(from left) Nir Guy of Perfumology, Tracy Tsefalas of Fumerie Parfumerie, Viktoriya Martynova of La Parfumerie, Gigi Minsky of ZGO
Earlier this year, an opportunity arose to join a handful of other US fragrance boutique owners on an adventure to Grasse, France, the perfume capital of the world. François Duquesne, CEO and founder of Maison Duquesne, a brand that is responsible for the creation, development, management, and distribution of perfume, chose to invite select boutique owners to join him on a tour of Grasse. His intention was to support and educate us in connecting with the fragrance industry in a manner that would take us behind the scenes of well-respected businesses such as Parfum Cosmetic World (PCW) and supply house Robertet. By the end of each day, my heart and head were reeling with gratitude and the immensity of what each day brought to my own depth of fragrance industry knowledge. Another unexpected and completely wonderful by-product of this experience was the fact that I was able to bond with others who have chosen to devote their lives to independent perfumery in a manner that also celebrates the artistry and pure joy of fragrance.
Several of us that were part of this experience, had attended the perfume conference Esxence in Milan. The plan was to drive from Milan to Grasse and then begin our France adventure the following day. Unfortunately, there was a mixup with renting a large enough vehicle to be able to accommodate all of us and our luggage, and we ended up splitting into two separate groups. Those who were in my car included Nir Guy from Perfumology, Gigi Minsky of ZGO, and Viktoriya Martynova of La Parfumerie. Once on the road, the conversation turned to the fragrance industry and the trials and tribulations of running a fragrance boutique. To merely say the dialogue was enlightening is an understatement. I felt a deep sense of relief that others joined me in similar experiences and that I was not as isolated as I had assumed. I took pleasure in hearing of how they approached certain challenges and was fascinated by the differing approaches. At one point, we decided to pull off the road and search for a place for lunch. We randomly ended up in a very small French village where most of the residents that we encountered spoke little to no English. Our timing was also unfortunate as we arrived mid-day when the little coffee shop was closed until much later. Through the shop owner’s kindness and creative gesticulation, she directed us to a place down the road that might be able to serve us. We ended up in a very beautiful, historical area with cobblestone streets and a handful of shops and restaurants. Again, many were closed but we were able to acquire some of the best focaccia that I have ever had the pleasure to eat. Satiated, we spilled back into the car and once again began our trek to Grasse.
It was truly an honor and pleasure to share a variety of experiences together. One evening, we were even treated to a special dinner at François’ parents’ home with amazing company, much laughter, and an incredible meal
I consider this time together and shared experience in France truly fortuitous. I realize how important it is to encourage and support others with this shared vision and think of the famous John F. Kennedy quote (which Nir stated on the trip), “A rising tide lifts all boats.” We at Fumerie would like to introduce you to these wonderful entrepreneurs, in particular the individuals that were on that momentous ride to Grasse. This holiday season, we would like to celebrate by raffling gift certificates from these wonderful boutiques as well as our own. We are sure that you will enjoy getting to know these other shop owners and what they offer to this wonderful world of fragrance.
Tracy Tsefalas
Fumerie Parfumerie Founder & Owner
This blog post explains the origination of what has now become our Community Appreciation Month raffle, which you can explore and participate in by clicking here