We chat with founder of Jo Malone about her approach to designing fragrance, her love for the colour red, and what inspired her eponymous scent, Jo by Jo Loves.

What is your process for designing a new fragrance? 

I’d say it’s very similar to constructing a building… but in reverse. We used something called a pyramid which consists of a top, middle and base notes (the base being the foundation of the fragrance). So we have plans. We have a formula, and you have to balance all the notes. For example, if you’re using something like amber you have to balance that note with a floral. If you’re using citrus, you have to use bass notes with a citrus to lift them.

I actually find the concept of top, middle and base notes incredibly boring. I would much rather you understood it in terms of having a conversation when arriving at a party. As you walk through the door someone comes up and introduces themselves to you. That’s the top notes – it’s the first impression. As you’re chatting, you think to yourself that they might be quite interesting. Like a person, the fragrance starts to reveals its warmth as it dries down. That’s what we call the heart of the fragrance or the middle notes. And then the bass notes, which are often woody or spicy, are the equivalent of that person you’ve been chatting with asking you if you want to go and have dinner so that you can really get to know them.

Where do you draw your inspiration from when it comes to designing a fragrance – what in particular inspired Jo by Jo Loves? 

I have something called Synesthesia, which means I ‘smell’ colour. So life, everything around me, inspires me. Like last night when I got out of the car for dinner I could smell an Earl Grey smoke and caramel salt – it was the sea across the road. I’ll take these scents and save them in my memory. I’ll play with all the notes in my head and an idea for a fragrance will emerge. It’s a very unconventional way of designing a fragrance.

The bottle of Jo by Jo Loves is a striking red hue – what is the significance behind the colour? 

To me, red means action. It means it demands a response. It means emotion. It means adventure. It’s like, “get ready”. So, Jo by Jo Loves is my personal scent, and it tells the story of my life through the power of grapefruit. I initially put it in a red bottle because I was the only one who had this fragrance in the beginning. And then I decided, you know, everyone loves it so much so I did a run of 500 bottles. They sold out and it became the top seller of the Jo Loves brand.

The little red dot on the label is like my Nike swish. It means I’ve created and signed off everything from the fragrance in the bottle to the label, and that it’s ready to go to market and for people to enjoy.

How did you select the ingredients/notes for Jo by Jo Loves? 

I have a scent library in my head. Have you ever seen that movie Fantastic Beasts? The main character walks around with a magic suitcase where he keeps all his animals and objects. That’s my head. I have my own world that I can go into and pull fragrance notes from all the scent memories I’ve stored in this library. When I create a fragrance, like Jo by Jo Loves, I write all the scents I’ve pulled on sticky notes. I’ll put down a row of notes and then another, and then I’ll move them around, smelling them together in my head. I’ll construct the fragrance this way and then we go in and tweak it.

And how do you go about tweaking the samples until you’re happy with what will be the final product? 

When I smell these samples I can “see” the holes in the fragrance. I know that it’s missing something and then I’ll start tweaking. I think, OK, that needs cedar wood or there needs to be a white blossoms somewhere in there along with a mint, and I’ll pop it in. For me it’s a very visual process.

Can you tell us a bit more about your approach to sustainability? How did you incorporate this into the design of the Jo Loves brand? 

I think sustainability is not a destination; it’s a journey and something we are continuously working on. The majority of our packaging is made from recycled paper, the ribbon that we use is made from recycled ocean plastic, the cartridges in our Fragrance Paintbrush are now refillable so that you don’t have to throw out when it’s finished, and our candles are reusable. We’re also giving people the option to opt out of our gift wrapping to reduce the amount of resources use.

You can buy the Jo Loves range exclusively via arcstore.co.za.

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WORDS Kelly Ghali IMAGES Hazel Mathias and courtesy of Wild Olive Artisans

Wild Olive African Artisans Apothecary and Artistic Perfumery House in Cape Town is a destination for shopping natural perfumery, bath, body and homeware products.

For the past two decades this local manufacturer has forged its own style of cosmetic, fragrance and product design. The products are made to order or as limited editions in collaboration with artists, and are ever-evolving lines of body washes, lotions, butters, candles, perfumes and many more.

