If nose Geza Schoen asked my opinion as to which woman  should be the next muse for his Beautiful Mind perfume series, it would be Liz Zorn.

Fiercely “independent”, one of the few noses that creates both natural and  perfumes that use synthetics. Liz composes her fine fragrances in her mind  first, and I am reminded of the quote by Michelangelo, ” I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”

Not one to seek the spotlight, we are so pleased that Liz granted Cafleurebon an interview.

As an independent perfumer, have you seen many changes in the “indie-niche” market (or whatever the phrase is these days)? 

LZ: For me it has not changed all that much. I still hand blend all of our perfumes, and do most of the day to day running of the business.  As we have grown, I have had to juggle my time better and make sure all the balls stay in the air. I have a good support system and have made sure not to bite off more than I could chew.

I could have made decisions differently, like some of my peers and expanded greatly, over the past two years; I chose not to! We have the ability to increase our production by quite a bit, and still stay true to the original vision. So I am taking my time and doing things that feel right to me. When the time comes we will take it to the next level.

How do keep your focus and creativity from being effected by the  “politics of perfume”. 

LZ: When it comes to the ‘politics of perfume’, I prefer to sit on the sidelines. I have opinions and can make observations, but I have no agenda, and care nothing about creating controversy. I leave that to the movers and spinners.

I have been an artist my entire life, so my reasons for doing things may be different from someone who comes in from a different angle. If I want to shake things up I will do so through other media. It’s funny, I can get all worked up and write a song about something that pissed me off, but when I step into my little lab to work on a scent, all of the baggage is left at the door. It’s like a clean slate, and that’s the way I want to keep it.

Why  do you  create both natural and  ‘traditional’  fragrances ?

LZ: When I began seven years ago (as far as the IRS is concerned, but  I have been composing fragrances for nearly two decades),  I made only natural perfumes because that is what I was first introduced to; as a young girl I was taught how to make incense and altar oils from natural materials.

From there I  became interested in essential oils, particularly the ones used in perfumery. Today, I  have a very diverse and eclectic range of materials that I work with.

You are also an artist. How does  fine art  influence you as a perfumer?

LZ: As a visual artist I am known for my work with found objects and mixed media, always using many different materials to create one piece; I suppose that I am a mixed media artist at heart, and carry that into my perfumery. There is value to be found in all things, and I am always looking for the right balance. Sometimes it can be found with only natural materials, other times not.

Which do you personally prefer to create…natural or ‘blended’ fragrances? (NOTE: I REALLY don’t know the right phrase these days  for fine fragrances using synthetics, for me a fine fragrance is a fine fragrance)

My first love will always be the natural materials, but at the same time I do not like to place limits on my creativity.  There is a painting on the wall in my living room called “Experience and Circumstance”. It has dried Chamomile from my garden mixed into acrylic polymer, applied to  primed linen and painted over with natural pigmented paints. To look at it one is not picking it apart., or judging it based on the balance of natural vs. synthetic aspects of the piece. This is pretty much how I feel about perfume. It should be enjoyed as a whole, a unique piece of work. I think if people insist on dissecting everything down to it’s base elements, stripping it of emotion, they should take a biology class. Art, and especially Art as perfume is a very personal experience, it requires one to feel.

 A “sneak sniff ” on your latest scent …

LZ:The latest project is the Moderne Collection scent Lilacs & Heliotrope. It will be released in late April.

I tested it and dare I say this…  it smells  really, really pretty ! 

 I love the smell of lilacs and heliotrope in the garden. I really can’t live without these gorgeous jewels. It seems that “pretty” has taken a beating as of late when it comes to perfume. If a scent doesn’t have a peculiar edge or a gimmick it is seen as trite or irrelevant. I happen to love pretty, and celebrate it. There is no reason why a beautiful flowery (and feminine) perfume can not be relevant in today’s time. I have no one telling me I can’t do it, so I say bring on the pretty. The more the better.

One of my favorite scents  from your  repertoire, is the rather obscureWriting Lyrical Poetry, one of your most complex  perfumes, which you created to honor your grandmothers. 

The latest of your fragrances I  am reaching for  is the natural fragrance Amberene.  Who inspired it?

LZ: I createdAmberene,  (which is another name for labdanum) was created  primarily for myself, as a lighter version of amber. Something that could be worn for the daytime and in warmer weather. At first it was just an amber accord that I layered with other scents in our line, like Green Oakmoss. My main objective when creating the full formula for the perfume was to keep it light. I work with amber notes all the time, and they can become very heavy and overbearing.  It was time for a change.

So what breaking news can you share with our readers?

LZ: I am opening a retail location in downtown Cincinnati sometime in 2010. It will be highly interactive, no matter where you live , you will be able to ‘experience’ Soivohle.

–Michelyn Camen, Editor-in- Chief