Hello everybody! This morning I had the chance to smell two fragrances by our twitter friend Chavalia @PinkMahogHany which is about to launch her new collection of fragrances - available soon in 2013. I took the chance to ask her some questions and it is always amazing to discover how perfumers work. There's also much more to discover on her website. After the interview, some personal impressions on the perfumes!
Chavalia: My perfumery background isn't one of lavish splendor where I was taken to the fields of flowers to smell them and knew how to identify them at a young age and perfected a craft - instead my story consists of smelling anything I could get my hands on. I was an only child for quite some time, but I had an aunt and uncle who were very much like older siblings to me. My aunt and I used to go outside and pick berries, and my grandmother had us to help her shell peas she would get from the local farmer's market. These scents stuck with me even until today, evoking memories I wanted to capture in segments with the scents I create. I loved the outdoors, the smell of freshly cut grass, and the smell of genuine leather. My most vivid memory, however (and probably the most embarrassing) is sniffing the couch seats after guests would leave and being able to tell my aunt and uncle who sat there. They used to "quiz" me by keeping me out of the living room while the guests were there, and once they left, they would come get me and put me to the test. Turns out, I was always right! I started experimenting with blending back in 2008, and have honed my perfumery skills over the years to what I consider more refined and complete blends.
A: Is there a fragrance in your collection you are particularly attached to?
C: I'm particularly attached to Ethereal Transluscence because it embodies my favorite type of scent - earthy, slightly aromatic and has a hint of "what is that?" that causes you to keep smelling your wrist to see if it has morphed into anything new since the last second you smelled it. E.T. says what I couldn't put into words to describe, and it is 'ethereal' in scent quality.
A: Is there a story in particular you would like to share behind one of your perfumes?
C: I tend to "smell in my head" before actually transferring my scent thoughts to liquid form, and this particular night, I was on my way out of town to visit my family for the weekend. I wanted to create something quick, using a particular oil I had been awaiting to arrive, and I couldn't wait to try it out. I made a sample blend real quick, sprayed it on my wrist to see how I'd like it over time and wasn't too impressed with the result. I had a two-hour drive to my parents' home, sniffing every 30 minutes or so. By the time I got to my destination, I'd forgotten about my blend, until I was in conversation with my mom, and she kept looking around sniffing the air. I asked her what did she smell, and she said she wasn't sure but it smelled, "Frenchy" and she loved it. It reminded her of a regal man with class! As she got closer to me, she said, "It's YOU! Let me smell your wrist." I had to peel her away from my arm, and even after I changed clothes, she kept following me! My mother is very particular when it comes to fragrances, so when she had that reaction, I knew I was on to something. This was in fact a men's blend I was experimenting with at the time, which is now called French Cuffs from the men's Trendsetter line. This fragrance was named with my mother's inspiration. I love her.
A: Do you think there is a link between your creations?
C: I create in themes, so the common denominator between all my fragrances is that I've had an inspiration to lean towards a certain category of notes - whether they be citrus, herbal/earthy, woodsy or mysterious. I can't say that each collection is a spinoff or a continuation of the first, but I will say that they're all inspired by something I remember from my fragrant past. I like to capture at least one essence to invoke a memory in my wearer. Although the memory may differ from one person to another, I've done my job if someone can relate to at least one note in my fragrances.
PERFUMES NOW!
Ethereal Transluscence is a unisex fragrance with an hypnotizing personality.The refreshing opening leads to a nice and clean earthy aromatic body with a fresh and warm contrast that makes it absolutely lovable, yet unique. I imagine a barman in South America, or maybe Mexico, squishing a bunch of limes into a bowl full of ice ready to prepare some sort of cocktail in his wooden open bar in a quiet street. It is late morning and all of a sudden, arrives a woman in a clean colored dress, which just came out from a bakery with some bread a couple of croissants and kisses his beautiful latin american bartender in white shirt.I can also smell something so clean and gentle in it, that makes me think that there could also be their young daughter.
French Cuffs is a fragrance for men with a smoky and leathery, yet round and gentle and elegant personality. I find this composition a beautiful contemporary interpretation of some sort of really classic perfume for men like Knize Ten. The more I smell it, the more I like it. I think this can be either a day or night perfume, but what suggests me is a beautiful man, yes, in France, in suit, after work, in a dark, but elegant bar, with leathery couches and a beautiful rustic wooden floor. There are some candles around ( I can definitely smell some smoky and waxy-like notes). This man, a really sexy one (must be and italian ahaha I would go for Raul Bova) is waiting a drink sitting at the bar with one elbow on the counter and the other hand on his wrist checking out the women (or men?). He is really nice, gentle and friendly, maybe he is waiting for some friends or his partner? The only thing that I am sure about is that he has got a seducing beautiful smile. I think I'm in love now...
Thank you Chavalia!
Images Source Pink Mahoghany Fragrances' website
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