How To Build An Unforgettable Fragrance Wardrobe This Spring
I was 14 when I first bought my very eau de toilette: Heaven by Gap. I felt all grown up, wearing a scent that I believed was a clear reflection of my adolescent identity. Since then, my preferences for fragrances have evolved to include: a fresh citrusy spritz for the summer, something heady and mysterious for nights out, and an investment cult perfume for when I want to make an entrance. It was only when I began to explore the colorful world of Maison Francis Kurkdijan that I discovered the joys and creative possibilities that cultivating a fragrance wardrobe can bring.
The Discovery Set from Maison Francis Kurkdijan was my portal to the world of fragrance wardrobes.
As it is in fashion, a fragrance wardrobe is a personal collection of scents that you can mix, match, layer or wear alone depending on the mood, season, or occasion. This modern and highly personalized approach to wearing perfumes or eau de toilettes allows you to create combinations that are fresh and uniquely yours. For instance, I've been layering Le Labo's Thé Noir 29 (a scent I've been wearing for the past five years) with a spritz of Bond Number One. The result: a strikingly familiar scent with a musky, delicious surprise.
LE LABO Thé Noir 29
Bond Number One Eau de Parfum
This Spring, consider fragrances that reinvent signature florals or bold, classic scents. Seek out the most compelling narratives that inspire enigmatic perfumes from cult favorites like 19-69 and D.S & Durga. This is also the season to celebrate your inner child with a deliciously fruity fragrance. Here, a round up of the key fragrances for Spring,
Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady
Created by Dominique Ropion, Portrait of a Lady from Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle was recently repackaged into a striking red flacon to mark its 15th year. The iconic fragrance highlights the opulence of the Turkish rose as set against lush notes of amber, incense, and sandalwood. Essences of patchouli and cypress linger, highlighting the contrast between light and shadow.
Rainbow Bary by 19-69
Created by cult luxury brand, 19-69, Rainbow Bar draws from 1980s glam rock counterculture. This bright and spicy scent was named after the infamous Rainbow Bar on LA's Sunset Strip. Top notes include bergamot, cypress, warwood and cardamon. At the heart of this evocative eau de parfum are accords of marine breeze, fresh basil, elemi, artemisia, grape seed, and bourbon. They are reminiscent of 'the clear blue skies, the sunshine and the warm glow that embrace the West Coast.' Rainbow Bar lingers with essences of nutmeg, vetiver, cedarwood and pimento seeds.
Invisible Post by 19-69
19-69's Invisible Post was inspired by the hippie movement of 1967, known as the Summer of Love. During this time, information and ideas were shared with the community through a communication network called the Invisible Post. The playful, woody perfume echoes the exuberance of a generation that was determined to 'trash the previous generation's old values and embrace a new consciousness of freedom, sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll.' Invisible Post opens with notes of petit grain, green fig and tangerine. It then transports the olfactory senses to the vast fields of palm leaf, black currant, and cyclamen. Tonka beans and sandalwood linger.
Greenpoint by Bond No. 9
Bond No. 9's Greenpoint is a classic fragrance with a playful twist. Created in collaboration with Mane Master Perfumer Claude Dir, it echoes the fashionable, part bohemian-part industrial vibe of Brooklyn's edgy maritime neighborhood: Greenpoint. Initial olfactory impressions reveal notes are made of pear, zesty bergamot, and spicy pimento leaf. At the heart, a bouquet of roses, magnolia and jasmine. Greenpoint's lingering notes include: blonde cedar, tree moss, sea amber and musk.
Kurky by Maison Francis Kurkdijan
French perfumer Francis Kurkdijan bottles some of his most intimate childhood memories in a bottle of Kurky. This new fragrance from the renowned maison is a fun, fruity and nostalgic call to connect with our inner child. Kurky is a tutti-fruit medley of peach, raspberry, musk and vanilla sillage that is every bit a childhood perfume–made for adults. Kurkdijan writes: 'It is an invitation to dare, to experience life through a rainbow of colors… Kurky is a scent that instantly reveals itself exactly as it is, like a big grin and a rush of positivity. '
I Don't Know What by DS & DURGA
When exploring the countless possibilities of a fragrance wardrobe, begin with DS & Durga's I Don't Know What. Created as a fragrance enhancer, this clean, sparkling scent enhances notes and nuances of other perfumes. It blends bergamot with vetiver acetate, civettone, firsantol, and ambrox super. I Don't Know What can also be worn alone as a light, crisp and refreshing spritz of 'je ne sais quo.'
