It would take a clean bright shop with scents called At The Beach 1966, Fire from Heaven, Mr. Hulot's Holiday, In the Library, and my favorite (and the one I happily walked away with) Burning Leaves, to make me reconsider the whole idea of perfume. Just like the name of the Williamsburg shop, “I Hate Perfume“–or at least I did until (finally) stopping by this unique store the other day.
Professional nose Christopher Brosius is behind these ingenious scents, and he also founded Demeter–one of the only other brands I have tried. His talent is immense. The burning leaves smells perfect, exactly as it should and he's constantly working on new fragrances based on the aromas in life that we all love. He's stated that he's still working on a birthday candle scent!! What a brilliant concept.
He doesn't use alcohol and none of the scents have that typical artificial, chemical air of most on the market. The store is divided into two parts: one half holds little special bottles of one note scents and the other is lined with his more complex, layered works of redolent art. A large, kind dog sleeps on the floor, and a blue eyed Jurgen Teller looky-likey is there to help you with any questions.
If you recall the funny but universally lauded fragrance Cumming, by Alan Cumming (see this week's funny pick) it might interest you to know that Brosious was the nose behind that as well.
But what do you think?