Re: Rebel day!

[Guest guest]

Excellent & informative post, Isabelle! I join you as a rebel for this cause as

I'm sure most of the members of this group will as well. The two pics were

definitely " worth a thousand words " ! Thanks for bringing it to the forefront so

we are kept informed & aware as to what we are up against & why we chose to be

artisan natural perfumers.

gayle

[Guest guest]

>

> just look at the two pictures below (URL) and tell me which one you prefer as

Artisan perfumers, as Real Artists who strive to paint

smells.

>

> PICTURE 1

>

http://www.theperfumemagazine.com/JUNE2012/Celebrating-20-Years-of-Perfume-Histo\

ry-by--Colton.html

>

> PICTURE 2

>

http://www.theperfumemagazine.com/JUNE2012/ARTISAN-FRAGRANCE-SALON-RAPHAELLA-BAR\

KLEY.html

I personally don't care for the second 'artisan' picture. the model looks to me

like models used by big time companies to promote whatever fashion thing they

are promoting. It pains me to see her terrible terrible posture and her general

sick look.

We are all very used to seeing sick people representing beauty, I would strive

to break that habit, it's not the image to promote an innocent, healthy and

happy spirit in my oppinion.

How is it that the big compaies are responsible for the price inflation? if this

has been discussed, please point me in the right direction of finding the

messages, if not, I would love an explination

Thank you

Hemla

[Guest guest]

> How is it that the big compaies are responsible for the price inflation? if

this has been discussed, please point me in the right direction of finding the

messages, if not, I would love an explination

>

> Thank you

> Hemla

>

Hi Hemla,

The idea was not for you to focus on the particular picture but to see the

difference between a picture full of office-clerk lookalikes and a more

floral/artistic picture so as to emphasise on the conglomerates versus the

artisans...

Re. the big companies responsible for the price inflation, it's simple. Chanel

owns 75% of the ylang ylang plantations in Madagascar, et is busy

investing in the sandalwood plantations in New Caledonia; Guerlain owns most of

the neroli plantations in Morocco and rose plantations in France, Bulgaria and

Turkey and Manet has basically monopolised the production of omumbiri in South

Africa and I could name many more.... I am sure some of the perfumers here would

be able to support this with more examples.

Since these companies have the money, they of course can afford buying up the

production in advance which means that small artisans are left with the crumbs

at a premium price: the offer and demand principle! Or for a more appropriate

comparison, same as petroleum traders who buy petrol production up to 2-3 years

ahead at a lower price and then speculate on the trade market to inflate prices.

Essential oils are fluctuating as much as any other commodities because they are

agricultural products that depend on harvest, crops and seasonal afflictions.

But because the demand has increased dramatically in the last 10 years, the

offer is getting scarce hence the increase in prices.

Maybe it's been discussed before in this group but I would not be able to point

you towards the appropriate messages.

Isabelle

www.lesparfumsisabelle.co.uk

[Guest guest]

________________________________

Isabelle,

While I completely agree with you about the corporations pumping out uninspired

synthetic scents just to reap in profits and I'm not keen on their buying up the

supply of the worlds naturals and inflating prices, etc. I have to disagree with

you on the appearance of the people in the articles. I actually find the people

in the first article very well-dressed, in fact if I didn't work in a kitchen

and worked full-time as a perfumer that's probably how I would dress too. I

don't think they look like any bank-tellers or office workers that I've ever

seen. And as far as the second photo, that is just a model doing a shot for the

advertisement for the show, it's an artistic, dramatic presentation. What, are

artisan perfumers supposed to walk around naked with flowers on their heads and

shoulders?

[Guest guest]

> While I completely agree with you about the corporations pumping out

uninspired synthetic scents just to reap in profits and I'm not keen on their

buying up the supply of the worlds naturals and inflating prices, etc. I have to

disagree with you on the appearance of the people in the articles.

I think the post was great because it inspired me to think. Am I judgemental and

automatically dislike the corporate perfume simply because it is corporate and

perhaps find myself more open to Indie Perfumes simply because they are hand

crafted by someone who fancies themselves an artist. Yes - guilty. I always

assume the big name brands are full of synthetics (and it would take a lot to

convince me otherwise).

I think it is the same as those of us who went to Art School/University and

studied painting and art thinking the " Painter of Light " who recently passed

away, Kinkade, was not a true artist because his work was produced in an

assembly line fashion with little real " artistry " . Paintings as interior

decoration instead of " art " ...that is not art to an artist.

I am sure behind the corporations, in offices or lab-styled studios, there are

individuals working on creating new fragrances, who think of themselves as

artists just as much as the individual working in their kitchen or garage

studio. But what I wonder about...how many of those perfumes are creates by

" noses " and how by computer programs designed to tap into the latest trends and

mirror nature with complex synthetics?

[Guest guest]

>

> I have to disagree with you on the appearance of the people in the

> articles. I actually find the people in the first article very

> well-dressed, in fact if I didn't work in a kitchen and worked full-time as

> a perfumer that's probably how I would dress too. I don't think they look

> like any bank-tellers or office workers that I've ever seen. And as far as

> the second photo, that is just a model doing a shot for the advertisement

> for the show, it's an artistic, dramatic presentation. What, are artisan

> perfumers supposed to walk around naked with flowers on their heads and

> shoulders?

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Yes. Yes we should all walk around naked with flowers on our heads! That

> would be AWESOME ~

.. I think I see the point Isabelle was trying to make

> with her post (which I found very inspiring, btw) - the first photo has a

> corporate vibe. The second an artsy one. In that way the juxtaposition is

> illustrative of the difference between big perfume house and indie artisan

> perfumers. And yes, we could totally take it further and critique that

> artsy photo the way whomever it was earlier did (sorry I forget!). I agree

> with that person's points, too. The photo of the naked model does irk me on

> a sociological level. It plays into our culture's heteronormative, white,

> objectifying, male gaze-oriented culture. And because of these things, the

> photo lacks that sort of edginess, that rejection of mainstream, that

> mold-breaking, that embodies indie perfumerie. And at the same time I still

> think it's a neat picture. Go figure.

>

> --

> Andriot, owner

> Vetiver Aromatics <http://vetiveraromatics.com>

>

>

> I understand the point Isabelle was trying to make, but I guess I was

expecting the second photo to be of an actual artisan perfumer! Instead it's

just a model all dolled up. For example I had in mind the photos of Mandy Aftel

that are often taken of her in her studio, something like that. Or any other

niche or artisan perfumer for that matter. And I insist that you can be creative

and dress well!

>