The Sniff Perfume Podcast

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 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.

In this episode we get to know sleek, sexy and modern brand 27 87 by talking to their founder, Romy, as she gets ready to launch the seventh fragrance in her line. We get hints on what to expect from the new release, and reminisce together about how lovely freshly made mint tea is!

In this episode I am joined by indie perfumer Karen Timson as we take a close look at one of her fragrances and break down the composition into individual facets. We also uncover some of Karen's scented memories and talk about what it takes to be an indie perfumer in the marketplace today. 

I talk to acclaimed writer, Stephan Matthews, about fragrance reviews, the ethics of the reviewers and influencers, and what fragrances he goes back to time and again in the vast perfume market. We touch on some challenging topics in this episode and there is one instance of minor swearing. 

We look at memorable fragrances and brands, ones that really stick in the mind including scents by Angela Ciampagna, Neela Vermeire, L'Orchestre Parfum, Sarah Baker, Bedeaux, Karen Timson, January Scent Project, The House of Oud, Arquist, and Pierre Guillaume. 

What is life like as a working French perfumer in Grasse, the perfume capital of the world? We speak to Joelle Lerioux Patris, a talented and respected French perfumer about her life in Grasse, her creative process, where she finds inspiration and how she came to set up her business - Le Parfumeur Francais - which specialises in creating bespoke fragrances for clients around the globe. 

Sarah McCartney, owner of 4160 Tuesdays, has to be one of the best known names in British perfumery. We talk to this industry maverick about how she set out to lift the lid on a secretive industry, what her creative process is like, how she still finds joy in fragrance and what's next for this well-loved British brand. 

Bet you've never really given much thought to scent blotters or scent strips, those little bits of cardboard or paper that you test fragrances on? We talk to Andy Hudson of Maximise Scent Marketing, one of the UK's leading suppliers of scent strips and find out about this overlooked facet of fragrance.