How We Cooked Up An Award Winner
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One of the first raw materials I insisted be used in a Bianco Profumo fragrance was neroli. Growing up, there were always certain scents I was attracted to and smelled them over and over. I didn’t always know what they were specifically, but later on I came to notice a theme of neroli being involved in one way or another.
The romanticized history of neroli is fascinating in its own right. But first, what is it?
Neroli is an essential oil extracted by steam distillation from the highly delicate blossoms of the bitter orange tree. Most of the production is concentrated in the Mediterranean with Italy, Tunisia, and Morocco being the largest suppliers.
The name "Neroli" is said to be linked to Anne Marie Orsini, the 17th-century Princess of Nerola (a small town near Rome), who popularized the oil by using it to scent her gloves and bathwater. Her association with the scent led to its common name "Neroli" in her honor. Gloves and bathwater – I think I just named a new fragrance.
Historically, neroli was used not only for its fragrance but also for its therapeutic benefits. The oil was believed to have calming properties, reducing anxiety and stress, and was also applied to aid digestion and alleviate headaches. This reputation continues today, with neroli oil often used in aromatherapy for its soothing effects.
As I ventured deeper down the rabbit hole of fragrance, I the scent of neroli first jolted my memory after smelling Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino, which itself is a riff on the classic 4711 Original Eau de Cologne done by the mega talented Rodrigo Flores-Roux. Once I knew it was called neroli, that was it. I needed it.
The Developer
As I’ve laid out in various extended and condensed versions across interviews and podcasts, I hunted for who would be the best for us to work with. Carlos Huber was, and is, our guy. He is an architect and fragrance designer renowned for founding Arquiste Parfumeur, a luxury fragrance brand inspired by historical events, places, and people. His background in architecture and historic preservation at Columbia University gives him a unique approach to scent design. Carlos merges architectural storytelling with fragrance compositions that evoke specific historical moments, transporting wearers to different times and places.
Huber has received accolades for his innovative approach to fragrance, with Arquiste gaining recognition winning multiple Fragrance Foundation Awards and has been featured in prestigious publications such as Vogue, GQ, and The New York Times.
The Perfumer
Christine Hassan is a distinguished perfumer at Givaudan, one of the world’s leading fragrance and flavor companies. Known for her creativity, technical skill, and deep knowledge of fragrance composition, she has crafted numerous acclaimed scents for luxury brands across various sectors, from fine fragrances to personal care products.
She was a co-creator of Wildly Me, the debut fragrance for Millie Bobby Brown's brand Florence by Mills. And recently, Christine collaborated with Rodrigo Flores-Roux to craft Sublime for Tory Burch, which is currently taking the perfume world by storm.
Neroli Pomodoro
So, how did we exactly get to our Neroli Pomodoro? It was honestly Carlos Huber who really kicked it off. During our initial development conversations, I had a list of notes I really liked – neroli included – that included basil. As we talked about different directions we could go, I mentioned how the basil in the list was there because of the memories of helping out in my grandparents’ garden in the 80s and 90s. That was followed up with a (paraphrased to my best ability) “you know, tomato leaf is a really unique and unexpected note that works well with neroli.”
The flood gates were opened. It was the perfect idea I didn’t even see sitting in front of me and I got to mashup the neroli I always enjoyed with the cherished memories of picking fresh basil leaves and tomato leaves brushing against my hands while picking tomatoes from the family garden. The goal became disrupting the obsession with blue fragrances. Time to champion green!
The directive was set. Christine worked her magic. And we got an award winning scent.