My Story
Scent & Story NYC
My love affair with fragrance began in childhood, a passion ignited by my mother. Her one indulgence was the exquisite perfumes my father would bring her from around the world, returning home from his long deployments as a carrier pilot in the Navy. These precious bottles, each holding a world of scent, sparked in me a lifelong curiosity about the power of aroma.
I always believed I would be an artist, having studied painting at prestigious institutions like the Florence Academy and Grand Central. While painting remains a cherished part of my life, I eventually realized that fragrance could be my true medium for artistic expression.
Indeed, as I create, I experience a phenomenon called synesthesia, allowing me to "see" my olfactive compositions in terms of color, adding another dimension to my artistic process. Having spent a great deal of time studying color in classical painting, I apply that same nuanced understanding to my fragrances. Just as color has hue, value, and chroma, and can be warm or cool – a warm yellow-green versus a cool blue-green – so too do I perceive the 'greens' in a scent. A warm green might manifest as a blend of violet leaf with sandalwood, while a cool green could be galbanum mixed with an ozonic aspect. Similarly, a vivid red might represent a rose with deep, earthy notes, contrasting with a pale pink for a more delicate, sweet rose.
My journey led me to seek formal training in perfumery creation, including at the esteemed Grasse Institute of Perfumery, the historic heart of fragrance.
Living in New York City, I am incredibly fortunate to have access to an unparalleled array of incredible perfumery lines and a constant wellspring of inspiration. It is here, amidst the vibrant energy and diverse narratives of this city, that Scent & Story NYC was born.
I craft unique perfumes by drawing inspiration from the stories and places of my own past, transforming cherished memories and experiences into olfactive narratives. For instance, "Time Can Wait" is a direct evocation of growing up on the Jersey Shore, capturing the joyful, boundless feeling of youth. My vision is to create scents that don't just smell beautiful, but tell a story – inviting you to journey through olfactive narratives and create new, unforgettable memories.
Unlike many fragrances, even those considered niche, which are often designed with a broader market in mind, my creations are a deeply personal expression. Not everyone may relate, but I believe that for those who do, these scents will offer something truly special and profoundly resonant. Ultimately, I hope my customers can truly connect to the joy I describe in these stories through the very scent I've created to represent it. For past experiences truly make us who we are, and scent remains the single most powerful key to unlocking those cherished memories.
A painting that I did of some items on my mother’s dresser when she passed away. Her two favorite fragrances are represented by the bottle in front (Bellodgia) and the velvet box behind (Shalimar).