Podcast
Perfume Room
Hosted by Emma Vernon · EN
Hosted by perfumehead & comedian Emma Vernon, Perfume Room is your #1 safe space to obsess over all things scent.
Enjoy intimate, never-before-told stories from the fragrance legends you’re most curious about—master perfumers, industry titans, secret celeb fragheads, indie perfumers you should know, and lots of friends with good taste & hot takes along the way.
CRITICS CALL IT 'hilarious,' 'engaging,' 'educational,' 'just earnest enough,' & 'really bad for my wallet.’
Wherever you are on your perfume journey, you are welcome in the Perfume Room.
FOLLOW ALONG ON IG: @perfumeroompod
24episodes
Episodes
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217. JULIEN RASQUINET ~ the perfumer trained to be a champion.
3w ago00:58:42Tap to summarizeJulien Rasquinet, Senior Perfumer at CPL Aromas, had an incredibly fortuitous path to perfumery, and it began with a chance meeting at an airport. Today, he is one of the most prolific and successful perfumers of all time, and when you hear his story, you'll understand why. We chat about creating the perfect rose, where AI falls short, his least favorite kind of client briefs, the behind-the-scenes stories of your (my) fave perfumes, and how following his nose across the world led him to exactly where he was meant to be [our perfume shelves!]. SOTD: Veronique Gabai Noire de Mai FRAG MENTIONED: Nishane Thorns become Roses, Estée Lauder Pleasures, Dior J’Adore, Davidoff Cool Water, BDK Tabac Rose, Naomi Goodsir: Iris Cendre, Bois d’Ascese, Cuir Velours; Creed Royal OudSMELL CLUB: summerinabottle.eventbrite.comBOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION: stele.nyc/products/scent-styling-emma-vernonEDITOR NOTE: In 2025, Perfumer/Founder Maya Njie released a perfume called Aethi Opum, inspired by her own Gambian and Senegalese roots, with a gowé accord. The idea of gowé was something she had discussed with CPL Aromas a few years prior.
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216. NARCISO RODRIGUEZ(!!!) ~ The Man Who Modernized Musk.
4w ago00:55:56Tap to summarizeFragrance and fashion legend Narciso Rodriguez joins me in the Perfume Room this week!!!! (REQUIRED LISTENING.)Two-time recipient of the CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award AND recipient of 2003 TFA Best New Fragrance Award (for For Her) (among many others), Narciso has received the highest honors for his contributions in both industries. He is able to capture important moments in time in ways that transcend it. Some of his most seminal creations include Carolyn Bessette Kennedy's wedding gown, Michelle Obama's 2008 Election Night dress, and in fragrance, For Her, which is largely credited with modernizing musk for the 21st century.Today we chat about everything from how he cultivated his own signature (and what that signature is), to how his fashion and fragrance sensibilities are one in the same, his special friendship with CBK and what the media has gotten right and wrong,some never-before-told behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the creation of Narciso Rodriguez fragrances, and of course, what lies ahead.Ed. Note: I'M STILL NOT OVER THIS EPISODE!!FOLLOW: @narciso_rodriguezFRAGS MENTIONED:Capucci Pour Homme, Lagerfeld For Men, Narciso Rodriguez For Her, JPG Le Male, Narciso Rodriguez Poudree, Egyptian musk oil, Jovan Musk, Narciso Rodriguez: Pure Musc, Essence, Musc Noir SOTD: Voyage D'Hermes SCENT STYLING STELE (Aug 2): linktr.ee/emmavern
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215. EL MOROCCO PERFUMERY ~ A Cafe Society-Fueled Fantasy
Jul 800:52:27Tap to summarizeHusband-and-wife duo Isaac Lekach and Lillian Shalom have spent the past few years developing fragrances for other brands. With El Morocco Perfumery, it's finally their turn.In an attempt to recreate the magic of cafe society (and the legendary club for which the brand is named), the pair approached this project like archivists, collecting every handkerchief, matchbook, and photo they could get their hands on. What began as a mission to be historically accurate became a reimagining of what fragrance bottle and packaging design could be.FRAGS MENTIONED:El Morocco Perfumery: Gala, Highball for Lucius B; Escentric Molecules Molecule 01, Animale Animale, Mugler Angel for Men, Stork Club, El Morocco Perfumery: 154, Gala, Highball for Lucius B, Lulu’s Back in Town, Two Cigarettes in the DarkSOTD: Future Society Rain TeaBOOK A SCENT CONSULT W ME: linktr.ee/emmavern
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214. MATHILDE BIJAOUI + LAUREN SHYMAN ~ A Conversation Between Perfumer and Evaluator.
