Five Fascinating New Fragrance Finds from Sniffapalooza 2013

You might think that nothing tops the fanaticism of Justin Bieber’s fans – but then you haven’t been to a Sniffapalooza event. Launched in 2004, Sniffapalooza is a group of fragrance aficionados whose devotion to the latest and the best in the fragrance industry rivals the adulation heaped upon any teen idol.

Witness the recent Sniffapalooza “Spring Fling” 2013, where more than 140 fragrance-obsessed scent enthusiasts converged upon Manhattan for an olfactory-intense weekend of perfume debuts, presentations, master classes, and fragrance events.

Throughout the weekend, Sniffapalooza‘s dedicated fragrance addicts trouped en masse through midtown, from Bergdorf Goodman to Henri Bendel and on to The Plaza Shops at The Plaza Hotel, and onward to Lord & Taylor, before heading downtown for an all-day program that included stops at Osswald, Molton Brown, Le Labo, Atelier, Diptyque, and Nars.

Sniffapalooza is helmed by “Team Karen,” the dynamic Karen Dubin and Karen Adams who annually host “Spring Fling” and “Fall Ball,” as well as an annual Sniffapalooza fragrance odyssey to hallowed scent destinations such as Grasse, Lisbon, Barcelona, London, Florence, and Paris.  This year’s Sniffapalooza journey is scheduled for September in Zurich, Switzerland, home to fragrance temple, Osswald Parfumerie.

Enthusiasm begets respect and Sniffapalooza has served on various fragrance industry panels, including The Fragrance Foundation’s breakfast series and the HBA Global Expo.  Speakers at Sniffapalooza “Spring Fling” 2013 included Amy Marks-McGee of Trendincite who spoke about upcoming olfactory trends.  According to Marks-McGee, 2013 is going to be a sugar rush with honey as a “buzz ingredient” and fruit flavors such as apricot and cherry.

Here’s a list of five fascinating fragrances that captivated the cognoscenti at Sniffapalooza “Spring Fling” 2013.

Raw Spirit – Fire Tree: The Australian fire tree (also known as “grass tree” or “Balga”) is one of the more mystical flora in a land blessed with fascinating indigenous species. When this prehistoric-looking tree is struck by lightning or the seasonal bush fires in West Australia, the fire tree secretes a fragrant, golden resin that has many uses, most particularly its propensity to act as a “love potion.”

The indigenous peoples of Australia, who notice a person’s spirit and essence before gender, have prized the fire tree’s smoky, sweet fragrance for its ability to attract like-minded individuals to those who wear the scent.

A limited-edition fragrance oil, Raw Spirit – Fire Tree is a blend of Australian sandalwood and the oil of the fire tree.  Opening with a fresh, lilac scent, the oil deepens with a sweet, spicy heart and a smoky base note, redolent of wood.

A joint venture between Nomad Two Worlds and Atlas South Sea Pearl, Raw Spirit – Fire Tree is sustainably harvested and the creators work with the aboriginal community to source their ingredients.  Proceeds from the sale of Raw Spirit – Fire Tree are reinvested in the indigenous Nyoongar populations of Western Australia.

Roja Parfums: The captivated audience at the sold-out Saturday morning breakfast in a private dining room at Bergdorf Goodman was mesmerized by the dashing perfumer, Roja Dove, who charmed the crowd with his signature fragrances and wit.

One of the world’s most respected “noses” and a fragrance historian, Dove was a Guerlain Global Ambassador before opening his “Haute Parfumerie” on the fifth floor of Harrods in 2004.

Attired in a resplendent ensemble that glittered in tandem with his sparkling personality, Dove autographed the amethyst boxes of his eponymous fragrance line, which includes scents suggestively named “Mischief,” “Fetish,” “Scandal,” “Reckless,” and “Danger,” which was a 2012 winner of a United Kingdom Fifi Fragrance Award.

Union Fine Fragrance: The goal behind the creation of the UK fragrance line Union was to create British fragrances that utilize ingredients indigenous to the United Kingdom.

Perfumer Anastasia Brozler is passionate about all things Brit and her background in bespoke perfumery has enabled her access to some of the kingdom’s more rarefied estates and gardens.

As one Sniffapalooza fan stated upon smelling Union Gothic Bluebell, “This is the fragrance that Elizabeth Bennett would have worn – after she married Mr. Darcy and came into money.”

Union’s collection also includes such Anglo-centric scents as Holy Thistle, Celtic Fire, and a sultry and seductive men’s fragrance called Gunpowder Rose.

Olfactive Studio: One of the more esoteric fragrance lines at Sniffapalooza, Olfactive Studio launched in 2013 at a Chelsea gallery as a collaboration between contemporary photography and perfumery.

Born out of the desire to create a “fragrance that doesn’t yet exist,” Olfactive Studio represents the attempt to capture a moment in time: through a photograph and a memory produced by the sense of smell.

With its alluring milky cloudiness, Olfactive Studio‘s Lumiere Blanche is akin to sailing through the Swedish archipelago in summer when the morning’s mist still hovers above the water. A mixture of heat and cool, Lumiere Blanche opens with the spice of anise and cardamom before settling into a heart of almond milk and cashmere.  As alluring and transgressive as absinthe, or a glass of milk with a shot of Scotch, Lumiere Blanche captures a sense of the forbidden – not unlike Icarus flying close to the sun.

Winner of a 2013 Fifi Award, Olfactive Studio‘s collection also includes Flashback, Still Life, Autoportrait, and Chambre Noire, each of which is complemented by an associative photograph taken by a notable photographer.

Hayari: In the middle of Sniffapalooza’s sold-out lunch at Benoit, a stunning model in a couture gown walked the dining room to clamorous applause.

The dress was created by French couture designer Nabil Hayari who opened his couture house in 2009. Since then, numerous celebrities have chosen Hayari gowns for red carpet entrances.

In 2010, Hayari launched his fragrance line with a collection of three fragrances that reflect the intense glamour and femininity of his gowns.

Perfumer Sidonie Lancesseur who created fragrances for By Kilian is the nose behind Hayari’s “Only For Her” and “Broderie.”  The third fragrance in the line, “Goldy,” is a powdery-woody scent created by Dorothee Piot, the nose behind Olfactive Studio‘s Chambre Noire. In the words of Norma Desmond, all three fragrances are ready for their close-up.