My first experience with Parfums Quartana was in 2018 when I visited the Twisted Lily in Brooklyn, NY for the first time. I tried Bloodflower, a unique and haunting take on rose. I was intrigued, but my nose was saturated after sniffing too many other fragrances in the store, so I couldn’t fully appreciate it.
Bloodflower is part of Les Potions Fatales, a collection from Parfums Quartana that features bold and darkly romantic fragrances inspired by a garden of poisonous flowers. The brand and collection were launched by Joseph Quartana in 2016 and include fragrances that are daring and a little dangerous, created through partnerships with renowned perfumers.
Mandrake, Poppy Soma, and Bloodflower are the three fragrances from the collection that best capture the idea of poisonous flowers to my nose.
Mandrake has an opening of tart apples and bitter vegetal notes that come together to suggest a poisonous green weed. This verdant character is offset by the warmth and earthy nuances of cardamom and patchouli and a sweet and smooth dry down of tonka, vanilla, and sandalwood. The fragrance has a beautiful evolution and is deliciously diffusive, as I keep getting amazing whiffs of sap from the leaves and tart, succulent fruits.
With its blast of peppery spice and a smoky note that seems to evoke gunpowder, Poppy Soma makes me think of poisonous black seeds and smoke. The incense twirls and nicely blends with sweet and indulgent white flowers. Mysterious and enthralling, the creation was named Perfume Extraordinaire in 2017 by the Fragrance Foundation.
In Bloodflower, the blood red rose note can immediately be noticed along with metallic accents and sugary patchouli, conferring a sensation of a seemingly sweet yet menacing bloodthirsty flower that lures prey to its doom.
Rounding out the collection are six more fragrances that are less sinister on my skin, but captivating in their own way.
My first impressions of Digitalis were of a spicy and salty rose, but florals like violets and jasmines are present too. As the scent unfolds, I detect a distinct seaweed note accented by herbaceous, mossy, and mineral notes. The fragrance is beautifully airy and reminds me of the scents carried by the evening breeze at the beach.
Venetian Belladonna is a violet-forward creation that tips its hat to powdery compositions of times past in a modern and aloof way. The opening is boozy, fresh, and herbal, setting the stage for a violet heart that seems to be coated in a fine metallic powder. The fragrance evolves from fizzy to slightly soapy to plush.
Lily of the Valley is leafy green, crisp, moist, and slightly bitter. I get hints of lilies of the valley along with green floral notes that remind me of daffodils.
Finally, Wolfsbane, Hemlock and Midnight Datura are all about creamy, tropical, and lush white flowers that lure you in with their candid innocence that hides something dark and threatening.
Last fall, I was offered an opportunity to try Ierofante, the house’s latest launch and, more recently, a 2023 Art & Olfaction Awards Winner (Independent Category). Ierofante is the Latin word for “hierophant”, an interpreter of sacred and hidden mysteries from Ancient Greece. This otherworldly fragrance impressed me from the very beginning with an unusual blend of gasoline, warm nutmeg, and a mix of smoky and supple layers of leather that lay on a base of dark amber. Sultry and attractive, this is the type of fragrance that doesn’t overpower but remains on the skin to reveal itself again and again throughout the day.
Joseph Quartana has collaborated with different perfumers for each fragrant project.
Mandrake: Carlos Viñals
Poppy Soma: Emilie Bevierre-Copperman.
Bloodflower: Alexandra Carlin
Digitalis: David Apel
Venetian Belladonna: Pierre-Constantin Guéros.
Lily of the Valley: Nathalie Benareau
Wolfsbane: Philippe Paparella-Paris
Hemlock: Christelle Laprade
Midnight Datura: Lisa Fleishmann
Ierofante: Luca Maffei
Joseph also worked with other world-renowned perfumers for his other brand, Six Scents Parfums, from 2008 to 2012, including Rodrigo Flores-Roux, Yann Vasnier, Shyamala Maisondeau, Nadege Garlantexec, Stephen Nilsen, and Mark Buxton.
Interview
I greatly enjoyed learning more about the brand and the concepts behind it after connecting with creative director, Joseph Quartana, who shared his passion with me and kindly answered a few questions.
Joseph, what is your background and how did you become interested in fragrances?
