Tag: The Perfume Society

Jo Fairley on Desert Island Discs

We’re so thrilled that the iconic BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs – now superbly hosted by Lauren Laverene – managed to catch up with our co-founder of The Perfume Society and editor of The Scented Letter Magazine, Jo Fairley; and we’re not quite sure how they managed it, because she is (to put it mildly) a busy woman.

One minute she’s putting pen to paper about scented subjects, the next she’s giving a talk to encourage small-business owners, putting together another volume of The Beauty Bible book, or jetting off to Australia with Green & Black’s chocolate (which she began with her husband, Craig Sams). Throughout every venture, Jo has believed in listening to her gut feelings, and going with what she’s passionate about (which is why perfume and chocolate feature so highly!)

Jo was over-the-moon to be asked on one of her all-time favourite radio shows, and says that ‘it was an absolute joy and a hoot to do,’ revealing that the team were ‘drinking tea and nibbling Green & Blacks while the back room crew got completely and joyously wired on their bars!’ Before listening to the show, Jo said, ‘I will probably break the Guinness World Record for breath-holding while listening (from behind the sofa)’ and comments over all the years of listening, she must have ‘mentally composed my playlist 1000 times (haven’t we all?) but let me tell you, when it comes down to it, selecting just eight tracks is REALLY HARD.’

We’re sure you’ve got a list of tracks you’d sail away with, so have a listen to Jo’s selection – and the fascinating interview with Lauren, all about Jo’s background, how she started in magazines and her advice for anyone starting a business…

By Suzy Nightingale

Rakes Progress launch magazine with Harvey Nichols

We’ve long been fans of the ultra-gorgeous, very modern (and arty) take on gardening that is rakesprogress magazine – a publication that goes beyond the garden gate to explore life and style of interest to ‘urban gardeners.’ Some time ago, we hosted an event with Rakes Progress and niche British perfume brand, Parterre – live-distilling plants at a pop-up in Covent Garden. Since then, Rakes have been increasingly fascinated by fragrance and adding more regular scented content in to the body of their main magazine.

Now, fragrance fans can read a dedicated bi-annual rakes SENSE magazine – this first in association with Harvey Nichols and launched at the same time as the London store’s new ‘Scent Installation’ (as we reported a few days ago).

It was rather a thrill for The Perfume Society team to read, especially as our Senior Writer Suzy Nightingale and Head of Social Media, Carson Parkin-Fairley, both had articles featured, along with another regular contributor to our Scented Letter Magazine, Amanda Carr from We Wear Perfume.

Creative and Marketing Director at Harvey Nichols, Deb Bee said: ‘The Harvey Nichols and rakes SENSE magazine is the first publication that truly celebrates the art of fragrance combined with the art of gardens, plants and flowers. With contributors such as Kate Finnigan and the cover shoot by renown independent photographer Robin Broadbent, we know our customers will love it.”

Victoria Gaiger, Editor & Creative Director of rakesprogress said: “We are thrilled to partner with Harvey Nichols to produce our first ever fragrance magazine. We hope it portrays some of the sheer variety and excitement to be found in the world of perfume.”

rakes SENSE ‘The Art of Fragrance’ magazine, in association with Harvey Nichols, is now available free of charge, exclusively in Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge. And rakesprogress will be sending the magazine to their subscribers with Issue 10.

The publication really does look great, and we wholeheartedly welcome a new audience of plant-and-perfume-obsessed people waking up to the world of fragrance!