Paperback Perfumes

“There I was, a woman on the rocks by the ocean, wrapped in a blanket, waiting for the return of her lover. Everything I knew about art would say that I was a painting. I was certainly a poem. Sappho was too - her life, perhaps, unknowable, but her feelings were mine. I was mythic.” ― Melissa Broder, The Pisces April Lea is the founder, perfumer and creative force behind LVNEA, a Canadian fragranc...

“At a small table, sitting very upright, was one of the ugliest old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction—it fascinated rather than repelled.” ― Agatha Christie, Murder on the Orient Express Most perfumers focus on crafting fragrance but David Clarke, the creative mind behind Rivendare, transforms the entire process into a story. From an unexpected starting point with no initi...

“Was I starting to feel evil? Yes, now I was worrying I'd be turned to the dark side by too much crochet.” ― Naomi Novik, A Deadly Education In this episode, I have an excellent conversation with Benjamin Esposito, the self‑taught perfumer behind New York’s House of Mammoth. I have always admired the way Benjamin talks about his work, grounding it in what he calls radical attention, the practice o...

“These empires, however, have no power of the language of scent. Scent in situ resides outside of oppressive systems. Despite a massive market valuation for scented products, the language of scent itself cannot be commodified, owned or managed” - Catherine Hayley Epstein, Cognitive Impacts of Scent’s Languagelessness: A Persuasive Palette to Infuse Imagination and Healing, Nose Magazine , Issue 2...

“Perfume is a language whose speech is worth learning and unpacking as one would a poem, book, or film. Scent is a path to getting closer to our senses, to instinct, and to our bodies and the earth at a time when those attachments are threatened.” Barbara Herman, Scent & Subversion: Decoding a Century of Provocative Perfume Barbara Herman is a writer, vintage‑perfume historian, and the founder...

“There is a type of person who starts to GLOW FROM WITHIN when talking about perfumery…” - Pia Long, Excerpt from ‘Demo Accords’, featured in ‘On The Scent’ magazine, Issue 1 . Jo Fairley is a celebrated writer, journalist, and one of the most influential voices shaping how we understand and talk about fragrance. As co‑founder of On The Scent magazine (and it’s inclusion in a burgeoning media empi...

“If you could go back, who would you want to meet?” ― Toshikazu Kawaguchi,  Before the Coffee Gets Cold Delphine McPhilimey brings a quiet, intentional artistry to the world of natural perfumery, and this episode explores the depth behind her craft. A French‑born artisan perfumer, her path has taken her from traditional perfumery studies to hands‑on workshops in Bali, eventually leading...

“You will always be fond of me. I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.” ― Oscar Wilde,  The Picture of Dorian Gray Grimoire Perfumes founder Troy (Trung) Vu joins us to explore the rich intersection of fragrance, aesthetics, mythology, and artistic expression. A self‑taught perfumer, Troy’s creative path winds through years as a classically trained dancer, a...

“Just like becoming an expert in wine–you learn by drinking it, the best you can afford–you learn about great food by finding the best there is, whether simply or luxurious. Then you savour it, analyse it, and discuss it with your companions, and you compare it with other experiences.” ― Julia Child, Mastering the Art of French Cooking Flowers, food, and fragrance have long been powerful...

“For Man is held by everything he holds. Release your grip on things if you would not be in their grip.” ― Mikhail Naimy, The Book of Mirdad: The Strange Story of a Monastery which was Once Called The Ark This conversation with George Chlouk moves through fragrance, philosophy, and the emotional terrain of being human in challenging times. We begin with the cultural depth of Lebanese perfumery—its...

“Remember. This is your story, no matter what history will claim or what songs people sing. And it’s no one’s place to stop you from telling it.” ― Lucy Holland, Sistersong In this episode we explore the space where books and fragrance meet, guided by writer and sensory storyteller Rowan Ambrose. Rowan’s life is shaped by vivid experiences—sailing tall ships, gardening, travelling widely, and savo...

“Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy.” ― Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights It feels like Wuthering Heights has swept back into the cultural conversation—whether it’s through rereads of the novel, rewatch...

“All in the golden afternoon Full leisurely we glide; For both our oars, with little skill, By little arms are plied, While little hands make vain pretence Our wanderings to guide.” ― Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland In this episode, I’m joined (once again) by Fliss Walton, who helps me dive deep into my lifelong love for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . Together, we explore Lewis...

