A union of luxury and sustainability, Carlotha Ray was founded by Mariela Schwarz Montiel, a footwear and porcelain designer, and named after her grandmother, Carlotha Despierre de Montiel, who dedicated her life to educating communities and promoting environmental initiatives in Paraguay.
The brand focuses on making vegan sandals and slippers, but Mariela partnered with Jean-Michel Duriez, former perfumer for Jean Patou and Rochas, to also create a fine fragrance line. The fragrances I tried are modern and radiant, and express France’s way of life through multifaceted accords made with ingredients that are both gentle on the skin and safe for our planet.
I first learned about Carlotha Ray at Esxence 2023 after meeting Jean-Michel Duriez, who kindly introduced me to the fragrances (read my article on Esxence first impressions here). The line’s scented signature is a “cuir de fleur” (floral leather) accord that includes notes of osmanthus, oakmoss, leather of vegan origins, and maté. The fragrances can be enjoyed alone or layered to create a personal olfactory signature.
After Esxence, I took my time wearing three of the collection’s fragrances, which share a common thread of grace and freshness and radiate a luminous trail that never overpowers.
My personal favorite is Rose Blanche & Gardénia, an elegant floral with a textural quality that evokes thin silk, light cotton, and paper of the finest kind. Its sweet scent exudes a feminine glamour of times past and makes me think of silken white gloves, dried rose garlands, and lace folded in a drawer lined with scented paper. The maté adds a reinvigorating brightness, the vegetal leather adds a “textile” feel, and the moss adds a retro vibe. If you are a lover of well-blended fragrances where the notes can’t be easily told apart, you cannot miss this.
Mandarin Maté & Vert opens with the aroma of green maté tea with sprinkles of mandarin zest. It is bright and invigorating and, over time, becomes an appealing and easygoing floral with sweet and fruity accents.
Poire & Santal Blanc realistically evokes the act of biting into a succulent pear, juices running down your chin. The fragrance is both sweet and tart with an almost grainy texture, also typical of a pear. I was told this is the line’s bestseller, yet it doesn’t seem to lift off my skin as nicely as the other two.
The fragrances are formulated with high-quality ingredients ethically and ecologically sourced by Givaudan through local programs that support local communities around the world. Up to 20% of the raw ingredients used in the formulations are upcycled.
The elegant packaging can be reused and recycled, and the slim and lightweight bottles are a nice match for the crystalline juice. The bottle glass contains 40% recycled glass, and the cap is made with wood sourced from sustainably managed forests.
The paper box base can be used as a display holder for the bottle or repurposed as a decorative storage accessory. The boxes are assembled by disabled people who are part of a program that allows them to be integrated in society.
All Carlotha Ray fragrances come in Eau de Parfum concentration in refillable 50 ml bottles. Fifteen ml travel vials (also refillable) and 150 ml refills will soon be available too. Candles presented in Porcelain de Limoges timbales will be available in September 2023.
Learn more about the Carlotha Ray fragrance collection by visiting the official website.
I thank Jean-Michel Duriez for gifting me samples of the three fragrances I reviewed and Guillaume Teulé for taking the time to answer my questions about the brand.
Photos and opinions are my own.
Love the sound of this brand, dear Damiana. All three fragrances appeal to me.
I think you’d really appreciate how lovely and wearable they are. Thank you, Rich!