Danielle Ryan is a woman of many talents. Having studied classical theatre at RADA, she followed her ambition and founded the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Ireland. This is where her true love of fragrance began, as she discovered that she could use scent as part of her set design to create atmosphere. And ergo, Roads was born.
Created by hand in the UK, she works closely with a world-renowned perfumery using the finest ingredients to delight a new generation. Despite being a new addition to the wonderful world of fragrance, Roads is already coveted for its eclectic mix of ten fragrances, each based around various inspirations from places and people to emotions and experiences.
She talks to us about her ever-growing fragrance wardrobe and discovering the connection between scent and emotion…
‘I first truly fell in love with fragrance about three or four years ago when I consciously made the connection between scent and emotion. Though I always adored fragrance before that, it sat more subliminally in my unconsciousness. I made this realisation when I set up the National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Dublin and explored the possibility of using fragrance as an inbuilt part of the set design. They were intended to be literal fragrances and atmospheres of what the audience was watching – but this was the beginning of me starting Roads.
I grew up with glamorous men, so my first memories of fragrance were the smells of tobacco, cigars, leather, single malt whiskeys, turf fires, mahogany woods, pepper aftershave and the smell of the woods on the grounds of the house. I have used a lot of these notes in the perfumes I create. The first fragrance I ever wore was Yves Saint Laurent Opium – someone had left behind after a party at my house. I was seven and thrilled!
I love that a personal fragrance, chosen correctly, can speak as much about your personality as your conversation or your fashion. Having said that, I’ve never had a personal favourite. During the process of creating perfume, I find that having favourites limits the possibilities of the new but as a general rule, if a perfume tends to be deep and complicated, it suits me. Mainly because I am a deep and complicated person!
I think a fragrance that truly suits your personality should feel both correct and familiar. It should also give you a sense of confidence and pride. I have a wardrobe of perfumes and it is building by the week! The wardrobe consists of so many of the iconic fragrances and 100s of sample fragrances from the development of Roads.’
Written by Alice Jones
