January 17, 2013
Real Men Wear Perfume: Interview With The Goodsmellas + $100 MiN New York Gift Certificate Draw
As a man who spends a lot of time thinking about perfume I can tell you it gets lonely out here for a brother. It was why I was so impressed with the rise of a group of New York City perfume lovers who seemed to be everywhere. They were loud and proud about their love of fragrance and their disdain for gender labels. EIC Michelyn Camen felt their existence turned the conversation to “real men do wear perfume” and named them a part of the Best Trend of 2012. Michael Devine our regular monthly contributor is a member of the group and so we thought it would be a good idea for him to introduce the members of the band and give them a chance to talk about their group. So without any further introduction Michael take it away. -Mark Behnke, Managing Editor
From l. to r. Michael Devine, Rich Scardaville, Carlos Powell, Ed Gochman
The Goodsmellas are: Ed "Frunkinator" Libassi, Carlos Powell, Rich Scardaville, Michael Devine, Ed Gochman, Ahmed "Freeze" Zindani, Cody "Dracdoc" Sulaimana, Igor Kipnis, Barney Bishop, Christopher Bruschi, Luis Ginorio and an honorary membership goes to Chad Murawczyk, owner and President of MiN New York.
Who are the original founders?
Mike: It's tough to say that there were, in fact, original "founders." We were just a bunch of New York guys who shared a common interest in fragrance as an art. We were friends before we were "Goodsmellas."
The picture that launched a movement
l. to r. Michael Devine, Rich Scardeville, Ed Gochman
Who came up with the name?
Carlos: A picture of Mike, Rich, and Ed G wearing suits was posted at Peace Love Perfume (a popular Facebook group for fragrance enthusiasts) back in March of 2012. Dawn Danehart, a member of the group, immediately commented, "THE GOODSMELLAS," and the term was coined. Thanks to the hard work of Mindy and Chad of MiN New York, they were featured in an article at Racked.com, adding myself and Frunkinator to the interview. The term stuck, and we were from that point on, referred to as The Goodsmellas. Subsequent interviews followed, and more of our peers/ friends were added.
Frunk et Mad
Madalina Stoica-Blanchard and Frunkinator
Do you all share scents?
Luis: We're definitely a very generous bunch of fellas. If someone is ever in need of a fragrance, or just has never had the opportunity to smell that particular fragrance before, we just whip out our empty atomizers and decant away. The Goodsmellas look out for each other, and we make sure that each and every one us always stays smelling good. That's what the Goodsmellas are all about.
Mike: That's something that's great about the fragrance community. Everyone's saying, "You gotta try this!" or "I bet he or she would love this," and fragrances get around. Our pockets are often filled with samples and we love to spread the word, even to "civilians."
Frunk: We all have our own style of decants and labels. The best is getting a sample from Ahmed … they're never labeled and you always have to figure out with your nose what's in the vial!
Cody Sulaimana and Lysa Chen
Are any of you scent twins? Evil Scent twins?
Ahmed: My scent twin is Frunkinator. We virtually wear the same scents and love the same fragrances. My evil scent twins are Rich and Michael. They’re complete opposites from Frunk and me. They enjoy dark, heavy incense and oud type of fragrances, hence the reason why I ask both for advice on such fragrances. While Frunk and I wear crowd-pleaser scents, Rich and Michael love complexity and enjoy the more daring side of fragrances.
Ed G: Frunkinator and I share similar likes in terms of “fresh” scents and scents dominated with the iris note. Carlos and I both love Black Orchid by Tom Ford. Mike Devine and I recently both fell in love with the new Byredo scent Black Saffron.
Igor: I wouldn't say we're twins, but we do overlap in our tastes and it's actually pretty neat. It's as if you're looking at a color wheel where each person may represent a scent they love – and when you look at us as a whole, there's an overlap.
Carlos: We all have very different tastes. Some of us love patchouli and oud, and some hate it. I think my tastes are mostly in line with Michael Devine, Rich Scardaville, Christopher Bruschi, and Edward Gochman.
Cody: There are some who have similar tastes, but I don't have an evil scent twin per se.
Ahmed Zindani
Where do you all hang out and do you have Goodsmella parties and meetups?
Ed G: We have regular meet-ups and parties at MiN NY in Soho. MiN NY is like our headquarters given that the owners Chad and Mindy are such gracious hosts. I have to give lots of credit to Mindy Yang of MiN NY for helping me get a better understanding of niche fragrances when I started my journey about three years ago. Her patience and knowledge is remarkable.
