What inspired you to set up the Experimental Perfume Club (EPC)?
Fragrance is a passion for me and setting up EPC was a way for me to share the joy and art of perfumery with others. My fascination for fragrances started at a young age, collecting everything perfume as a child. My love for ingredients came later when I studied perfumery and spent time understanding the intricacy of perfume creation.
Why did you choose Covent Garden to set up the flagship store?
Previously we were always in East London but after 2020 there was an opportunity to move to central London. Seven Dials is such a beautiful location and we are in good company there, so it made sense for us to move.
Can you tell us a bit about the lab element?
We have our boutique on the ground floor, but in the basement is where our lab is and where all the real magic happens! We create and blend all of our fragrances in the lab, and host workshops and courses there for thousands of customers every year.
You trained in perfumery at the ISIPCA. When did you know you wanted to make perfume for a living?
I think I have always known which is why I have worked my entire career in the industry of perfume creation. After ISIPCA. I then went on to travel the world, collaborating with some of the most esteemed perfumers, working as a Fragrance Designer for brands such as L’Oreal and Puig in Paris, Barcelona and New York.
I had been thinking about bringing education and the art of perfumery to the general public for a while before founding EPC in 2016.
What do you love most about finding or creating a new scent?
It’s always such a lovely experience – finding a harmonious balance between different scents. You can get so creative and push the boundaries; it truly is a limitless craft which makes it exciting.
Who inspires you as a businesswoman?
My mother and generally any women in creative businesses who has the courage to launch their own idea and stick with it!
How about style inspiration, who do you admire?
Parisian women! They are just effortlessly stylish. And it’s not just a cliché.
Do you have a morning routine?
I used to but since I became a mum it has become impossible! I’m just too tired in the morning to wake up early and stick to a routine.
Your perfumes have developed quite a cult following, what do you think it is that keeps people coming back?
EPC fragrances are truly unique in how they are formulated. We start with our Essentials Collection, a range of 6 finished perfumes using simple but key ingredients, that can be blended and layered with each other to create more than 60k+ difference blends. I think people love EPC fragrances because they have chosen them based on their scent profile, they aren’t buying the fragrance necessarily for the branding or marketing, it’s a genuine purchase that comes from a personal place.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us about?
We are open 11am – 6pm every day but Sundays (12-6) so please do come in to see us and try the EPC experience!
www.experimentalperfumeclub.com