“Because the middle classes and the nouveaux riches welcomed gas, water closets and piped-in water, the upper classes drew back. Many a denizen of a sprawling, stony-cold country estate looked on “mod cons” as slightly uncouth, over-eager and—worst of all—middle-class.” - Katherine Ashenburg, The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History In this episode, I’m joined by Clayton Ilolahia, an Evaluation a...

“ Now, I see that every relic, however battered, every scratch on every knick-knack, is engraved with a timeless story of someone's life. ” - Eve Makis, The Spice Box Letters Hosting this conversation with Alina Tadevosyan gave me the chance to learn about the powerful themes of Armenian cultural: resilience, identity and heritage preservation. Alina shared how everyday acts of cultural expression...

“Like a long lost cousin to the tarot, these rich images and symbolic stories could become a source for guidance, comfort, wisdom and beauty in your life. Just open the book to any picture and fall into it. Read the motto and story, use your imagination, and let the emblem work its magic” - Mandy Aftel , Symbolorum: The Secret Wisdom of the Emblems It feels surreal to start Season 3 of the podcast...

“Bless the Maker and His water. Bless the coming and going of Him. May His passage cleanse the world. May He keep the world for His people. ” - Frank Herbert, Dune In the final episode of Season Two, I’m joined once again by Michael Nordstrand to explore the rich and layered world of Frank Herbert’s Dune . You might remember our first conversation in Episode 51, where we wandered through fairytale...

"Not here for likes, not here for follows Chasing the sun, not shadows to follow Built for love, she can’t help herself Not trying to be anyone—just herself… "  -The Raconteur, Ms Macadamia Craig Andrade, founder and perfumer of The Raconteur , has built an Australian fragrance house celebrated for its refined, story-driven scents. In our conversation, Craig reflects on his transition from a...

"Without a city there is a house That's made entirely of wood, Where live ten thousand daughters That work for a common good."  - Kit williams, Untitled (Bee on the Comb) I had the pleasure of speaking with Saskia Wilson-Brown, founder of the Institute for Art and Olfaction, to discuss the evolution of her ground breaking organization and the role storytelling plays in the world of scent. We...

“And I will remember your small room the feel of you the light in the window your records your books our morning coffee…” - Charles Bukowski, Raw with Love This week, I sit down with self-taught perfumer Marie-Pierre Blanchette, whose creations blend art, emotion, and storytelling through scent. We explore her Rococo collection—a celebration of joy, pleasure, and the subtle politics of beauty. Mar...

“My purpose is to echo the ancient truth of culture in an expression deeply rooted in Aboriginal songlines and memory codes.” - Lee Couch In this episode, I’m joined by Gamilaroi woman and founder of LA COUCH , Lee Couch. Lee shares her journey of cultural understanding and the powerful role scent plays in healing, memory, and connection to Country. We talk about sacred scents, traditional bush me...

“Sniff, Sniff, Sniff! Haddock and hay, Pizza and penguins, and farther away The smell of the thief, and - how very exciting - Thousands of pages all covered in writing!” - Julia Donaldson & Sara Ogilvie, The Detective Dog In this episode, I’m joined by Tammy Burnstock, whose work explores the rich intersections between scent, cinema, and storytelling. Tammy describes her practice as scent arch...

“ Perfume is substance and spirit. It must be a story, a myth, long before people wear it. ” - Michael Edwards, Perfume Legends In this episode, I’m joined by Michael Edwards, one of the most influential voices in the fragrance world. Known as the creator of Fragrances of the World and the fragrance wheel, Michael has transformed the way we talk about, understand, and choose perfumes. Our conversa...

“Once Upon a Time, at the beginning of Everything, there were two spirits with no names and no desires other than to observe. ” - Pia Long, Demo Accords In this episode, I’m joined by Finnish-born, UK-based perfumer and author Pia Long, co-founder of Olfiction and Eau de Boujee. With a career spanning four decades, Pia sees scent as a form of communication and perfume as bottled stories, shaped by...

“Seek awe and nature daily... show kindness; practise grace; eschew vanity; be bold; embrace friends, family, faith and doubt, imperfection and mess; and live deliberately.” ― Julia Baird, Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Carr, founder of Barnes Fragrance Fair and co-founder of We Wear Perfume . Amanda has be...