Brown Flowers by DS & DURGA
DS & Durga founders, David and Kavi Molz, present fragrances through detailed narratives accompanied by a curated Spotify playlist. The recently launched Brown Flowers, for example, presents an unexpected olfactory journey into the realm of floral scents. 'Think of it as a floral with a cool side,' says the fragrance duo. Brown Flowers embodies the modernist from the 1070s–a chic eccentric who wears jasmine (a concoction of her own) and drinks liters of French pressed coffee. The fragrance, writes the team, is a combination of 'aging vials of umber hues, weird brown orchids, coffee flowers, and dry jasmine buds littered with faded citrus peels.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
21 hours ago
- Boston Globe
Amid squeeze on musical ecosystem, an old Cambridge venue gets new life
It reopened earlier this year, after a year-and-a-half closure, according to the venue's owners. In doing so, it became something of an anomaly in Greater Boston. Band member Clifford Carraha tested a microphone on the small stage. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe As beloved, housing and cost of living crises. Gregg Perry, the trio's 42-year-old guitarist from Arlington, plays in a couple bands, but the gigs don't come as often as they once did. A Berklee College of Music dropout, Perry works as a delivery driver part time nowadays, he said. Advertisement 'I don't know, man, the Boston music scene is really tough,' he said. 'Just trying to get a gig, dude is like, [expletive]. . .' His voice trailed off. Advertisement JP Faundez Power Trio bandmates Gregg Perry, J.P. Faundez, and Clifford Carraha (left to right) played together in Toad. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe Tommy McCarthy, and his wife, Louise Costello, are behind Toad's rebirth. It is the fifth bar they've opened. The first, and perhaps most well known, is Both musicians by trade, McCarthy and Costello didn't know much about running a bar at the time. 'We just thought if you could create the music, the rest will follow,' said McCarthy recently. That mantra has guided the reopening of Toad. It's connected by a doorway to a larger pub, formerly known as Christopher's, now called McCarthy's. While Toad puts on live music — blues, acoustic singer-songwriters, rock — later at night, McCarthy's has a traditional Irish session every day of the week that starts at 7 p.m. The Burren has a similar setup of different performance spaces. Jonathan Bricker, a professor who teaches courses on live music, touring, and concerts at Berklee, said the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out many small, independently run venues that are a creative lifeblood for the local musical community. 'Rooms like that are essential for developing, for trying out, and growing as an artist, as a band, wherever you find yourself on the musical spectrum,' said Bricker, who manages several local acts. Data on small, independent music venues, and their closures since the start of the pandemic, are hard to come by. The Advertisement Toad's reopening is welcome news among local musicians. Trama acknowledged that at a time when it is becoming 'tougher and tougher' for artists to exist in Greater Boston, any survival of another place to gig should be applauded. 'All of these smaller places, they are a lifeline to the culture of art in the whole Boston area,' he said recently. 'More of them, the better.' People mingled before the music started at Toad. Ben Pennington/for The Boston Globe 'It's a victory, definitely,' she said of Toad's reopening this past April. 'Having it back is a major win. Places like Toad, you have every skill level of musician playing that room.' Jim Haggerty, a full-time musician who has played bass for about 50 years, lamented the dwindling number of small venues. He described Toad, a place he has played more than a hundred times, as somewhere 'where professional musicians can play, and, if you have a good enough following, you can make a living.' Haggerty moved to Boston from upstate New York in the 1980s, when it was possible to work odd jobs, pay cheap rent with 'a bunch of buddies,' and pursue one's artistic dreams. It's no longer that town, he said. Haggerty lives in Roslindale and was able to buy a house 'before things got crazy.' Implied is that musicians nowadays have a much steeper fiscal climb to put down roots locally. Advertisement 'I got extremely lucky,' he said. Back in Toad before his gig, Carraha, the bassist and singer, said for him, the barometers of a good set are straightforward: Are the players in sync, feeling the groove? Is the crowd responding positively? Carraha, a 42-year-old Watertown resident, has been playing gigs around town for about 25 years. In his day job, he co-owns a catering company. 'Every venue is essential because as artists we need that,' he said. His bandmate, Perry, will be happy with his take from the night's performance. Perry will make $120, he said. In years past, he played gigs at Toad where the entire band got $150, plus whatever was in the tip bucket, and some comped food and drinks. 'It's medicine for the soul,' he said of music. 'I need this.' Minutes later, his band started to play. Danny McDonald can be reached at
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
S.F.'s pandemic-era cultural hub to close after five years
A cherished cultural hub for San Francisco's Filipino community is closing down after serving as an inclusive community space for five years. Located in a transformed parking lot at 967 Mission St., in the heart of the city's Filipino Cultural Heritage District, Kapwa Gardens opened during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 with the help of nonprofit economic development and arts organization Kultivate Labs and more than 300 volunteers. The garden has since operated as a space for public gatherings and artistic expression, hosting an array of events including yoga, live performances and private gatherings. Now, the area is being vacated to make way for a senior housing development, a project that organizers had known about from the beginning. 'Kapwa Gardens revived the spirit of bayanihan — our tradition of collective care and barn-raising — at a time when everything felt fractured,' Desi Danganan, executive director of Kultivate Labs, told the Chronicle. 'In the middle of a pandemic and a downtown in decline, it became a sanctuary.' The SOMA space has hosted more than 200 public events and, in 2023 alone, generated more than $115,000 in vendor sales. It plans to host a free farewell event on July 26 for its beloved Yum Yams gathering, which celebrates ube, a purple yam primarily grown in the Philippines. The event is expected to feature an array of ube snacks, DJ sets, local vendors and more and will be free to attend. Guests can RSVP online. The city of San Francisco has already awarded pre-development funding for the future site at 4th and Folsom Streets, according to a statement. Danganan added that the goal is to include power, running water and other facilities in the new space. 'This next version isn't just a garden,' he said. 'It's a chance to build a cultural gateway for the Filipino Cultural District.'
