Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2022 was a one day event visiting perfume boutiques on Elizabeth, Mott and Mulberry Streets aka NYC’s Fragrance District (street photos by Hernando)
It’s been three years since the last Sniffapalooza Fall Ball. With the pandemic playing havoc with live in-person fragrance events Team Karen (Karen Dubin and Karen Adams) was able to host a handful of small live events but mostly Sniffapalooza went virtual hosting Master Classes with many notable fragrance houses. The formerly two-day event is now a one-day event with the Saturday uptown day being eliminated and the Sunday downtown day now moved to Saturday in what our Editor-in-Chief Michelyn Camen dubbed NYC’s Fragrance District.
The pandemic did change the composition of Elizabeth Street with notable stores Atelier Cologne, Cire Trudon, Claus Porto, Natura Brazil, and Nest, Red Flower right around the corner closing since the last Fall Ball. (Read Curbed Magazine which quotes Michelyn Camen and others in this report on why there are so many perfume stores on Elizabeth Street).
Bart Schmidt of Brands with Purpose and Ryan Hunts of Beach Geeza at Le Labo 233 Elizabeth Street in The Fragrance District
A gorgeous Fall morning greeted us as we started the day at 10 am at Le Labo‘s flagship store. The iconic brand offers up wonderful scent creations, fabulous candles, laundry wash, and have your purchases custom-labeled. The Annex next door is dedicated exclusively to the Body-Hair-Face and Men’s Grooming Collections.
Malin + Goetz 235 Elizabeth Street
Next door is Malin + Goetz which offers an extensive variety of skin, hair, and body products, and let’s not forget those astounding single-note fine fragrances.
Ryan Hunts of Beach Geeza and Vijay Uttam Director of Retail and Training at LUCKY SCENT INC/Scent Bar on 244 Elizabeth Street aka The Fragrance District
At ScentBar, fragrance specialist and store manager, Vijay Uttam welcomed us. The assortment of fragrances and candles is impressive. We could spend all day here. Brands that caught the attention of the group were Jovoy, Boy Smells, Marissa Zappas Fragrances, and Parfums de Marly.
Olfactory NYC 281 Mott Street in NYC’s Fragrance District
One block over, located on Mott Street is Olfactory NYC whose fragrances are created by some of the world’s top perfumers using only the highest quality ingredients.. but at a fraction of the cost. They offer guided customization and personalization, and each scent is bottled on-site, which ensures a freshly made creation every time.
D.S. & Durga 255 Mulberry Street in NYC’s Fragrance District
David Seth Moltz and Kavi Ahuja of D.S. & Durga are passionate about music, art, travel, and design and it all comes out in their scents, candles, and the design of their uber-hip store. Recent releases ‘Leatherize’, Bistro Water’ and ‘I Don’t Know’ impressed.
Diptyque on Prince Street is their newly renovated flagship boutique. The complete collection of their renowned candles, iconic fragrances, lifestyle products, and gorgeous home decoration range, are all on display. The new eco-friendly La Droguerie collection of household cleaning products is their most recent issue.
Lunch at Little Italy’s La Mela always is a full afternoon. From the five-course lunch to the outstanding line-up of 12 speakers.
Lunch Presentations:
Karen Dubin of Sniffapalooza
Karen Dubin presented Michael Edwards’ Perfume Legends II. Published in 1996 and recently revised and updated it is one the most significant books on modern perfumery. Many creators, perfumers, couturiers, bottle designers, and fragrance house executives spoke openly about their fragrances revealing much insight. In 2020 the book was honored with the Perfumed Plume Award for Fragrance Book of the Year. Karen Dubin also introduced Eau d’Italie‘s latest scent, Mystic Sunset. From early Roman times, the red glowing setting sun has always had a mystical connotation in Positano and this perhaps contributes to its reputation as one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. This is a fragrance that embodies the soul-moving warmth of a Summer sunset in Positano. The Perfumer is Marie Salamagne.
David Ecker at Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2022
Fragrance Expert David Ecker presented two luxury brands. First, Clive Christian brands two new scents, Amberwood and Blonde Amber. Both are high concentrations. Blonde Amber has 219 ingredients and Amberwood has 145 ingredients. Then David brought out Amouage Opus XIV Royal Tobacco which is a rich deep and opulent fragrance with tobacco and Oud. Perfumer Cecile Zarokian delivered this masterpiece.
New York perfumer and poet Marissa Zappas references her background in anthropology with her appreciation for the avant-garde perfumes of the early twentieth century. In 2019, she launched her Redamance collection. The perfumes are an homage and olfactive portraits of an overlooked woman from history and the notes reflect her time period, personality, and environment which aims to connect women of the past to women today through the transportive art of perfumery.
Ryan Hunts of Beach Geeza
Perfumer Ryan Hunts of Beach Geeza told us that perfume is something that you never fully master. There are new oils to discover and materials to experiment with that when blended together reveal something new. “I’m asked ‘what is your creative process? and I say I don’t really have one. Like a writer, painter or musician, life experiences are what comes through in the work and in the medium of perfume, if a material or an accord generates a distinct memory then I know I’m on the right track”.