Wild Olive African Artisan Apothecary is located at 29 Pepper Street, Cape Town.

Wild Olive Artisans’ philosophy is to offer you cosmetic products that would assist in preserving your health and beauty for as long as possible. Everything is formulated and made under one roof by skilful artisans, with a second generation already joining the business.

Wild Olive Artisans owns its R&D, manufacturing and retail platforms, and has made it its mission to put Africa on the map of natural beauty and perfumery, seeking to represent the cultural values of the continent in an authentic way.

“We spent the past decade learning how we could make a difference in our local market, but also internationally,” says business manager Monica Onigas. “We scrutinise our methodology, formulating style and business processes continuously. We pay close attention to the feedback we receive from our customers. While keeping an eye on issues of environmental and social responsibility, we try to juggle market trends, seeking to be as relevant and as efficient as we can be and in line with global demands.”

THE STORY OF TERRA FLORA PARFUM

Kelly Ghali, the muse who inspired perfumer Marioara de la Tara, shares with us her experience of making this perfume.

Muse Kelly Ghali and perfumer Marioara de la Tara.

“Stop the car!” I said to my husband. We had taken a short-cut across Bree Street and found ourselves outside Wild Olive Apothecary and Artistic Perfumery House on Pepper Street in Cape Town.

Stepping inside the converted 19th-century building that houses the shop and the cosmetic and perfume laboratory, I was instantly enchanted by the space and its scent. The chance encounter with Marioara sparked the beginning of a friendship, which, a year later, resulted in me inspiring the creation of a new perfume, Terra Flora, which was launched in October 2018.

Terra Flora Parfum has a dominant base note of sandalwood, enhanced by oakmoss and softened by orange flower and iris root absolutes. The mid notes are neroli and jasmine. In the top notes, mandarin dominates, with accents of petitgrain, bergamot, lime and rosewood. R95 (3 ml); R2 200 (30 ml)

The idea for Terra Flora came from my frustration at not being able to find a perfume that was unusual, easy to wear and synthetics-free. I had become accustomed to using aromatherapy oils, and found mainstream perfumes overwhelming, often leaving me with a headache and sour-smelling skin.

Being offered the opportunity to create my own perfume was a dream come true. Marioara worked on my brief, using oils renowned for their grounding and calming qualities. Our goal was to create a sophisticated, elegant yet modern unisex perfume suitable for any occasion or season using only the highest-quality natural materials.

We commissioned artist Penelope Cooras to create artwork inspired by my life story and used elements of it for the packaging and bottle design. Terra Flora really is unlike any other perfume you will have experienced.

For more information, visit wildolive.eu.

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Kleinood Eau De Parfum is the latest innovation to come from the De Villiers family’s Kleinood Farm, producer of Tamboerskloof Wines and De Boerin Olive Oil.

The greening of the farm Kleinood was captured inn these illustrations by Rohan Etsebeth of Stellenbosch design studio Fanakalo.

Organic practices, environmental awareness, respect for the land and its inhabitants and oodles of passion are just some of the factors that go into making the farm Kleinood, owned by Libby and Gerard de Villiers, something rather special.

Libby, who is always “busy with plants”, began to dream of capturing the essence of the fynbos, grasses and other indigenous plants on the farm, the scents of which perfume the air.

This dream was the beginning of a new venture for Libby, who called on perfumer Agata Karolina of House of Gozdawa to capture the spirit of Kleinood in a perfume.

“Agata and I spent hours in the garden, picking, crushing leaves, smelling, developing ideas and discarding them for new ones,” says Libby. “At the end of each day we would meet and discuss what I knew and what she had discovered. She spoke in scents and I spoke in images, but somehow we understood and worked our way to something that made us both happy, and I could smell my garden, the mountain, the sky, the heat and every moment of every day on this little farm that is so dear to my heart.”

The greening of the farm Kleinood was captured in these illustrations by Rohan Etsebeth of Stellenbosch design studio Fanakalo.

Agata took technical control of producing the perfume and Libby weighed in on what she calls the “smell-picture” of the farm. The Kleinood Eau de Parfum bottle has an organic cork top made by Laurie Wiid van Heerden, hinting at the connection with the wines produced on the farm. The bottle comes in a hand-stitched, silk-lined black linen bag with a big black velvet bow.

