S2 E9 Fragrance Reviewing with Stephan Matthews

Linda Pilkington, founder of UK house Ormonde Jayne talks to us about her globetrotting adventures, what keeps her interested in the industry, and teases a brand new announcement about the future of the brand. 

Vicken Arslanian didn't found Commodity Fragrances, but he did RE-found it following the brand's demise. We talk to him about what it takes to bring a brand back, what the challenges are, and how doing so has changed his outlook. Vicken teases us with brand announcements and a new fragrance coming soon. 

Strangelove make fragrances centred on oud. We discuss how a career in sustainable farming got founder, Elizabeth Gaynes, hooked on the scent and thinking about her own brand; how supermodel Helena Christensen got involved; and how perfumer Christophe Laudamiel helped bring the vision to life. If oud is your thing then this episode is a must!

Freddie Albrighton is embracing a punk aesthetic with perfumery. This tattooist turned perfumer launched a brand at the height of the pandemic to community acclaim. We discuss how he turns the smell of beef broth into custard, and how he is intrigued by the smell of a dead body doused in perfume, as well as his brand and their new release, Someone Else's Flowers. 

We talk to Claire Sokell Thompson from luxury fragrance brand Electimuss to discover what it takes to build a high class, high price brand from the ground up. What do your customers want when they are paying a high price for the scent? And how do you ensure that they remain satisfied? Is the market over saturated, and if so, how do you ensure that your brand stands out? We discuss all this and more in this wide-ranging discussion. 

We speak to multimedia artist, perfumer and brand owner Sarah Baker about her extraordinary life. She's worked with Jackie Collins and recently collaborated with Donatella Versace and Helena Christensen. We discuss what her art is, how she creates, and just what these superstar celebrities were like on set. This revealing conversation is a glimpse inside the world of super luxury but also high creativity. 

We talk to Marina Barcenilla, a renowned indie perfumer and space scientist. We discover what space smells like and discuss her two lines, Marina Barcenilla Perfumes and AromAtom which is all about the scents of space. So, if you have ever found yourself wondering what the moon might smell of (spoiler alert: it isn't cheese) then this episode is a must listen!

There are many careers within the fragrance industry that most people won't have ever even heard of. In today's episode we are joined by Laetitia Sida, a brand manager with Per Scent. We discuss what her work entails, how she takes brands from concept to launch, and what her average Monday is like! Through our conversation, we uncover this hidden facet of the fragrance industry and get a glimpse into the brand manager's world. 

Gallivant make perfumes inspired by charismatic cities from around the world. We meet with founder, Nick Steward, to find out which cities have had the biggest impact on him, why he chooses the cities he does for his line, and what might come next for this exciting young brand. 

Layering: is it just marketing or can it be a genuine way of personalising your scent? We speak to Bella from Contradictions in Ilk about what it was like launching a brand in the middle of Brexit and a pandemic, what Cassanova's pants smelled like, and that all important layering question.