Hello!
My name is Michael Whitby, and I am thrilled to be introducing myself to a community I have already cared deeply for as the new Manager of Fumerie Parfumerie!
I have had the great fortune of meeting quite a few exceptional folks in-store and online since I started here in September, and before I go any further into this post I want to say: THANK YOU! As a career retailer I have to convey that the community around Fumerie is comprised of the kindest, most genuine, intelligent, and enthusiastic individuals that have made me feel more appreciated for doing my job than I have ever felt in 15+ years of retail and management. Thank you all again for the warm welcome, and the opportunity to serve you!
I would like to take a moment to explain my enthusiasm for fragrance and how I ended up coming onboard here at Fumerie. My entire journey actually started right here! In the Fall of 2019 I was often using candles and incense to help myself self-soothe and center myself in practices I had learned in therapy, and I found myself wondering “why don’t I do this throughout my day as well, with a fragrance?” The answer in my mind was “well, because you hate ‘cologne’ and all of the things you’ve been previously compelled to buy for special events, etc.” That is when I started searching for non-gendered fragrance, and specifically for something that had leather and rose (not knowing at all that this is a somewhat common pairing in perfumery).
My searching on the internet immediately exposed me to a much broader world of fragrance than I would have even imagined existing, and eventually straight to a Portland fragrance house called Imaginary Authors- and what looked like my ideal fragrance in Slow Explosions. I spent a few minutes reading the notes and even starting to watch a video review when I realized that there must be somewhere in Portland to smell this stuff! I live in Portland after all! Lo and behold, I found a perfume boutique just down the street from me that I had never noticed in my 10+ years living in Southeast- Fumerie Parfumerie.
Reading all the 5-star reviews and positive feedback for Fumerie online did not sway my preconception- I had been in other perfume shops before and I knew their game. I knew when I went in to smell Slow Explosions, someone was going to try and spray me with something I didn’t ask to be sprayed with and someone would try to sell me something else more expensive. Long story short- I had no idea how wrong I could be. Having the great fortune of meeting Tracy on the day I came in so determined to try/ buy this bottle had me leaving with samples, and the most genuine sense of interest I had experienced since getting into music as a teenager.
At every stage of my deepening affection for the art of fragrance, I came back to Tracy and Lele to ask questions, and Fumerie just to enjoy myself and explore more. I found myself met with such honest fostering of interest in this space, that I never questioned my enthusiasm for this medium at any point of my journey. Less than 6 months later I had made up my mind that perfume was going to be my new medium as an artist, and when I expressed my timid interest in creating perfume to Tracy in the shop one day she spent a great deal of time with me smelling some isolates and ingredients she happened to have in the shop that day, answering my questions and not making me feel like I was crazy for wanting to learn such a complex art. Nobody made her be that kind or supportive, and that experience is exactly why I want to be in the position I am now- helping to maintain a level of genuine enthusiasm and commitment in this space, and to hopefully help change the industry standard for what it means to curate and sell fragrant art.
In the time since my introduction to this art form, I sold all of my music gear (my best friend and I moved here from Tucson 15 years ago to make music; he is now the Station Director at XRay FM) to buy perfume-making materials and tools just before COVID hit. As I worked in grocery at the time, I was so happy to have made the investment in a new expressive medium that could be explored without public performance. For those reading between the lines- the majority of my time as a fragrance enthusiast has coincided with the pandemic. This means that I have a pretty unconventional background in how I have explored as an enthusiast, but what I lack in time I have made up for in opportunity. I started buying more samples online and many more materials than I likely would have if I were going out to eat and seeing movies still! I have tried so many things from around the country and world, and now prioritize fragrance in all of my travels. What I love about fragrance as a medium- there will always be more to try, there will always be art lost to time/opportunity/geography, and there will always be something in any of it that is just for the person smelling.
In summation I want to make clear one vital point- I join this team not as an amateur perfumer, but as an art enthusiast and career retailer with a true passion for brick-and-mortar small business. I have managed in many other senses (literally)- record stores, book stores, and gourmet grocery. You can ask anyone who has interviewed or hired me in the last 15 years; I believe whole-heartedly that local and small businesses are a pillar of healthy communities. I also believe Fumerie is by far the model to be followed. I am humbled, happy, and as enthusiastic as I can be to join the team here at Fumerie. I promise to do my best by all of you, and look forward to our shared future as a community!
Thank you and Happy New Year 2023!