[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] About a decade ago, niche fragrances were something of a secret – these entrepreneurial noses were quietly honing their craft for people who wanted something more than what the high street had to offer. At a certain point, all high street fragrances started to smell the same – of cakes, basically – because the sweet spot, literally, was copied throughout the beauty houses with only the lightest of changes. Cake with almond, cake with raspberry, and so on…
Sonia Constant, founder of Ella K, trained at ISIPCA and Givaudan schools of artistic perfumery, and has created fragrances for Burberry Sport for Men, Montblanc Emblem, Balmain Extatic, and Guerlain L’Abeille. Ella K is Sonia’s greatest invention – an imaginary adventuress who explores and provokes the senses. I can’t imagine what it takes to start a fragrance brand but, and I’ve said this before, if it’s about one’s self, you need to be very visible in more than just notes.
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Although I wouldn’t recognise Sonia Constant if I fell over her in the street (how can I aspire to someone I don’t recognise?) her ability to create fragrance is quite something. Camellia isn’t even a particularly favourite scent of mine – it always feels like it should be a filler rather than the main event – Camelia K sit so easily on my skin, I could believe I’ve always worn it. Maybe I’m just too practically minded to take much notice of the ‘luminous summer morning in the Sapa valley’ inspiration not least because I’ve never heard of the Sapa Valley. However, I do understand ‘my eyes stopped on wild red camellia…I was dazzled’, because a camellia in full bloom is quite literally stunning.
The clever bit, the alchemy, if you like, is impressive. Sonia has wrapped that initial show stopper with vanilla, vetiver and patchouli, adding orange blossom and sambac jasmine to the mix to give it a hit of sensuality. In essence, it’s the story of why niche fragrances are such a danger to th high street – Sonia has not turned this flower into cake despite using vanilla. Instead, she’s made this flower smell expensive (it is), beguiling and gently more-ish. It’s the best camellia led fragrance I’ve come across. Although fanciful descriptions are somewhat lost on me (I’m a blend of Scottish and Yorkshire so it’s very difficult to be poetic) when the juice speaks so well for itself, that’s all I need to know. You can find Ella K Camelia K HERE for £215.
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