Rodrigo Flores Roux in NYC courtesy of Rodrigo

The relationship between Master Perfumer Rodrigo Flores Roux and Vice President of Perfumery for Givaudan  with John Varvatos dates from 2002.  I met Rodrigo  in 2008 at a John Varvatos Press event and he told me , “I met John Varvatos back in 2002 through Brian Robinson, at that time, owner of Zirh…John feels very comfortable talking perfume with me, and I consider working with him not only an enormous pleasure, but also a privilege and a great challenge to tackle, as he is always raising the bar. John’s approach is unique: “I’ll know it when I smell it…” and if I may add, I feel privileged as he listens to me a lot. I do the same and we communicate easily and freely”. 

Rodrigo Flores Roux aka Rod of Finland ilustration from Rodrigo Flores Roux

Rodrigo wrote me about the creative process for Dark Rebel Rider, “My aim was to express olfactively the intense pleasure that leather gives the wearer. And also I wanted to convey a bit of luxe/ retro feeling of a Cuir base giving a wink to classic leather fragrances’.  For those readers and viewers who may not know, John Varavatos bought CBGB OMFUG, the legendary rock and punk  club in 2008 turning it into a retail space for all John Varvatos merchandise.

The Ramones got their start at CBGB OMFUG in 1974 as did The Beastie Boys, and The Talking Heads

Every New Yorker of a certain age went there, even me, up until the club doors shut to music in 2006, when Patti Smith performed her last concert in October of that year.  Back then it was the best rock/punk club in the city and  bands like the Ramones, aka four guys in leather jackets, Blondie, The Police, The Talking Heads and the Beastie Boys to name a few  (I was there in 1982,  back then I had pink streaks in my hair and a nose piercing) played there.   Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief

John Varvatos Dark Rebel Rider and Sebastian’s leather jacket (sebastian)

Last year, Sebastian Jara of the YouTube Channel  Looking Feeling Smelling Great,  and founder of a popular Facebook Group  reviewed Dark Rebel, naming it one of the best designer  offerings of 2015; Varvatos BLU followed, and now  Sebastian shares his thought on the sequel- Dark Rebel Rider.

We have a draw for three readers  and viewers as follows

 Two registered USA CafleureBon reader and Looking Feeling Smelling Great subscriber will win 10 ml each and one Canada or EU  reader or subscriber will win one 10 ml and (if you are not sure if you are registered click here (you must register on our site or your entry will be invalid. To be eligible please leave a comment ON THIS SITE with what you enjoyed about Sebastian’s YouTube review, where you live, if you are a fan of leather fragrances and if you have tried a John Varvatos fragrance.  If you ever went to the Varvatos Store or CBGB on 315 Bowery we would love to know. Draw closes 8/26/2016.  You can follow us @cafleurebon @lookfeelsmellgreat on Instagram. 

 We announce the winners on our site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume