The Rose of Sharon Pendana + Aged to Perfection
THERAPEUTATE PARFUMS by Rodney Hughes
THERAPEUTATE PARFUMS was created not to just create perfume but it was also designed to create awareness and give back to the community.
Mr. Hughes not only had a conversation with Ms. Pendana but it inspired him to do something about it. He took the ideas from the conversation with Ms. Pendana about life, olfaction and the silver lining behind every cloud and created a centerpiece for Ms. Pendana. The conversation didn’t just stop when they bid farewell for the evening but the conversations lives on within this wonderful creation.
The conversation lives on within the 144 bottles of this LIMITED EDITION fragrance that ultimately speaks the “matters of the heart”.
THE REVIEWS
Une Rose Pour Sharon (URPS) is not your average rose scent, so that is a conversation in itself. It starts with a soft and smooth arrangement of scents and it blends carefully and systematically but with the ultimate respect for the guest of honor, 'the Rose' (Ms. Pendana).
After a few moments, the dry down is innocent with an afterglow that lasts for many hours.
It features rose, cardamon, orange, pine, sandalwood, vanilla and tuberose
Shiimti Rose has been waiting for two years to process this information and finally it features a citrus top, spicy middle and a dry down of antique rose that has been aging with maturity to render its ‘beautiful’ head.
Read Rodney’s journey from the deep south to New York, it will inspire you to give more roses, like it has inspired me.
THE INTERVIEW
Rodney, thank you so much for your time. Before, I ask questions about Shiimti Rose and Une Rose Pour Sharon, I want to know more about you.
Hi Felicia, You are so very welcome, sure I'll give you a glimpse.
Rodney where were you born and raised?
I was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.
How did you get into natural perfumery?
I start experimenting with essential oils to help revive me during and after travel. Discovering how well they worked, I then began bringing them into the workplace to help others.
Having studied Reiki, I started using them in my practice and prescribing them to my clients to enhance their experience with Reiki. Around 2007, I began to feel the changing tide within my industry (Fashion), the economy was crumbling and the pressure was on for me the figure out the next chapter. A dear friend helped me to decide what that next chapter in life would be.
She was taking a leap of faith towards her dream of opening a clothier. I had previously designed fragrances for both her and her fiance, so she asked to me to develop a line for the boutique. At first, I was like "WHAT." Then soon after a light went on in my head! "I can do this."
I had had the perfect background to do so. I was a 20 year veteran in the Apparel Industry, well read and traveled. So I had a lot of experiences to pull from, not to mention that at the time having been accepted into a M. Div program.
Secretly, I had been studing Metaphysics and transformative arts for sometime, so I just took a slight twist and gathered together every book I could find on the subject of aromatherapy. After late 2007, it was impossible to find a consulting gig in fashion, so I had a great deal of time on my hands and I used it well. In 6 months I had ready for market a complete line of Reiki enerigized fragrances. This core product line consisted of seven aromatic perfumes and each with a cooresponding room atomizer. Additionally, there were lotions and bath salts to round out the line.
Then I need to know if I had hit or missed the mark, so I enrolled in an Aromatherapy course at the New York Open Center. This course was taught by Debbie Freund an RN who studied aromatherapy with R.J. Buckle. She had also studied with Kathryn Degraff a tireless advocate for the use of "naturals" (botanicals) in the perfume industry. I just kept hitting the jack-pot! This was meant to be and having studied under her, I fell more deeply in love with perfumery. I also learned that I was way above the curve in what I had already created.
I found that all of my passions came together and could be nurtured in the art of perfumery.
How is it being a perfumer in New York? Do you find that the market is saturated with perfumers?
 |
| Brooklyn, New York |
New York sets the perfect back drop for being an artist period, it is the whole of why I am here. I came to NYC in the late eigthties to pursue my dream of becoming an artist and designer. Currently I live in Brooklyn not far from where I studied art and design. Pratt and its surrounding area is a bastion of creative people.
Saturated? Yes, with things that harm us rather heal or enhance our lives. I feel we Americans are becoming closer to the body, mind and spirit, this is where the art of "Natural" (pure botanical) perfumery re-enters. Once what was ancient helps us to lead better lives in the present!
Rodney, you are a successful natural perfumer and of African descent. How do you view the lack of people of color in the niche and natural markets of perfumery in the US? What do you think can be done about this?