Joseph: I studied sociology, psychology, and economics at NYU in the nineties and opened a fashion boutique called Seven New York in 2000. The boutique was open until 2012 and showcased the most radically creative work by talented, forward-thinking designers. Along the way, I got back-stage exposure to the genius of those designers (including Raf Simons and Anthony Vacarello) and their creative process. Over the years, I was invited to judge various luxury fashion awards around Europe and Asia. In the meantime, I kept one foot in the world of electronic music and threw parties and concerts for my favorite artists in downtown NYC. All of this naturally informs my creative process and the way I showcase different worlds through my scents.
How did you decide to create your own brand?
Joseph: I wasn’t finding what I wanted in the marketplace (for example, darkly romantic perfumes) and I was bored of the fashion industry.
What do you enjoy about being a creative director?
Joseph: Blowing people’s minds is something I find rewarding. Seeing how my perfumes inspire like-minded folks gets me out of bed in the morning!
Let’s talk a little about the perfumers behind the fragrances. How did you connect with them?
Joseph: Well, it’s all voluntary. Essentially, I’ll craft a concept, float it in front of perfumers, and see who comes running! The results are awesome. We work with no deadlines, which is vital for my creative process. In other words, the work is finished when the perfumer decides it is, with no external or artificial pressure. My perfumes are typically created over two and a half years, but Ierofante was completed in three and a half years.
Tell me more about your poison garden. What moved you to start this collection?
Joseph: I already mentioned I felt a scarcity of darkly romantic perfumes that had depth, soul, and deep meaning. It’s easy to create a sexy perfume, but can you create a sexy one that blows minds and whose concept stays with you and continually turns over in your mind? We aim to create scents that have deep meaning, that ring the soul with truth and pure inspiration! After all, perfumes were the means to communicate with the gods in classical times.
Congratulations on your Art and Olfaction award for Ierofante! This fragrance seems to depart from the poisonous plant concept. What inspired the idea?
Joseph: Thank you! This was literally my rocket ride out of the poisonous garden. Ierofante was a warmup for some new fragrances inspired by healing pathways I have been working on for the past 7 years. Ierofante was designed to remind us of that golden place we all come from and, ultimately, return to. It’s a breadcrumb trail to this primordial idea of internal paradise with a twist: we travel to that destination in a rocket ship! The fragrance’s drydown mimics this ascent, which begins with a gasoline accord that ignites at takeoff off through pyrogenated styrax and frankincense. We land in a sweet, smoky gourmand place of magic and golden light, Elysium. Finally, we find ourselves face to face with Persephone, finding that internal light after an inner space journey. We created a short film and score to render the concept across more senses.
Can you share a favorite olfactory memory and scent?
Joseph: I recall the smell of the lemon trees and salt air as I opened the windows of our family villa we stayed at in Palermo in the late eighties. I had never been floored by nature before until that moment! Also, smelling Angel from Thierry Mugler for the first time at The Tunnel, the NYC nightclub I worked at in the early nineties was a life-changing experience. Like with music, I don’t have a favorite scent. Fragrances change and cycle about, depending on the events in my life.
What do you think the fragrance industry needs more of?
Joseph: The world needs bolder and boundary-pushing work that won’t wind up in a landfill. Seriously, if you’re not going to blow people’s minds with your perfumes, don’t pollute Mother Earth.
I’d like to thank Joseph for kindly gifting me the Parfums Quartana discovery set and the sample of Ierofante.
The fragrances can be purchased on the brand’s website. With the purchase of the Magic Garden Discovery Set for Les Potions Fatales, clients receive a $50 promotional code to apply toward a full bottle.
Pictures are my own or kindly provided by Joseph, as indicated.
Very interesting visit with such unusual and appealingly dark elements. But the inclusion of “gasoline” was a surprise. I recall once wearing a Lagerfeld scent that had a hint of petroleum that left me with an instant headache. Still, it’s fascinating how heat or cold, flame or water can transform a scent. Thank you for the new impetuous for a sample of these scents, and the interview with Mr. Quartana.
I am glad this resonated with you! I understand how a gasoline note could trigger headache, but I find the accord in Ierofante to be elegant with no harsh or sharp facets. It is present yet subtle and elevates the suede note. I’d love to hear your thoughts if you ever try it! Thank you for stopping by. 🙂