To me, perfumery is a holistic discipline: right and left brained, intrinsically linked with taste, and with a creative direction that touches on music, texture and visual imagery. Having every single sense involved in the creative process is luxury.
I have always been interested in smells – not just fragrance but smells of all kinds. My childhood is mapped by smells such as hot TV sets, burning peppers, Christmas baubles, garden centres, the smell of tights, taxidermy…. When I did start getting into wearing fragrance, I quickly became discerning.
I studied chemistry to degree level, but it was only when working in product development did I begin to understand the role of the fragrance house and the perfumer. I started at CPL in product marketing and have since combined my market knowledge, chemistry background and interest in smells to become a perfumer. I love working on fine fragrance due to its creative complexity, but I also love creating fragrances for home fragrance. I find a bolder, more impressionistic approach works better for home, and suits my style of creation.
Outside of perfumery I love baking, which to me is kitchen chemistry, and gardening, where I have chance to slow down, lose myself and literally smell the roses, rotting leaves, philadelphus, damp patio slabs, tomato leaves, the shed…..
Angela has created fragrances for brands such as Penhaligons, Jo Malone and Clive Christian.
