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Scented Snippets Fragrant Book Review: The Fragrance Designer's Primer

05/16/15 05:44:48 (

by: Ida Meister

There is a fire in the belly of the West Coast, my friends—a creative fire of great proportions.

It is a fertile breeding ground for arts of all kinds and perfumery in particular, where innovation and inspiration go hand in hand.

San Francisco, L.A., Seattle, Portland—you name it, niche and indie perfumers are busily at work.

It is a joy.

I was approached recently by Felicia M. Hazzard of Fragrance Belles-Lettres Magazine about a perfume primer which was about to be published—would I like a copy? A.K. Crump, President of the Artisan Fragrance Salon/Taste TV in San Francisco, CA., along with Cafe TV Publishing, have just released a new fragrance book. Of course I said yes. [Felicia and I had become acquainted over the years from the then-few fragrance boards and much more intimate perfume community. She had gone on to write extensively on her own blog, create her own publishing company, and work with perfumers to create her own perfumes. I went on to write for Cafleurebon and Fragrantica, guest-reviewing on others' perfume blogsites, privately

assisting with correcting copy on perfumer friends' websites (non-native English speakers) and consulting with perfumers, gratis ;-) ]

Initially, I simply skipped through the pages of this primer—but when I began to delve into it in earnest, I experienced some a-ha moments. I found it fascinating how the perfumers revealed themselves through these inquiries, much like the Proust/Bernard Pivot questionnaire from Inside the Actor's Studio.

Some were utterly open and profoundly passionate, others more cerebral, guarded, calculated and wary in their responses. I would have given anything to be a fly in the room when they dealt with those questions.

[Only one individual was NOT a perfumer: Ann McDonnell of EcoGenics Active Botanical Skin Care. She was asked the same exact questions as the perfumers, but answered gracefully in her own manner about her skin care company. She clearly possesses solid business acumen and practicality which accompanies her passion.]

One of the fascinating aspects is how each perfumer revealed his/her creative process. All prefer to begin the creation of fragrant compositions alone: some insist upon completing them without extra nose input. While some individuals had previously been in business ventures and were incredibly savvy, many learned the hard way—making painful costly mistakes all along their learning curve. What was so wonderful was their willingness to share this, in order to be truthful and hopefully spare others the same growing pains.

Most perfumers were artists in other realms first: architects, painters, floral cultivators [Mesha L. Munyan grows glorious lavender; Ellen Covey cultivates orchids; Laurie Stern has a perfume garden from which a lot of fragrant material is harvested, along with her own beehives; Ineke Rühland adores scented gardens—her husband Bill helps tend all the plants she chooses], unique clothing designers [Laurie Stern hand made exquisite lingerie for Henri Bendel, Michael Coyle had a fashion business for 10 years], photographers [Paul Kiler], domestic goddesses [Tania Reuben's website Pure Natural Diva was in existence before there ever was a perfume].

Paul Kiler of PK Perfumes (image courtesy of Paul Kiler and TasteTV)

Perfumers were inspired by natural surroundings—Michael Coyle of MIKMOI grew up in the country, Paul Kiler's visits to his grandparents in Stockton, Ca. fueled his passion for all the exquisite aromas he experienced. Ayala Moriel was homesick for the Mediterranean terrain of her childhood, Livvy of La Fleur by Livvy was shaped by her Indian childhood and its abundance of natural odors.

Everyone was asked the same 34 questions:

• What started your love affair with fragrance?
• How long have you been interested in perfume?
• Was there anything from history, recent or ancient, that also drew you into the field?
• What was the point of starting your own fragrance line?
• Is perfume a luxury item?
• How did you go about starting the company from a small business standpoint?
• What inspired the company name?
• Where did you learn to develop a fragrance?
• Favorite food, perfumer, dessert, drink?
• Do you have advice for anyone wanting to get in the business?

And many more inquiries. I don't wish to be a spoiler or a bore. ;-)

There were a few surprises along the way. I found that people I knew and liked—I liked even more, for their eloquence, passion and veracity. I encountered folk I have yet to meet, and want to very much as a result of their writings; and I have to confess a new respect for perfumers whose work has not resonated with me, as well.

All in all, I find this a very good read.

There are a few niggling reservations I have, though, which make me feel petty—something I detest.

I imagine that cost containment was a concern, as this is pretty much a self-publication. There are errors which meticulous proofreading might have corrected: spelling errors, typos, oversights.

The “diary format” utilizes a number of fonts which are distracting and interfere with ease of reading. [At this writing, I've not yet been able whether to discern if font type was the respondents' choice, or an editorial one.]

Some of the pictorial representations of photographs are fuzzy and distorted. I feel that this detracts from the content, and the content is wonderful.

I am extremely grateful to Felicia and Mr. Crump for the opportunity to read this fascinating book.

The Fragrance Designer's Primer is available for purchase on Amazon.com.