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Launched at the Design Indaba Festival on 1 March 2017, this cool collaboration sees Norwegian design studio Atelier Kaja Dahl and Cape Town-based perfumery, House of Gozdawa, come together to create a fragrance inspired by the Mother City.

Tapputi and the Sea is a unique range of solid perfumes designed by Kaja Solgaard Dahl (featured here as one of our favourites from this year’s Design Indaba) and encompasses the fusion of natural sea sponge, heat, skin, texture, fragrance and rituals for a scent experience like no other. The natural sea sponges serve as the holders and applicators of the solid perfume; all it takes is the heat of one’s body to melt it just enough to allow a magical fragrance transfer.

Each one is unique, as they are made from completely natural ingredients that blend and adapt to your skin, allowing each user a unique sensory experience. By the law of nature alone, each one is a limited edition, as the oil crop changes following the soil, season and year. The Tapputi and the Sea Cape Town Edition was created with the Mother City as its muse and is inspired by the sweet smell of sea salt that hangs in the ocean air and the warm winds that move between the fynbos and flowers that decorate the wet and dry landscapes of Cape Town. Expect notes of kelp, burnt wood, silver-bush everlasting flower, Namibian myrrh, jasmine and fennel.

To find out more, visit Atelier Kaja Dahl.

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The Yves Saint Laurent Beauté Boutique in Sandton is one of only 40 stores in the world that offer the YSL Le Vestiaire des Parfums range of unisex fragrances.

Created in the memory of one of the most influential couturiers of all time, the new Yves Saint Laurent range of unisex fragrances is appropriately named Le Vestiaire des Parfums, meaning The Wardrobe of Perfumes – it is an interpretation of the fashion trends pioneered by the designer. The range comprises five scents: Tuxedo (patchouli and dark spices), Caban (pink pepper and tonka bean), Saharienne (neroli and white musks), Trench (citrus and iris) and Caftan (incense and Eastern benzoin).

Those who live far from Jozi won’t have to miss out. Simply contact Stuttafords and arrange collection from your nearest store.

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Adelina Ivan has been an established Romanian designer since 2008. Her industrial design roots are evident in her creations and define her compelling aesthetics: minimal, futuristic and conceptual, made of pure fabrics with refined finishes. To reflect the philosophy of her brand, Wild Olive created a fragranced porcelain candle for her in two patterns, which are available from wildolive.eu and adelinaivan.com.

EDUN is a global fashion brand based in New York. They are building long-term, sustainable growth opportunities by supporting manufacturers and community-based initiatives, partnering with African artists and artisans. Wild Olive created a fragranced porcelain candle in two patterns for EDUN that pays tribute to the Cederberg and its Clanwilliam Cedar tree, while still reflecting their 2016 winter collection. Available soon.

With a multi-disciplinary background, Bridget Heneck expresses her work through various artistic outlets in a vibrant and innovative way. Born in Cape Town, she studied a BA in Fine Art majoring in Jewellery Design at Stellenbosch University. She created a bath salt container for Wild Olive, which is available from wildolive.eu and at 29 Pepper Street in Cape Town’s CBD.

For more information, contact Wild Olive at 021 422 2777, via office@wildolive.eu or visit wildolive.eu.

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Issey Miyake has released its new fashion-forward fragrance, Pleats Please. In the new SPRINGLOADED VISI 68 we have a Pleats Please EDT and body lotion hamper to give away to one lucky reader!

Issey Miyake is synonymous with fashion-forward pleating techniques. “Pleats never cease to fascinate me, conjuring up a multitude of images. Pleats move and change form with the wearer’s every movement. As the pleats move they change colours, creating an optical illusion like a kaleidoscope,” says the Japanese fashion designer, who launched his boundary-pushing Pleats Please fashion range in 1993.
 
The range has grown to become the brand’s most iconic line and, 20 years on, is getting its own Pleats Please perfume, with a bottle to suit. Described by the company as “a luminous, joyful, floral bouquet whose addictive base notes combine the sweetness of vanilla layered over vibrant woody notes,” the fragrance captures the light-hearted character of pleats. 

