Fragrance Industry Showcases Craft On The Hill
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
The International Fragrance Association North America hosted an event in Washington to help educate lawmakers and their staffs on the behind-the-scenes process of fragrance development. Perfumers developed scents inspired by music for the event.
The International Fragrance Association North America hopes its recent “scent experience” event on Capitol Hill will help bring awareness of the art and science of perfumery at a time when the fragrance industry faces the possibility of increased regulation.
IFRA NA has focused on a multitude of policy issues of late, including a state bill in Oregon that would have required chemical and fragrance compound disclosure in certain products, and has increased its staff to support advocacy efforts (Also see "Fragrance Industry Talks Policy With N.J. Governor’s Office" - HBW Insight, 26 Aug, 2013.).
At the national level, the industry is regulated under the current Toxic Substances Control Act and is closely watching developments as the regulation’s proposed successor, the Chemical Safety Improvement Act, is discussed by the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on the Environment and the Economy.
IFRA NA President Jennifer Abril says the association is working to ensure the bill maintains confidential business information protections and includes preemption provisions.
The Washington event was intended to “celebrate the artistry of perfumery and show [Congress] members what we mean when we say we bring pleasure to everyone’s lives,” she told “The Rose Sheet.”
“A Symphony Of Senses”
Called “A Symphony of Senses,” the event featured presentations from perfumers who composed scents inspired by music and was designed to educate lawmakers and their staffs on the behind-the-scenes process of fragrance development.
“We wanted to bring a bit of Paris and New York to D.C.,” said Abril, referring to the two geographic hubs for fragrance.
Speaking after the event, the exec said IFRA NA was pleased by the attendance.
“We’re thrilled. We’re thrilled with the turnout, the interest, and being able to actually showcase the business,” she said.
“[Fragrance] is not just a list of ingredients, it’s a work of art. It’s the ultimate expression of aesthetics.” – Drom Fragrances Perfumer Christopher Diienno
Three perfumers presented fragrances designed exclusively for the event. Each fragrance was inspired by music, with the perfumers using specific genres, artists or songs as muses.
Heather Sims, director of perfumery with Arylessence, looked to Justin Timberlake’s hit “Suit & Tie” for the development of her scent.
“It’s a play on the music, taking the fashion sense – the classic suit, the black and white – and putting a modern spin on it” through fragrance, she said.
The scent features base notes of moss, soft woods, amber, vanilla bean and musk, mid notes of lavender, armoise, sea salt and tobacco, and top notes of bergamot, lemon and black pepper.
Sims felt the event underscored the importance of the craft and said she received positive feedback from attendees. “People don’t necessarily know how fragrance is created, and we were able to demonstrate our creative process.”
[Givaudan SA]’s Calice Becker was inspired by the aria “Una Furtiva Lagrima” from the Italian opera L'Elisir d'Amore.
The aria’s name translates to “a furtive tear,” and Becker worked to bring that sentiment to the scent by basing the ingredients on her own emotions and memories.
She included benzoin, an oil extracted from the styrax benzoin tree, because it reminds her of her grandmother, vanilla for its association with her mother and orange flower for her children.
Becker, who developed Christian Dior J’Adore and Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl, hopes the event will help overcome “this image that fragrances are bad.”
“We are extremely safe, there is so much good, so many little joys that fragrances bring to your life,” she said.
Drom Fragrance’s Christopher Diienno created his event scent – which he dubbed Resilient – based on 80s rock and the music of Depeche Mode, New Order and The Cure.
Growing up with that music genre, “I’m trying to be different, I’m trying to think outside of the box – each of these artists were trying to do that as well and [stand out] from pop music at the time,” he said.
The fragrance features a base of naked musk, Madagascar vanilla, caramelized sugar, metallic woods and dark chocolate, a heart of patchouli, black velvet apricot, sensual spices, deep dark rose and cardamom and top notes of black fruits, fresh mandarin, magnolia and bergamot.
Diienno hopes that the event will help bring an awareness of what the fragrance industry is about.
“It’s not just a list of ingredients, it’s a work of art,” he said. “It’s the ultimate expression of aesthetics.”