Jun 1701:01:43Tap to summarizeDecorated MANE Senior Perfume Mathilde Bijaoui, and veteran evaluation exec Lauren Shyman are in the Perfume Room this week!How do perfumers and evaluators work together behind the scenes to create the juice we smell in our most cherished perfume bottles? Enjoy this an intimate (and fun!) look at the professional and personal relationship between a high-level perfumer and evaluator.FOLLOW: @mane_1871_ @mathilde.bijaoui.perfumer @thelaurshyGET TIX TO SMELLS LIKE LOVE! linktr.ee/emmavernSOTD: Aedes de Venustas SignatureFRAGS MENTIONED:Bond No. 9 Madison Ave., Bath & Body Works Whipped Coconut Milkshake, Penhaligon’s Lily and Spice, Jo Malone Poppy & Barley, Snif 2%, Byredo Bal d’Afrique, Glossier You, Jo Malone Yuja/Yuzu Zest Cologne, L’Artisan Mure et Musc, Snif Crumb Couture, Jo Malone English Fields Collection (Primrose & Rye), Mugler Alien, Giorgio, Carolina Herrera Good Girl, YSL Opium, Mugler Angel, Narciso For Her, BR540, Chanel Egoiste, CK Eternity, Davidoff Cool Water, Cacharel Anais Anais, Giorgio, Opium, Aromatics Elixir, Elizabeth Taylor White Diamonds, Dana Canoe, Victoria's Secret Vanilla Lace, Eau de Bonpoint, Mure et Musc, Dior Eau Sauvage, Rochas Eau de Rochas, Hermes Caleche, Chanel No. 19, Paul Sebastian Design, Gap Dream, Heaven; DK Cashmere Mist, CKOne, Drakkar Noir, ELdO Like This
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213. SEBASTIAN JARA ~ A NICHE PERFUME CONVENTION IS COMING TO SF!?
Jun 300:53:59Tap to summarizeSebastian Jara is not new to this [fragrance content]; he's true this. Since 2012, he's been creating videos, and today his YT channel boasts over 335K subscribers. Now he's onto the next venture. After years of attending perfume trade shows all over the world, Sebastian has created his own and it's called ScentFEST. And the inaugural show is happening in just 3 weeks in SF! (June 26-28, 2026)We chat all about what can you expect at the show, highlights from his 6000-bottle personal collection, the evolution of fragrance content over the last decade, and all the roads that led him here!FOLLOW: @theperfumeguy (on all channels)~PERFUME ROOM WEST COAST TOUR OF LOVE!~linktr.ee/emmavernStop 1 ~ LA: Smells Like Love (June 20) NOW CASTING!Stop 2 ~ Monterey: WPC (June 22-25)Stop 3 ~ SF: ScentFEST (June 26-28)****SOTD: Parfums MDCI Un Coeur en Mai (get 10% off code: perfumeroom)FRAGS MENTIONED:Angelos Créations Olfactives Soma Panorama, EM Molecule 01, Alrehab Choco Musk, YSL Rive Gauche, Madame Rochas, YSL Opium, Polo Green, Caron Pour Un Homme, Pierre Cardin, Guy Laroche Drakkar Noir, Chrome Azzaro, JPG Le Male, D&G Pour Homme, Jo Malone: Orange Blossom, Vetyver, Black Vetyver Cafe, Blue Agave & Cacao, Lime Basil & Mandarin, Pomegranate Noir, Wild Fig & Cassis; Mugler A*Men, Cologne; Penhaligon’s, Annick Goutal, Mugler Angel, Sarah Baker Jungle Jezebel, Massimo Dutti White Evening, Jusbox Fifty Four, BLNDGRPHY Vanilla Mudslide, Trudon 45°, Sarah Baker VaVa Vanilla, Dusita Light of Bangkok, Pesad Orris Cocoon, Dior Homme (orig.), Hugo Boss Bottled Absolu, Le Male Elixir, Loumari Radanfor, JPG Le Male, Guerlain Guerlinade, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Lancome Magie Noire, Hermes Eau d’Orange Verte, Eau de Gucci, Carine Roitfeld Carine, Houbigant Fougère Royale (1884), Coty Ambre Antique (1904), Chanel No. 5 (1921), Guerlain Mitsouko (1919), Caron Tabac Blond (1919), Molinard Habinita (1924), kyphi from ancient Egypt
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212. DOMINIQUE ROPION ~ The Master of Flowers!
May 2700:52:28Tap to summarizeStop. what. you're. doing. DOMINIQUE ROPION IS IN THE PERFUME ROOM TODAY. FRAGS MENTIONED:Frederic Malle: Carnal Flower, Portrait of a Lady, Geranium Pour Monsieur; Mugler Alien, Lancome La Vie Est Belle, Givenchy L’Interdit, Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady, Givenchy Ysatis, Aphorismes Innocent Tuberose, Frederic Malle Carnal Flower, Aphorismes A Rose is a Rose, Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady linktr.ee/emmavernWEST COAST TOUR OF LOVE:LA: Smells Like Love (6/20)Monterey: World Perfumery Congress (6/22-25)SF: ScentFEST (6/26-28)SINGLE? APPLY TO BE A DATER!
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211. DR. RACHEL HERZ (Neuroscientist & Smell Expert) ~ Single? Let your nose pick your partner.
