Scent, Story, Innovation

In the aromatic world of artisanal fragrances, innovation isn't just about new scents—it's about crafting olfactory narratives that challenge conventions and awaken memories. Our conversation with the founder of Savon Du Bois reveals how nature, music, and art intertwine to push the boundaries of natural perfumery, creating a sensory revolution one bottle at a time.

1. As the founder of Savon Du Bois, what does innovation mean to you in the context of fragrance and lifestyle products?

Innovation means pushing boundaries, challenging myself and the consumer to explore new and unexpected ingredients and combinations, breaking with convention.
One of my objectives is to create an element of surprise which makes the customer stop and pay attention to what they are smelling and seeing. I want it to be remarkable so they ask, "What is this!?", and start to explore their response to both the scent and visual cues.

2. How do you generate new ideas for fragrances and products at Savon Du Bois? Can you walk us through your creative process?

I begin with context: who am I designing the scent for; what is the objective (fragrance, skin care product, home fragrance, etc.); is there a mood, time and place which it can evoke; what is the story? Scent, as we know, has strong links to memory and, therefore also visual associations. It is important to include these in the architecture of the fragrance.

From there I begin to build the foundation starting with a few key ingredients. I create many, diverse, small samples, exploring their relationship to each other as they macerate. I test them daily, building upon the foundation until I begin to have a complex and interesting combination. One of the biggest challenges, similar to a painter, is knowing when to stop - apply the last brushstroke.

3. Do you have any specific rituals or practices that help reset your creativity when developing new scents or product lines?

Nothing particularly unusual. As a business owner there is always something to think about and it occupies the mind 24/7. For me, the creative process needs to be free of distractions, so of course, my phone and computer must be put away. I like to take long walks with my dog, again no phone, music or podcasts, just quiet. I also will spend time at our cottage which is deep in the woods and off-grid, where there is no connectivity. Nature and the forest are the seat of my creative process. I need a quiet mind so I can listen and clearly begin to work through ideas.

4. How do you identify trends in the fragrance and lifestyle industry? What resources do you use to spot consumer insights and preferences?

I follow industry publications which broadly cover fragrance and lifestyle brands, as well as those which are more targeted to the artisanal sector. From there, I will focus on perfumers and brands which have a similar focus and target market to mine to see where the trends are. One of my objectives as a natural perfumer is to bring this kind of fragrance into the mainstream, to challenge the consumer's expectations of fragrance and also to consider the bigger issues facing the industry such as sustainability and toxicity.

5. What is the biggest challenge you face when innovating in the artisanal fragrance space?

Customer expectations: As a natural perfumer the expectations of the consumer are for conventional, synthetic fragrance and how they behave on the body and when scenting the home. For the fifteen years I have been in business, I have used only natural ingredients, no synthetics or harmful preservatives. I have also worked hard to educate my clients not only to the harms of these common ingredients, but how beautiful and complex natural fragrance can be. The large brands have a great deal of financial resources to spend on marketing, so the education process is slow. I run my business by example, never compromising on any of my principles to sell product.

6. Has there ever been an instance where another industry has influenced an innovation at Savon Du Bois? Perhaps something from culinary arts or visual design?

Yes, both music and painting have had a strong influences on my work. One example, is a fragrance I am developing which is inspired by a piece of music that triggers a strong memory. I am working on creating a scent which evokes the feelings I have, the scents it evokes and images which it creates.

I was a painter early in my career and instinctively associate scent creation with developing a palette of colours, moods and images. These are layered, blended, pushed back or brought forward to create something unique and multilayered. Music and scent share many of the same activators which elicit strong visual and emotional responses.

7. What makes an innovative culture in the fragrance and lifestyle product industry? How do you foster creativity and innovation within your team at Savon Du Bois?

There is a strong culture of collaboration and sharing of ideas in the artisanal fragrance industry, maybe unlike some others. Because this sector of the industry is trying to break through the conventional fragrance world, they tend to share ideas which explore new creative avenues. The natural fragrance world seems to cling less to traditions and may be freer to explore new and innovative ideas.

I try to give myself and my staff the space to develop novel ideas, ingredients and outcomes, to allow the creative process to flow unhindered. I try to be receptive to all ideas, and get out of the way allowing my staff to follow through with their ideas.

8. Looking to the future, how will Savon Du Bois continue to be a leader in innovative fragrance storytelling? What's your vision for the brand's evolution?

My plan is to expand the reach of the existing product lines into the broader fragrance market. Additionally, I am currently developing the perfumery component of the business, with a new line of natural perfumes and colognes. As with my core skincare line, these will be tied to memories, experiences and stories. I will continue to encourage consumers to embrace natural perfumery, and seek to bring it into the mainstream.

Savon Du Bois will continue to innovate in fragrance storytelling with the custom scent development service I offer for individuals and businesses. The service involves working directly with me to develop, over several sessions, a unique scent that either strongly evokes a special memory or lays the foundation to create new ones.