We decanted three of our favorite new fragrances into unmarked bottles and sent them to six professional photographers from Whitney Chamberlain’s Yeah Field Trip community. The brief? Take a deep breath, then capture the essence of each one.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Hailley Howard (bottom left), Jacob Boll (top left), Grace Gruwell (top right), and Jonathan Grant (bottom right)
THE SUNCATCHER
Armani/Prive Orangerie D’Venise
Inspired by the fresh fruits and aged trees filling the Venetian coast, IFF’s legendary nose Dominique Ropion achieved the perfect marriage of neroli, orange blossom and cedar to transport you to a breezy, sun-soaked escape. Photographer Grace Gruwell got Ropion’s message loud and clear, showcasing a lemon slice and flowers in her still-life trio. Sunlight was also a universal theme in the images: Hailley Howard sensed “summer notes that sit high and warm, nearly caressing the sun,” like her snapshot of pampas grass standing tall in the light. Jacob Boll recalled “that time of day when there’s just that one strip of sunlight left,” as captured in his portrait of a woman at dusk, and Jonathan Grant brought the “mysterious, yet bright” scent to life with his sunbeams and shadows on the sand.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Grace Gruwell (bottom left), Nancy Neil (top left) and Hailley Howard (right)
THE ILLUSIONIST
Gucci Mémoire d’Une Odeur
Combine Firmenich master perfumer Alberto Morillas’ expansive palette with Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele’s contemporary vision and you get an entirely new (and captivating) olfactive family: mineral aromatic. Without knowing anything about the genderless fragrance, Gruwell described it as “a mystical mix of mineral, floral and woodsy spice,” a spot-on description of Morillas’ cocktail of Roman chamomile, Indian coral jasmine, musk and cedarwood. Even more surprising is Gruwell’s photo of a crystal ball, which echoes Michele’s intent to celebrate the power of memories. Nancy Neil’s image of boulders in the high desert and Howard’s soft, frothy tide reflect two of Michele’s other inspirations—nature and freedom—which give the scent its cool, laid-back vibe.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: Hailley Howard (left), Grace Gruwell (top right) and Anna Powell Teeter (bottom right)
THE SHINING
Tom Ford Métallique
Leave it to fashion maverick Tom Ford to dream up a fragrance inspired by the idea of an armored, embroidered dress. Givaudan perfumer Antoine Maisondieu’s translation is a juice that’s fearless, feminine and full-bodied with distinct layers, each of which was sensed by the photographers. At first spritz, the scent zings with metallic aldehydes, zesty bergamot and pink peppercorn—an aroma Howard calls “psychedelic sweet,” as represented by the neon pink aura in her photo. Anna Powell Teeter captured the floral heart, full of delicate aubépine and muguet, with her field of white blossoms, and Gruwell spilled honey and vanilla extract onto oxidized carbon steel, evoking the warm, creamy drydown of vanilla and sandalwood.
