Interview with Alexander (Alex) Lee: An American Perfume Student in Paris
Before they were your favorite 'noses', perfumers like Jean-Claude Ellena, Mark Buxton, Francis Kurkdjian, Isabelle Doyen were students. We thought it would be fascinating to interview an emerging perfumer, one with a fresh 21st century perspective and share what its like to be an American olfactive student abroad . Its with great pleasure we introduce Alexander (Alex) Lee, an Asian-American student …
Alice in Wonderland Redux-Parfums d’Imperfiction
Everyone is going “Alice” crazy; trying to hop on the marketing bandwagon, ever since Tim Burton’s excellent movie debuted on March 5. There have been a plethora of Alice in Wonderland products in fashion and beauty, because no one wants to say “I’m late, late to a very important date” (Remember how quickly Avon aquired the license for Avatar …
‘Ôde’ to Shalimar Perfume- A Poem by Marlene Goldsmith
Ode to Shalimar I praise the abrupt beauty of your inception; how the strident scents of citrus are flung upon the breath like the peal of bells upon the breeze. I praise their dissolution as jasmine, rose, and iris rise to thread tremolos through dark vanilla strains. I praise …
Soivohle Amberene- An Amber Perfume for a Summer’s Day
Amber is one of my favorite notes in all of perfumery. I love the way it can have an almost medicinal edgy feel to it as in Montale Blue Amber; or that it can be as soft and warm as a cashmere sweater as in Jean-Claude Ellena’s Heremessence Ambre Narguile. One thing all of the …
Voyage D’Hermes is a Voyage D’Ellena
Jean-Claude Ellena is one of the most glittering stars in the perfume firmament. He has created a signature style that is almost instantly recognizable. There have been creations by other perfumers which have been complimented by being termed “Ellena-like”. What I mean when I use that kind of terminology is a use of a …