By Carly Ostroff
The Kit Q&A: J.Crew Perfumer Carlos Huber
One thing you would be surprised to learn about Carlos Huber is that the perfumer is also an architect. As founder of the Arquiste line of boutique perfumes, the New York resident is known for crafting carefully researched fragrances that transport wearers to another time and place in history. We sat down with Huber to …
The Kit Q&A: J.Crew Perfumer Carlos Huber Read More »
One thing you would be surprised to learn about Carlos Huber is that the perfumer is also an architect. As founder of the Arquiste line of boutique perfumes, the New York resident is known for crafting carefully researched fragrances that transport wearers to another time and place in history.
We sat down with Huber to talk about J.Crew's first foray into fragrance—a trip well worth the journey.
Why did you create two scents?
It was actually Jenna's decision. She really liked both scents that we created. Both told the story of the exhibit by 31 women at the Art of This Century Gallery on West 57th Street, but one focused more on the gallery and was more abstract and balmy, and the other one is a more sparkly, feminine approach.
What was it like collaborating with Jenna Lyons?
She's really fun; she actually makes you laugh a lot. She's very witty. It was never just about business, it was also about sharing a little more. Jenna has her hand in everything at J.Crew, so she has a really good understanding of what she wants.
31 is more focused on the women and the cocktails, so it has notes of perfumes from the '40s, but also has a very accessible, very contemporary wearable floral. It has very sparkly, boozy notes that are really addictive and a woody resonance that's an oak moss background. It's a sheet behind the fun at the beginning. 57 is more abstract, it starts with a whiskey, which Peggy Guggenheim liked to serve a lot at her parties, and then it has a very oaky, vanilla, cinnamon and spicy woody background that reflects more of the gallery space.
Describe what makes them unique.
I think that they're very chatty fragrances. They're very transparent. When I talk about the whiskey, you'll smell the whiskey, when I talk about cinnamon, you'll smell the cinnamon. The fact that the story is part of the whole thing, I think that educates you on what fragrance is and how it's composed. They're really more of conversation pieces.
What inspired the scents?
The exhibition by 31 women, the first all women show in the history of US at the Art of This Century gallery. It was a unique moment in art because women were at the forefront with the war raging on in Europe. There were a lot of avant-garde artists based in New York, and you had a woman in charge, Peggy, who was the curator and collector, promoter and the patron. But you had also really talented women showing their art, and I think it was very unique. It was a really positive celebration during a time of crisis.
Why is a fragrance's back story important to the wearer's connection?
Because people want authenticity, they want to know where it comes from. I think there's a lot of mystery behind fragrance, and people want to uncover that more and more. If someone had an inspiration for it, why not share that? I want to give you a story that will make you smile.
Arquiste for J.Crew No. 31 and No. 57, $92 (50ml), J.Crew stores and jcrew.com
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