Carlos: Oh most definitely! MiN New York has hosted quite a few events for us, but we also will just meet up and sniff at the three B's … Barney's, Bergdorf, and Bendel. We also spend quite a lot of time together at the Facebook group Peace Love Perfume. We have built quite a unique perfume family.
Chad Murawczyk
What advice would you give a guy who is new to perfume in picking?
Chad: First and foremost, I would advise a newcomer to get out of the department store and shy away from brands with large advertising campaigns. The magic and beauty of scent happens from the inside of the bottle out. Secondly, I would gain a foothold in this new universe by smelling all types of fragrances and anything that you find interesting or curious, jot down the name and do some research on that particular scent. You will then learn more about the notes and general composition as well as some background on the perfumer who developed the scent. This will be the beginning foundation for understanding what you like or don't like in scent. Remember, this is a building process and cultivating an understanding and appreciation for fragrance takes time, no different than understanding and appreciating wine or cognac. Lastly, I would tap into the incredible social community who have a passion for fragrance and listen, learn and have fun. You will find your own path to scent happiness soon enough!
Frunk: Smell everything that's on the counter and choose the one that speaks to you the most. Fragrance is a very personal matter and you should wear what you like. Take your time when selecting, let the fragrance tell its story as it dries down and see where it ends up taking you. Some fragrances have taken me on incredible journeys from the very moment it was sprayed onto my skin, ‘til the last minutes of its life duration. And the best part is that every journey is different for everyone. Pure unpredictable bliss at its finest.
Igor: I would say to try, try, and try before you buy anything. If you must buy anything, make sure you are in love with it. Do not force yourself to like something that someone else adores. Keep samples at home so that you're not pressured in store to purchase. I have found that trying scents at my own time is the best way to judge if it's right for me or not.
Cody: Listen to suggestions from people, but at the end of the day, the authority is your own nose.
Ahmed: Testing the development of a fragrance is the conclusive way to pick the right fragrance for you. One must test the development of the scent, longevity, and projection. In order to do that, you have to sample the whole fragrance because the initial spray that you fell in love with might just disappear as the scent develops.
l. to r. Lysa Chen, Cody Sulaimana, Ed Gochman, and Igor Kipnis
FUBU started a revolution in hip hop clothing, For Us by Us. Do you see any business opportunities down the road or is it all about fun? Goodsmella websites, fragrances, etc
Luis: For the moment it’s all about fun, but I would love to see people learn more about the positive impacts fragrances can have on their lives. Whether it’s giving you a boost of confidence, having a fragrance remind you about a particular memory in which you're very fond of, or just reassuring yourself that you smell pleasant to those around you.
Ed G: Perhaps a Goodsmellas Eau De Parfum.
Carlos: Absolutely! A Goodsmellas fragrance is not out of the question, but I can't say any more about that right now. For now you can find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheGoodsmellas and on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheGoodSmellas
Luis Ginorio and Olya Bar
One scent you all love?
Luis: That's a hard question to answer because we all love and hate so many (laughs). But if I had to choose one, I think it would be Aventus by Creed. Cody once said its effects on men are like catnip's effect on a cat.
Igor Kipnis
Who has the best nose?
Luis: Isn't it obvious? I do, of course! (laughs). No, I'm only kidding, I believe everyone has a great nose and every nose speaks to the individual differently. What smells good to one person might not smell good to another person. Difference of opinions on a fragrance is what makes this beautiful world of fragrances so absolutely wonderful and enjoyable.
Igor: "The Shnozz" (points at Frunkinator). This guy's nose is incredible.
Cody: None of us, and all of us.
Thanks to the ever generous Chad and Mindy of MiN New York we have a very special draw of a $100 gift certificate to MiN New York. To be eligible leave a comment on your favorite part of the interview. The draw will close on January 21, 2013.
We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.
-Michael Devine, Contributor
How cool that the Goodsmellas travel with their pockets full of samples to share both with the initiated and with “civilians.”
Great article…you just gotta love those guys!
I love that you call Barney’s, Bergdorf’s and Henri Bendel the three B’s, that is perfect! On a recent trip to NYC my mom and I ran into a fellow perfumista (a guy) it own for a smelling tour just like us. It was interesting to chat and see what his plans were for the day. He would have loved this group! Here in Dubai there are plenty of guys who love perfume, I know one with 450 bottles and another with 150! They would love this, I am sure.
