Noblesse Luxe Publication
Feature Article
Founder & Chairman
International Perfume Foundation
EXCLUSIVE Interview with
Creezy Courtoy
Felicia:
Thank you, Creezy, for taking time to answer a few questions today.
Creezy: You are very welcome, Felicia!
Felicia: So how is it in Paris today?
Creezy: It’s still quite cold here but warming. I’m very much
looking forward to spring.
Felicia: With
all I have been reading about your very fascinating background as an
international fashion personality, your extensive historical research in
perfume, 22 years as Founder and Chair of the International Perfume Foundation
and your incredible collection of perfume artifacts and manuscripts I have to
ask you: what has motivated you to be so engaged and passionate about perfume?
Creezy: That’s a great question,
Felicia! More than 25 years ago I
realized that the world of perfume had been transformed, and in many cases
these transformations were producing many negative, unintended effects and consequences. I asked myself the
question: “Will we have to tell our children and grandchildren that what was
once an important part of our culture was allowed to vanish and to be replaced
by chemical substitutes?”
In our rush to use
industrial technology and mass markets we separated ourselves from the natural
world and the wonderful bounty nature has provided for literally thousands of
years. This motivated me to find ways to help people reconnect with nature
because humans and nature have a symbiotic relationship with each other. One
cannot survive without the other. Humans are part of nature, and need nature to
survive. If we were synthetic organisms composed of synthetic molecules this
will be different, but nature is perfect and wonderful! Have a walk in a
natural setting and look around: even the tiniest flower is in harmony, what
perfection!
Felicia: I love that, Creezy! So, is this why you chose the
name “Reconnect with Nature” for the IPF Certified Natural Perfumery
campaign?
Creezy: Exactly! 2017
is the year to “Reconnect with Nature.” The IPF Natural Perfumery
Certification Program is succeeding because more and more people are looking
for healthier and more sustainable alternatives for what they buy including
their perfumes. Perfume used to be
sacred, precious and was made with pure essential oils and botanicals with the
knowledge of the natural power of flowers and plants. Natural perfumery
has existed for thousands of years, yet synthetic perfumery as we have today
has been around for less than 150 years - only a brief period in the history of
perfumery. To me it is a shame we now have to use the term “natural perfume” to
distinguish ourselves from synthetic perfumes, but that is the current reality.
Felicia: From your
perspective, Creezy, what needs to be done to move natural perfumery forward?
Creezy: Wow!
That is a lot to cover, but let me give you my short list of the most important
things. First, there are many fine natural perfumers including our beautiful
IPF Certified Natural Perfumers, but to move natural perfumery forward we need
many more natural perfumers and others within the fragrance supply chain
properly educated in the historical importance of natural perfumery.
Additionally, there has to be greater attention on the safety aspects of
fragrance, as well as a better understanding of the business side of perfume,
including more knowledge of the global nature of perfume. We also have to
insure a dependable and safe fragrance supply chain including growers,
distillers, essential oils, and retailers. Once the supply chain is healthy and
strong, responding to consumer demand, this new industry will flourish
organically.
Felicia: What do you mean by “the global nature of perfume”?
Creezy: The European
Union has destroyed natural perfumery in Europe through unnecessarily
restrictive regulations. We can’t let that happen in other parts of the world
including the US. Self-regulation is a far better alternative. We also have to
be sensitive to potentially depleting natural resources around the world from
increasing demand for these resources. We need to work towards sustainable and
environmentally sensitive sources for all of our raw materials wherever they
come from worldwide. Natural Perfumery education needs to include teaching
about the importance of replanting heritage flowers and plants around the world.
Felicia: So, education is vital to you.
Creezy: Absolutely.
Natural Perfumery has amazing stories to tell and a lot of great information is
out there but it needs to be structured more efficiently and effectively if we
are going to move the needle. And it isn’t just educating people about natural
perfumes. Even more critical is educating about the risks of losing our
important heritage of natural perfume. There used to be flower fields grown for
fragrance worldwide giving jobs and wealth to many people especially in
third-world countries. We have to decide if we will continue to allow the
destruction of natural perfumery by the substitution of synthetics for flowers.
Felicia: So, can you tell our readers what’s ahead for you and the
International Perfume Foundation?
Creezy:
Our objective going forward is to improve people’s awareness of the
urgency of preserving the art of perfumery as a world heritage from seeds,
flowers and plants all the way to consumers, including everyone between. Because
of this, educating will be taking a greater role with IPF. These next few years
will be very exciting!
Felicia: Thank you so much for all of
this important information, Creezy!
Creezy: And thank you, Felicia!
Publisher's Note:
Creezy Courtoy is on a very important mission! I can remember the times when I was younger and exploring perfumes and then getting a headache after every usage. I had no idea why I started getting headaches. My health was excellent. I noticed shortly that when I didn't wear those perfumes, that I did not have headaches.
I later found out that the fragrances I chose to buy were full of chemicals. So, that is when my curiosity peeked into the world of perfumery.
Many thanks to Creezy and to all the natural perfumers worldwide who strive to create beautiful scents that are healthy for us and good for the Earth.
As the US Executive Ambassador for the International Perfume Foundation I urge you to become a part of the IPF so that the great works can continue and we can continue to have a dialogue and a platform to promote health in our perfumes and skincare products.
-Felicia M. Hazzard
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