LUSH Perfumes boutique in Florence

ÇaFleureBon felt honored when Sue Busto of LUSH headquarters invited us to attend the grand opening of their new concept boutique in Florence last week which houses the industry’s very first stand-alone perfume library. This store is perfume only: no bath bombs, skin or hair care products, etc. – are sold; that’s another first. While the boutique is gorgeous, it is rather cosy and small – impressive considering the scope of what it encompasses within such an intimate space.

Mark Constantine LUSH

It’s well-known that Caterina de Medici brought perfumery to new heights under her sphere of influence during the Renaissance. LUSH co-founder and perfumer Mark Constantine (in all his maverick charm) was so besotted with the idea of creating such a space that he plunged headlong into this project with gusto – and in seven short weeks it all came into being. “The Perfume Library had to be in Florence because it was the birthplace of modern perfumery during the Renaissance. It is hard to not take inspiration from such a place and we really indulged ourselves in its history, art and iconic sights.”

It speaks to the dedication of all involved that this jewel-box boutique was visitor-ready as we approached.

Dariush Alavi (Persolaise) and me

Upon entering one is greeted by birdsong – Mark Constantine’s brainchild, as he is a passionate birder and believed that it would provide a soothing soundtrack. Soundtracks as a rule play a prominent role in the LUSH creative process; there is always specific music played in the lab during perfume composition, and in the ingenious body spray portion of this Florentine boutique/library one enters small shower cubicles in which a particular song is played as you smell your scent of choice.

John Biebel and Victoria Evans of The Perfume Society in shower cubicles at the LUSH Perfumes Event

The LUSH Perfumes Library is divided into two sections. To the left, as one enters – there is a transparent shower curtain which delineates the body spray collections. On the back wall all the body sprays are displayed including an affixed scented kerchief for sniffing.  In front of these is a large carousel comprising the sprays themselves. To one side is a small area where more magic commences: chips of dry ice to which a body spray is added swirl about in a mist, a cleverly theatrical touch. To the opposite side are little shower booths (yes, shower booths!) where one may carry this swirling vessel and be surrounded with the fragrance’s theme track. It works, it’s playful and fun to do – so I coerced some sweet folks into demonstrating this for me: see John Biebel of January Scent Project fame and the adorable Victoria Evans from The Perfume Society (I love her. She’s a close friend of English scent journalist Suzy Nightingale, who wasn’t able to attend due to prior commitments.). To quote Dariush Alavi, aka Persolaise – “the section I was certain I’d like the least turned out to be the one I liked best.”

The larger portion of the store is utterly devoted to LUSH perfumes and a lovingly curated collection of books (over 70) which have provided Mr. Constantine with knowledge and inspiration. Some are tomes, others slender volumes which explore herbs, the Renaissance, technical perfumery, perfume review and criticism (those of Luca Turin and Neil Chapman among them). There are ones fit for coffee table replete with gorgeous images (aka Roja Dove) and smaller ones dedicated to myth, lore, folk medicine, Galenic theory (we’ll come back to that). All sorts. You may purchase any or all of them if you wish, which I think is perfectly lovely.

Oh, the fragrances! They are everywhere – on myriad shelves lined up like so many scented soldiers. The largest collection of LUSH Perfumes assembled in any one place at one time, from the latest releases to the beloved oldies-but-goodies such as best sellers Dirty (it’s No.1), Lust, Karma and Vanillary. Testers are plentiful, accompanied by technology which enables you to scan the tester label – and up pops information in English, Italian and Chinese. It’s ecological, economical and immediate. In addition, if you download a LUSHLabs app, it takes you on both a virtual and actual historical tour of Florence inspired by perfumer Emma Dick’s Florentine-exclusive new fragrances. The tour takes you to the Palazzo Vecchio, past the Uffizi Gallery, the Porcellino Market (leather goods and Tuscany’s famous statue of a wild boar), for a start.

Rose Byfleet, in-house expert at The LUSH Perfumes Event in Florence

In the back of the shop there is a small perfume consultation area where you can uncover which perfumes might balance or complement your nature. This is based upon the Galenic medical theory of humorism (Galen was a Greek physician circa 129 AD ~ 210 AD) and treatment of the human condition via considering the Four Humors and discerning the preponderance of one humor over the others in one’s constitutional/dispositional makeup. The treatment of illness via analysis of one’s humors was very widely regarded as truth throughout the Renaissance as it was in medieval times. Melancholic = black bile = Earth; Choleric = yellow bile = Fire; Phlegmatic = phlegm = Water; Sanguine = blood = Air.

Trained LUSH personnel help guide you utilizing their very large collection of fragrances, a tabletop emblazoned with each humor and its ramifications in Italian and English – and special teas which enhance the experience, poured over shaved dry ice for that alchemical effect. The resident in-house expert is Rose Byfleet, an Oxonian who has studied Renaissance history and medicine; she guided me on my own humor journey and enlightened us all with extensive commentary about the Medici, art and her own years in Florence. It was she who conducted the virtual tour and enlivened the evening.

LUSH Perfumes new perfumer Emma Dick

House perfumer Emma Dick’s Florence-specific fragrances include LUSH Perfumes Nero, a neroli-based perfume which is exquisite; Fresh As, a coniferous marigold-infused beauty with an orris-benzoin base; Confetti, a full-bodied floral gourmand tinged with coffee and pear and redolent of sugared almonds; LUSH Perfumes Frangipani, a luscious tuberose–frangipani-almond-woody concoction; and the resinous LUSH Sappho, one of my favorites – all orris and tobacco strewn with sandalwood, jasmine and tonka. I brought back a big stonking flacon of this one.

LUSH Perfumes Grassroots

Of note is the sixth fragrance, LUSH’s first perfume committed to charity, Grassroots. It is deeply grounded in the belief that activism is responsible and regenerating; LUSH has always been involved in sourcing ingredients ecologically, utilizing materials that are recyclable, more readily biodegradable. Through its proceeds LUSH will support local projects in the Florentine community as well as worldwide resilient small locations. LUSH Perfumes Grassroots is an extremely wearable soft balsamic perfume including the following: Kenyan geranium oil, Ghanaian ylang ylang oil, Peruvian rosewood oil, and Madagascar vanilla absolute. It’s a creamy, grassy, soothing fragrance, very pleasurable.

I feel that it’s wisest to address these perfumes in a separate article, along with insights from the perfumers. There is so much to say – and I don’t want to leave you all bleary-eyed, dear readers. I’ve prevailed upon you long enough.

Ida with the incredible Sue Busto who organized the event , including travel for press

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been able to spend two nights in Florence with writers from around the world… the U.S., U.K., Spain, Italy, the Czech Republic, Russia and other countries. It was a privilege to garner other perceptions, viewpoints, and explore as much of the fascinating Firenze as time would permit!  Many thanks to the LUSH folk for their attentive generosity and hospitality; for one who would not have been able to visit otherwise this was a great gift.

~ Ida Meister, Senior and Natural Perfumery Editor

Photographs are a combination of my own, those provided by Lush and Victoria Evans.

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