I measure success in not compromising your core values and assisting others who request your help in being more centered and well. In this frame work, I am very successful. Being of African descent gives me so many rich experiences to draw upon. It allows me to have a unique point of view, historically my people have had to live between two worlds and understand many things. The "silver lining" with this is it has created a sort brilliance throughout our creative endeavors.
The lack of people of color in the market place becomes a meaty challenge for me. Therapeutate Parfums is not just interesting in becoming a global success story in terms of just finance. Our company is looking to develop an educational component as well. In the Not-for-Profit sector Therapeutate Institute will promote education in product development, merchandising and marketing. It will also promote the arts and sciences.
Shiimti Rose Parfum (The scent my mother loves) is not a typical rose fragrance but it has a dry down of antique rose. So how would you categorize this fragrance?
I am not sure if it is neccessary for me to categorize Shiimti Rose. I think most perfumes created by me will probably not fall into the "typical" category. I have a "funny" nose, if there is no twist to the fragrance or if it lacks poetry (layers), I am not satisfied! It can not be called "special" or "curious" to me. Technically speaking would probably be called "Chypre" or maybe an "Oriental" maybe its a bit of both. On the other hand, the Magnolia Perfume I am working on is taking an long time to complete, but for very different reasons. Turns out "Shiimti" needed to mature for two years before it bloomed into a Rose.
Rodney, you mention that Shimti Rose takes two years to age. Do most of your fragrances take this amount of time to age?
Most of the fragrances I have created do not take this amount of time to be a "jewel", but Shiimti is very different. I was trying to expand on the URPS perfume and thought I had utterly failed. At first it was just aweful and not redeemable as a work of art or I thought at first. I jarred in and pushed it into the back of the drawer. Thinking that maybe someday I could possible use it to enhance another blend.
Une Rose Pour Sharon Parfum is the 'fragrance of friendship'. It was created for artist/stylist Sharon Pendana. Can you elaborate a little on how you meant Sharon and during the conversation did she ask you to create a fragrance or did you offer your service?
Sharon Pendana and I met in 1992 just as I had begun Primitive Pour Homme and PPH Activewear. At the time she worked as a fashion stylist for a number of national publications and gave us some of our first editorials. Since those years she has been a beautiful friend and supporter of my creative endeavors. We had been out of touch for years, but offen run into each other, so when I began this venture with fragrance there she was like an angel.
She came to my studio one afternoon and we spent the entire evening catching up. We talked about what Therapeutate meant to me, why perfume and how she had previously lost her sense of smell due to an aneurysm. Musing about how life is, just when you think you can not survive your darkest moments, the sun comes bursting in. I was posing for a picture to go along with the story she was doing on me and I just had this feeling in solar-plexis and began to create URPS. It was to be my gift to her and her enduring spirit.
Why only 144 bottles of Une Rose Pour Sharon to be sold?
144 is the number of abundance.
Rodney, what type of women would be attracted to Shiimti Rose and URPS?
I think it appeals to that woman who adores beauty from an intellectual perspective. Its has to be appealling on the surface, but have many layers underneath to explore and discover.
Lastly, Rodney what new creations can your devoted fans look forward from Therapeutate Parfums?
I have many new perfumes waiting for there moment in the sun. One is the Magnolia fragrance being created for The Magnolia Tree Earth Center it will commemorate NYC's oldest living landmarks two Magnolia Grandiflora trees. This fragrance will raise funds to support the Ecology Center began by trail-blazer Hattie Cathan more than 40 years ago.
Therapeutate Parfums will also participate in "The Summer of Patchouli Love"presented by Perfume Pharmer.
Thank you so much Rodney for your valuable time. It is appreciated and much continued success in your endeavors!
Your are so very welcome.
PURCHASE: therapeutate-parfums.com
PHOTO CREDIT: therapeutate-parfums.com, yriggsartwork.com, theperfectrose.org, destination360.com, pepronity.com
NOTE: The review of Shiimti Rose is a story I created to represent the scent of Shiimti Rose in its splendor of the aged rose.
Inhale Life
THERAPEUTATE
PARFUMS
www.therapeutate-parfums.com
www.therapeutate.etsy.com
www.therapeutate.wordpress.com
F.H.
Posts
.jpg)
0 comments