Interview with Catherine Selig, the Perfumer Behind "Speakeasy" & "Lady Day"
We sat down with Catherine Selig, the brilliant perfumer behind our new "Lady Day" and "Speakeasy" candles, to chat all about her background in luxury fragrance and what she uses as inspiration when creating her signature scents.
You are the nose behind our newest candle, "Lady Day." It's inspired by the gardenia that Billie Holiday used to wear in her hair. Can you explain how you came up with this incredible floral fragrance?
Billie Holiday is actually very personal for me. As a baby my parents would put me to bed with Billie Holiday's music. My parents loved jazz and her music brought them this feeling of peace, enjoyment, and happiness. I have a lot of beautiful memories of my parents, especially my dad, when I think of Billie Holiday.
When I moved to New York, I discovered her life and another dimension to her. This is why you (Teri) and me and Billie Holiday have something in common. We are all perfectionists and this is why we spent two years working on the Lady Day fragrance. We wanted to pay tribute to Billie Holiday because she is such an impressive woman.
The gardenia is a very interesting plant—the smell appears and disappears, and is extremely powerful, but in a natural way yet addictive and mysterious. It's really very beautiful and I'm excited about it.
What went into creating "Speakeasy," inspired by the Harlem speakeasies of the 1920s and 30s?
I remember when we first met, and you spoke about how you wanted the scent to transport you in time to a mysterious, forbidden club with leather couches, bourbon, and cigars. We visualized what a modern speakeasy would look and feel like today and used that as inspiration. Instead of a cigar, we put some palo santo and added a magic touch of dark chocolate to create a sense of indulgence.
How do you go from creating fine fragrance to creating fragrances for the home?
While the processes are different, in both cases the fragrance has to make you feel an emotion. In a candle, you can smell the top, middle, and bottom at the same time immediately. You don't need to wait for the fragrance to diffuse by spreading it on the skin.
Be sure to check out our Speakeasy and Lady Day candles, available on our website!
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