I like where he emphasizes that it’s about fun, and about fragrance enriching your life. I wish I’d figured that out sooner in my own life.
My fave part was, “I think it would be Aventus by Creed. Cody once said its effects on men are like catnip’s effect on a cat.” lol
I love their camaraderie and willingness to share. It sounds like a great group!
Luis is right, everybody has different noses thus different taste in fragrances. Its all subjective but its also interesting to see the many different opinions that people have on particular fragrances. Great read! Love the Goodsmellas and you guys should get your own reality show, I would definitely watch it all the time.
As above, yes, I love the camaraderie, and the name Goodsmellas is fantastic. My favourite part was the fact that Ahmed has a scent twin named Frunkinator, and some evil scent twins as well, lol. I’ve never had a scent twin — sniff sniff!! I have a few friends who are “into perfume” but no one I know is as manic about it as I am. The DH is very patient with my “smell this try that” and often smells great, so I guess he’s my own personal Goodsmella, though we like pretty different frags. Thanks for the draw and the intro to these guys!
I love the camaraderie felt within the group and the fact they are SO willing to share in each other’s “loves” and “hates” of scents….kinda makes me wish I was closer to New York…
My favorite part of the interview is where they talk about whipping out their empty atomizers and decanting away…it made me laugh out loud, but it was also something I could totally relate to.
I am now off to order a sample of that Creed for my husband!
Oh man, what didn’t I love about this interview? I especially like that Ahmad gives out unnamed samples. I’d love to see the SA at one of the three Bs when this posse moves in, I think these guys could really put someone through their paces!
Awesome, wonderful group sharing their interest in friendship and joy. Yay, Goodsmellas!
My favourite part of this interview is when they talk about the scent twins! It must be very interesting to share opinions and tastes with your “scent twin” as you know that what he is going to love is the same you will love too. I like also the idea that a really friendship is born between all the members of this group
This is hilarious! I’m so jealous— I want to create a group like this! I wish there were more scent lovers near me!
My favorite part was finding out that there is ANOTHER FB group that is going to kill my credit card. Just kidding! The guys clearly have a strong sense of camaraderie, and that’s the best part. And it’s funny that they all chose Aventus; I really need to sniff that.
MY favorite part of the interview was Chad’s advice to people who are new to perfume. And the photos, I loved those, too!
My favorite part of the interview is the fact that there is such apparent joy in the common bond of fragrance obsession…there is nothing better than findng someone to “geek out” abut your favorite topic. I also like the fact that they have a FB page!
The whole article is my favorite part . I know and love most of these guys and am a member of PLP , The group that Carlos Powell started. All incredibly talented, generous and knowledgable people!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love the whole aspect of being in a scent community and reading what they say about the dynamics of that is interesting – who likes what, the individuality of tastes. Fun!
Now really, how could we pick a favorite part of the interview when we love our Goodsmella buddies? OK, I liked the beginning in which Carlos explained the genesis. Really, the whole piece reflects these great guys.
Oh I’m so exited the Goodsmella’s are famous celebrities. I can’t wait to make the NYC trip to meet them. What a passionate group of good looking fellas! I’m proud to be a PLeep!
This was a very interesting and warm read. I am part of a Facebook fragrance community myself, so it’s nice to see many others doing the same. There is nothing better than sharing your passion with people that have the same interest.
My favourite part of the interview, was when they were asked, “What advice would you give to a guy who is new to perfume?” I loved Chad’s answer, “I would advise a newcomer to get out of the department store and shy away from brands with large advertising campaigns. The magic and beauty of scent happens from the inside of the bottle out”.
His advice is spot-on. I wish had been told this when I first started out. I was far too wrapped up in brand-names and bottle designs.
Thanks for the draw!
The idea of giving people unlabeled decants is interesting. Challenging, too!
That’s funny how they came up with the name Goodsmellas.
Great article, and I’m really envious that the Goodsmellas can meet in RL and go sniffing together, I’d love to have someone to do that with!
My fave part was their advice for a new perfumista, as it was spot on.
Just like fragrances all of them have different dynamics which makes the fragrant world more fun.
I love seeing “regular guys” who are passionate about perfume.
A buddy of mine reads Cafleurebon and told me about the goodsmellas
The Goodsmellas tapped into something sweet
I loved that question because Fubu was a word of mouth grass roots kinda thing
My favourite part of the interview is answers to the question “Who has the best nose?”.
Thanks!
