Thank you 2023!

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle” ~ St Francis of Assisi

We started the year by turning the soil on our Tasmanian “paddock to perfume” farm adventure, complete with sandstone Georgian farmhouse built by convicts in 1823. A very big dream project is underway and we’ll have more details to share in 2024!

Our flagship store in Paddington turned 2. We hosted a book launch for Mandy Aftel, one of the world’s greatest natural perfumers, and who I am blessed to call a dear friend, teacher and mentor. The live cross to San Francisco worked and technology delivered! Phew.

We got to work on amazing collaborative projects and help other brands and artists tell their story through scent. While it was of course a highlight working with Troye Sivan and his brother Steele Mellet to create the signature scent (TLY5755) for their lifestyle brand, what made this project doubly sweet was the world first launch of a new ingredient to the perfumer’s palate ~ the CO2 extraction of Tasmanian Mountain Pepper. This smooth, rich, green, earthy addition to the spice family was due to the hard work of our friends at Essential oils of Tasmania.

Another exceptional moment was creating the scent for Capella Lodge at Lord Howe Island. I was privileged to combine my work with that of visual artist Josh Yeldham and ceramicist Malcolm Greenwood. This project was lead by the vision of James and Hayley Baillie and what also made it extra special was having the opportunity to visit this World Heritage island and to experience its pristine marine environment and magical - almost Jurassic - tropical vegetation. It really is Australia’s mini-Galapagos and I fell in love with the no cars, no mobile phone coverage, minimal intervention, maximum nature vibe.

There was more to see, do, taste and smell on the dining front as many more forward thinking entrepreneurs embraced the beautiful pairing of scent as a powerful tool to extend the story of great dining experiences. This included The Agrarian Kitchen, Short Grain, Bistecca, the Gidley and the Rover.

A giant billboard on the corner of Oxford and Elizabeth streets in Paddington announced the launch of our three new eau de parfums: Religious Guilt Spritz, Dirty Gold Digger and Cloud 9 Juice. This was a particularly special moment for me as I had been working on those fragrances for nearly 2 years and they mark the start of our expansion of ready-to-wear fragrances that celebrate Australian botanicals.

 I am very fortunate to do what I love. I get to travel around Australia, see incredible places and then tell stories about those places through scent. All of this only happens because of our customers, collaborators, retail partners, suppliers, supporters, farmers, essential oil producers and my team who help keep everything running smoothly. So from the bottom of my heart, a very BIG thank you to you all for helping to make the year such a success.

Despite all that is happening in the world, my job is to provide moments of joy. I hope you have a wonderful holiday break and that you get to light at least one candle and give the gift of an uplifting scent to someone else.
~ Craig Andrade