The design of the bottle takes its inspiration from another famous Issey Miyake design, the Bao Bao bag. An icon in its own right, the bag has been produced in many colours and shapes, has its own dedicated website, and doesn’t seem to be losing traction. Its inventiveness rests in the repeated triangles that create a multitude of fold lines.We love that the perfume’s name and bottle acknowledge the rich heritage of the brand.

R540 (30ml EDT), R745 (50ml EDT), R1 025 (100ml EDT), isseymiyakeparfums.com

Get the new SPRINGLOADED VISI 68 and enter the competition here. The brightest magazine to blossom onto shelves this year, expect inspiring essays, exquisite photoshoots and 36 reasons to flourish with the flowery season. Not to mention two Greyton getaways also to be won.

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A range of parfum solide fragrances from Frazer Parfum boasts an African-inspired story of its ongoing journey and design by Heather Moore of Skinny LaMinx.

Headed up by Tammy Frazer, Frazer Parfum makes all its perfumes from natural and raw organic ingredients. It also creates bespoke perfumes for clients who seek something special, a fragrance that smells like no other. 

Tammy makes her parfum solide using an 18th-century traditional method, where organic beeswax is infused with natural perfume. To use it, rub the perfume with your fingers to generate heat, then apply it to your pulse points for a slow-releasing aroma.

For the containers, Tammy works with other artisans to create cases as unique as her African-inspired fragrances. One such container that caught our eye is the Protea Porcelain Egg Parfum Solide. Read the backstory behind the box in the captions above.

R500 each (includes the pouch), frazerparfum.com

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Walking into the Frazer Parfum house, you’re instantly reminded of the film Chocolat, but instead of offering a treat to the taste buds, owner Tammy Frazer’s wares will take your nose on a sensory adventure.

Using only natural materials, which are all responsibly sourced, Frazer Parfum offers a signature collection of fragrances, called “Chapters”, as well as bespoke services, whereby clients create their own scents with Tammy’s guidance.

Behind her L-shaped bar, Tammy brings forth glass flacons and beakers of essential oils, absolutes and her own parfums. She breathes in the scents deeply and passionately describes the smell’s origin as well as the notes possesed by each.

Although she has a family connection to perfume, with a grandfather who invented Oil of Olay and a father who worked in a Swiss perfume house, Tammy says she only really realised this lineage after she had begun her own research into the art. She says what really sparked her career in fragrance making was a lunchtime discussion on perfume with friends while she was working in a bank in Australia.

“I realised this would be a great way to travel. I resigned from my job and travelled through Europe and fell in love with places because of their smells.”

‘I knew what I was doing’

Returning to Cape Town, Tammy says she spent hours in her pyjamas researching perfume and making appointments with leading experts around the world. She then begun experimenting in wine glasses. “It’s weird, but I just somehow knew what I was doing,” she says.

Soon after came her signature fragrances – each inspired by a place Tammy has travelled to. India, Madagascar, Sydney, Corsica, Switzerland, the Spice Route, England and Pakistan are all captured by Tammy’s methodical approach to creating well-balanced scents that exude the essence of the destination.

And the discerning retailers who stock her parfum are evidence that she’s got it right. Among others, the Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie in Harrods London, a private room on the fifth floor of Harrods, and the Annindriya Perfume Lounge in Oud-Zuid Amsterdam both stock Frazer Parfums.

Proudly South African, Tammy’s flacons are made by a glass blower in Worcester. Her African Blackwood solid perfume compacts – handmade in Mozambique – are engraved by Heather Moore, and her Shea Butter, sourced from Mali, comes in a wrapped ceramic vessel made by Cape Town local Karen Coetzee.

And while each vessel looks almost as good as the juice inside smells, Tammy says what’s most important is that everything that comes together is done in a way that’s environmentally, economically and socially responsible.

Tammy says…

If I were a scent I would be iris.

I design perfume because it’s unique.

Favourite commercial perfume? I don’t wear commercial perfume because it’s made with chemicals.

My most precious possession is my kitten.

If you weren’t doing this? That isn’t an option.

My favourite sense is smell.

Smell is intuitive and too underdeveloped by man.

Proudly South African is a mandate.

Design is what Cape Town is.

More information: frazerparfum.com, +27 (0)82 4635104

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