The Goodsmellas! I love it. I really enjoyed this interview, and my favorite part was reading their advice to one who is new in perfume. Very educational as well as entertaining! What a great bunch of guys. Thanks for the opportunity.
My favorite part was when Carlos said “We have built quite a unique perfume family.” That was funny!
wow! I wished I could attend their meetings! Seems and sounds like lots of fun and good smelling too! I liked reading/hearing the different vooices, and linking them to the photos, It gave me the impression of arriving at a really nice party and meeting wonderful people, hoping i’ll get to know them more with time. My favorite part is the advices to newcomers.
the unlabeled decants part
“If someone is ever in need of a fragrance, or just has never had the opportunity to smell that particular fragrance before, we just whip out our empty atomizers and decant away.”
hah, nice one!
this ‘movement’ … very intriguing.
i’m most fond of the classic Burberry for women, that creamy vanilla scent.. gah.
“Igor: I would say to try, try, and try before you buy anything. If you must buy anything, make sure you are in love with it. Do not force yourself to like something that someone else adores. Keep samples at home so that you’re not pressured in store to purchase. I have found that trying scents at my own time is the best way to judge if it’s right for me or not. ”
I completely agree with this quote. I find that oftentimes my impression of a scent while I’m out shopping can be completely different than when I actually fully experience it on my own time. Sometimes the nice lighting and social atmosphere of a store can influence my opinion, and oftentimes a first sniff just isn’t enough. Thank you for this draw.
This is good fun, thanks for the article. I like that these guys love sharing their samples and getting the word out about good finds, even to “civilians.” Good stuff.
I like the advice to guys who are new to perfumes. Gotta convince my friends!
So nice to hear about this fine group of fragrant buddies I love that they all support each other and that they share their passion so freely
Luis and Cody answers to “Who has the best nose?” is my favourite part.
Another PLeeP here (under my pseudonymous commenter name….)! I loved every part of the interview, but especially the idea of a Goodsmellas frag – no doubt you guys would come up with something of unimpeachable quality! Other highlights….what’s all the fuss over Aventus (reaching for my credit card right now….), and Cody’s bottom line, “…at the end of the day, your authority is your own nose…” Terrific interview! Thanks!
-Lauren M
I don’t know if I have a favorite part of the article, but all I can say is it’s about time that men are finally “coming out of the closet” for lack of a better term, for loving fragrance and perfumes. I’m so happy that these gentlemen are on the forefront of breaking down the barriers and the age old stereotypes of men who love perfume. Good job Goodsmellas!
Thanks for the generous draw, I have also tried to get more of my male friends to take an interest in the finer aspects of cologne, but its hard to get through the mass designer appeal that says guys should smell like this and women should smell like this. Its a slow process, but I have turned a few into liking some uncommon scents like Tom Ford Tuscan Leather, Odin No.7, L’Artisan Tea for Two, and CDG 2Man.
My favorite part besides the camaraderie these guys share is actually the FUBU mention, I never thought I would see FUBU mentioned again, haha.
Great article, Michael! I love the Goodsmellas, and have a dream to go to NY and meet up with all of you. As a member of the Peace Love Perfume group myself, I kind of saw all this coming together, and I hope that the success of the Goodsmellas will help people everywhere be more accepting of us perfumista, and become perfumistas themselves!
Advising people to slow down, not be pressured to buy, let a fragrance dvelop on it’s own time and for you.
And the “three B’s: Barney’s, Bergdorf, and Bendel”
This is TOO FUN! Love it!
I love Goodmellas idea of sharing fragrances and I liked that their pockets are always full of samples! Great way how to spread their passion for scents! Thanks for intereting interview
This is a great article. I love the fellowship of this group – the article and the Goodsmellas embody the spirit of friendship and shared joy of discovery that I think many of us have found in the perfume community. I especially like the advice for those new to perfumes, that it takes time to appreciate scents and is “no different than understanding and appreciating wine or cognac.”
Thanks for the article and giveaway! (Note to self: visit MiN one day – everyone speaks so well of it!)
I’m so glad we got to know the Goodsmellas (I really love that name!).
I am starting to believe every city has its group of perfumistas who meet to smell and discuss perfumes. I recently met one here and loved being a part of it.
The good natured fun that comes from meetings like that is something that cannot be found often anymore.
I got the feeling through this interview that the guys are are a really fun group to be around and they seem like good friends.
P.S. Ahmed is really making them smell and give thought to perfumes, I just hope in the end he tells them what’s in the decants and samples.