Stephen Dirkes of Euphorium Brooklyn
Stephen Dirkes of Euphorium Brooklyn is part court jester and part magician. There is a sleight of hand feeling with his presentations. One must pay close attention. Stephen’s latest potion is Rêve Vert (green dream) which is an acord inspired by the Green Dreams of 19th Century European Absinthe Culture. Stephen also informed us that he is the now official perfumer for the island of Grenada. How did he do that?
Amy Marks McGee and Miles McGee of Trendincite
Amy Marks McGee of Trendincite ups our game giving us the latest in innovations for what’s to come in flavor and fragrance. Food and beverage-inspired fragrances, scented personal care and cosmetics are coming on strong. Collaborations and innovative applications based on iconic food and beverage brands and flavors are appearing in fine fragrances, personal care, candles, and cosmetics. Wait and see.
Mona Maine de Biran, Founder of Kierin NYC
Mona Maine de Biran, Founder of Kierin NYC are artistic statements and gender fluid. Mona informed us that as of now she is the sole proprietor of the brand and as for her latest release Santal Park she created it herself as a celebration of the Summer Solstice and New York’s new rooftop park on Pier 57. The scent is a sandalwood-based fragrance with gardenia saffron and oakmoss.
Bart Schmidt of Brands with Purpose
Bart Schmidt and Karen Dubin showcased Judy – a Garland Fragrance, a perfume created by perfumer Vincent Spinnato in collaboration with Judy Garland’s daughters Lorna Luft and Liza Minelli to commemorate Judy Garland’s 100th birthday. It’s a luxurious rich floral and spicy gourmand unisex fine fragrance. It is exclusive to QVC through 12/1/2022.
Teri Johnson, Founder of The Harlem Candle Co. and The Harlem Perfume Co. PHOTO FIFTEEN
Teri Johnson, Founder of The Harlem Candle Co. and The Harlem Perfume Co. spoke of her latest candle masterpiece, Billie Eau de Parfum. Inspired by the white gardenia Billie Holiday always wore in her hair. Terry’s big reveal was announcing launching The Harlem Perfume Co. Billie Eau de Parfum is the first. The truly genderless scent wears differently on everyone as it brings out the beautiful nuances of this masterfully created fragrance composition.
Kelly Jones, Scent Sommelier and founder of Kelly & Jones Fragrances
Kelly Jones, Scent Sommelier and founder of Kelly & Jones Fragrances presented her K+J’s Eau de Mezcal Collection. Transporting you into the agave fields of Mexico Kelly worked with master mezcal distillers to capture the terroir of this mystical land and complex spirit. A portion of sales goes to Programa Vaca, a Mexico-based organization that helps rural residents build communities with natural, sustainable materials. The Perfumer of the Collection is Steven Claisse of Takasago.
Joseph Quartana of Parfums Quartana
Joseph Quartana of Parfums Quartana introduced his new Extrait de Parfum, IEROFANTE also features all-new packaging four years in development. The smoky and fiery leather gourmand for all genders imagines the mythology of the Hierophant tarot in Space-Age stylings. Parfums Quartana is an Award-Winning house for winning the 2017 Fragrance Foundation Awards Perfume Extraordinaire for Poppy Soma.
Irina Adam of Phoenix Botanicals
Phoenix Botanicals‘ natural perfumer Irina Adam, a two-time Art and Olfaction Finalist presented two of her creations, Water Nymph (with a special shout-out to Ida Meister for her excellent review) and Witch’s Feast, her perfume collaboration with Melissa Jayne Madera, author of ‘The Witch’s Feast: A Kitchen Grimoire.’
Sniffapalooza Fall Ball Fragrance District Gift Bag
In closing, we were all overjoyed to be together again. Meeting new friends, discovering new stores, and fabulous fragrances in person, just the way it is supposed to be! Thank you, Team Karen (Karen Dubin and Karen Adams) for a scentually wonderful Fall Ball 2022 to remember. See you all at the Spring Fling 2023!
~Hernando Courtright, Senior Events Contributor and Brand Ambassador
All Photos by Hernando of CaFleureBon unless otherwise stated©.
We have a fragrance-filled Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2022 Fragrance District swag bag filled with dozens of samples from the Fall Ball from ScentBar, Malin & Goetz, Diptyque, D.S.& Durga, Amouage, Euphorium Brooklyn, Phoenix Botanicals, Kelly & Jones, Beach Geeza, Kierin NYC Fragrances, Marissa Zappas Fragrances, Parfums Quartana, Raw Spirit and many others. To be eligible you must be a registered reader in the CON USA (you have to do this folks) and leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Hernando’s very detailed Sniffapalooza Fall Ball 2022 report if you have attended a Sniffapalooza event before and which brand or perfume you are really excited to get your nose on Have you ever been to NYC ‘s Fragrance District. The draw closes on October 28, 2022.
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