May 1201:06:21Tap to summarizeWorld-renowned expert on the psychological science of smell, neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Herz is in the Perfume Room this week!Bookmark this episode; you'll want to come back to it!Why are you attracted to the way certain people smell and what role does scent really play in attraction? Is your partner's perfume hiding potential red flags?! What can you to improve your sense of smell (especially after smell loss), and how can you use smell to make healthier food choices? Plus, is climate change messing up our noses? AND SO MUCH MORE!!!!www.rachelherz.comDR. HERZ'S BOOKS:Why You Eat What You EatThe Scent of DesireThat's DisgustingFRAGS MENTIONED:Lise Watier Neiges, Cacharel Anais Anais, F. Millot Crêpe de Chine, Chanel No. 5!!!ROSE SMELL CLUB!!! rosesmellclub.eventbrite.comMY SOTD: D'ORSAY Vouloir Etre Ailleurs CG ('perfumeroom' for 10% off)
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210. SONIA CONSTANT [Givaudan Sr. Perfumer + Ella K Founder] ~ The Real Life Ella K.
May 500:55:03Tap to summarizeWhat do Tom Ford Ombre Leather, Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc, Valentino Donna, Jimmy Choo I Want Choo, and Jean Paul Gaultier La Belle all have in common? All were created by multi-award-winning Givaudan Senior Perfumer Sonia Constant.In addition to her illustrious client repertoire, Sonia is the creator of her own brand, Ella K—a brand that inspired by bold women that chronicles Sonia's personal adventures and travels. FRAGS MENTIONED:Ella K Myrrhe K, Tom Ford Ombre Leather, Narciso Rodriguez: Musc Noir, Pure Musc; Ella K Musc K, Narciso Rodriguez Pure Musc Blanc, Liquides Imaginaires Dom Rosa, Ella K: Ambre K, Orchid K; Marc Jacobs Daisy Wild, Guerlain Agua Allegoria Tiare Mimosa, Ella K: Ghibli, Reflet Sur L'Okavagno; Daisy Wild, Jimmy Choo I want Choo, Ella K Memoire de Daisen In, Allons Voir, Van Cleef First Premier Bouquet, Valentino Donna, Dom Rosa, Mugler Angel Nova, Ella K: Ghibli, Camelia K; Ombre Leather, Pure Musc, Dom Rosa, Myrrhe KFOLLOW SONIA: @constantsoniaperfumer @ellakparfumsparisSHOP: luckyscent.com (code: perfumeroom for 10% off)SCENT STYLING @ STELE: stele.shop/emmaFOLLOW perfumeroom.substack.com FOR SMELL CLUB UPDATES!
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209. CALICE BECKER (Givaudan Master Perfumer) ~ The Perfumery School Harder to Get Into Than Harvard.
Apr 2801:11:53Tap to summarizePERFUME ROOM CANON ALERT!Givaudan Master Perfumer Calice Becker is shaping the future of perfumery at every level. Not only have her iconic creations like Tommy Girl, J'Adore Dior, Love Don't Be Shy, and Velvet Orchid (to name just a few) come to define entire decades of perfume, but she also serves as the Director of the Givaudan Perfumery School, handpicking the next generation of perfumers and training them through an entirely new method—one she developed herself.As President of the ISPC, Calice also spearheaded the creation of a formal charter and accreditation system to standardize what it takes to call oneself a Perfumer-Creator™.FRAGS MENTIONED:Serge Lutens La Myrrhe, Marc Jacobs Lola, Tommy Hilfiger Tommy Girl, J’Adore Dior, Estée Lauder Pleasures, Mugler Angel, Tommy Girl, Essential Parfums The Musc, Kilian Love Don't Be Shy, Lola, Arquiste Almond Suede, Balmain: Monsieur Balmain, Vent Vert; Robert Piguet Bandit, Fracas; MFK Baccarat Rouge 540, Chanel No. 19, Tom Ford Black Orchid, Narciso Rodriguez Essence, Love Don't Be ShySOTD: Les Cocottes de Paris Melle CleoBOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION: www.stele.shop/emma
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208. ANKITA GILL (Param Sara) ~ The Niche Indian Perfume Brand Winning Awards in Year One.
Apr 700:48:31Tap to summarizeIn just one year since launch, Param Sara, a new niche Indian perfume brand on the scene, has already won numerous prestigious accolades. And it all began when Founder Ankita Gill noticed a common theme in perfumery: non-Indian and non-Asian brands were telling Indian and Asian stories. Determined to reclaim and retell these stories through her own memories and experiences, Ankita pivoted careers, signed up for perfumery school, and just a few years later leads an award-winning perfume brand with fragrances created by some of the world's best (and she calls it, 'culturally-fluid') perfumers. FOLLOW: @paramsaraofficialFRAGS MENTIONED:Param Sara The Mandala, Davidoff Coolwater, JK Helene Curtis Park Avenue, Param Sara: The Kama, The Nirvana, The Bodhi, The Naga, The NagiSMELL CLUB, SCENT STYLING & MORE: linktr.ee/emmavern
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