homme”. I think it’s probably the best frag Avon’s released for men.
    I would luv to try : Series 3 – #087, to see if it actually deserves it’s Fifi award or not. … (Thanx !)

  • Wow. “Smell” sounds really good— but what an odd mix of notes. It helps to picture the color purple and try to imagine how it all might come together to smell like that scented memory that Nilsen was trying to capture (the purple couch).

    I smelled any of the the Series yet, but I love Moss Breches. That’s my favorite by Nilsen.

    Of the two, I think that I would choose Series 3 #087. Though maybe I would choose Smell— Octavian described it as smelling like vintage make up, which sounds LOVELY.

    Any idea why they chose the #087 name?