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
NYC's Carnegie Hall welcomes youngest piano prodigy ever to take stage
Alec Van Khajadourian plays to his strengths. And the five-year-old, a piano prodigy from Los Angeles, is poised to show off his strong suit — on one of NYC's most storied stages this Sunday. 'I can't wait to get on stage at Carnegie Hall and play for everyone,' little Alec enthused to The Post. 'I'm so excited!.' 5 Alec will shine as the youngest performer for the NY Classical Debut Awards Gala Concert at Carnegie Hall Sunday. @alecvanmusic/Instagram The ivory-tickling tot will be the youngest virtuoso performing at the NY Classical Debut Awards Gala Concert this weekend, when elementary and middle school age children from 10 countries — including Turkey, Macedonia, Macau and Poland — will show off their skills at Carnegie's Weill Recital Hall. 'Alec is our youngest performer ever,' said Pietro Molteni, the founder and artistic director for the Gala Concert. 'And, according to my records, the youngest performer in the history of Carnegie Hall.' Representatives for Carnegie Hall, however, told The Post they could not 'confirm anyone to be the youngest person to perform here since we don't have complete records of the Hall's earliest days.' In the summer of 2021, at age 3, pint-size pianist Brigitte Xie, of Ridgefield, Connecticut, was invited to perform at the world-famous venue after after winning a prestigious international music competition — but the top-of-her-game Tri-Stater reportedly wasn't able to make it due to a COVID-19-era snag. 5 Following his impressive winning streak, Alec was invited to perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in July. @alecvanmusic/Instagram Alec's triumphant journey to Carnegie started on a similar note — besting his pint-sized peers at not one, but three major events. Armed with perfect pitch — the ability to correctly identify or produce a musical note, a rarity found in only one in 10,000, or .01% of people, per reports — the bitty Beethoven buff began running his fingers across the piano keys shortly after taking his first steps. 'He would walk over to the piano when he first started walking, punching a few notes,' dad Joe Khajadourian, previously told ABC7. 'You could just see the huge grin on his face.' At age four, the talented tyke began fine-tuning his innate knack with piano lessons last year. 5 The tiny hotshot, a fan of Beethoven, began playing the piano while he was still in diapers, say his parents. . @alecvanmusic/Instagram In March 2025, he won first prize at the Charleston International Music Competition in South Carolina. He then dominated in the Big Apple, securing top honors at the 2025 NY Classical Debut Awards International Competition in April. And while most kids were busy dreaming about summer vacation, Alec was taking the gold at the 2025 Los Angeles Golden Classical Music Awards International Competition. The win earned him an exclusive invitation to perform at Walt Disney Concert Hall in the City of Angels on July 1. The mini maestro will continue his success streak at Gotham's acclaimed concert venue, where artists, from composers such as Antonín Dvořák and Gustav Mahler, to modern-day hitmakers like Jay Z, have, too, made their mark. 'I'm so excited and proud of Alec for all his hard work,' Joe tells The Post. 'It's such an amazing time for him.' 5 The five-year-old giddly tells The Post he's 'excited' to take one of NYC's most hallowed stages. @alecvanmusic/Instagram Both he and Alec's mother, Diana Sanders, have been granted permission to accompany the little luminary behind the curtains ahead of his W. 57th St. showcase, says Molteni. '[The NY Classical Debut Awards] and the Carnegie Hall staff made a few exceptions to the venue's strict rules — for instance, the policy prohibiting parents backstage,' Molteni explained, citing Alec's young age. 'The incredible Carnegie Hall team, including our amazing concert manager, Lorella Bergamo, immediately understood the uniqueness of the situation and accommodated it with great professionalism,' he added before emphasizing the importance of spotlighting gifted go-getters like Alec. 5 The boy's mother and father, Diana Sanders and Joe Khajadourian, expressed their abiding pride in Alec to The Post. @alecvanmusic/Instagram 'Taking the stage at such a prestigious venue allows these young musicians to see themselves as capable of achieving the highest levels of their craft,' he said. 'It's an extraordinary motivational boost for a young artist, who devotes countless hours to studying music in their room and pursuing one of the most demanding careers in the world.' Mom Diana agrees. 'It's beautiful to watch Alec share his love for the piano with so many people,' she gushed, 'and to inspire young kids to pursue music.'
