New blessed initiative is approaching this summer, with FRAGments: Underground, Artisan, and Indie Perfume Collective. It will launch with a pop-up shop and fragrance salon on June 22, 2013 in the Highland Park (Los Angeles) at the cabinet-of-curiosities studio of eclectic sculptor and patron to the arts, Clare Graham. The idea was conceived by my fellow natural artisan perfumer Maggie Mahboubian of Parfums Lalun, and will include a total of 15 perfumers and fragrance artists (complete list TBA). 

The initiative is meant to represent the growing and vibrant movement of artisanal, underground and independent perfumery that's happening in North America - and in particular on the West Coast. The name is an amalgamation of "Fragrance Movement".

Maggie's background as an architect, talent as a perfumer, attention to design elements - and most importantly warm and generous personality that leads this collective - makes this a very promising for this event, and those that will follow. The concept is all around exciting, as the FRAGments website explains:
"FRAGments will run as a series on the Saturday closest to a solstice or equinox. Each event will take place in a spatially evocative or architecturally significant venue that highlights the urban context of the host city".

Before the sale portion of the event, there will be a panel of perfumers, which will provide content and and insight into this lost art-form, followed by sale. The perfumers will be beautifully curated in the unique space chosen, where each perfumer will be equally represented by 5 perfumes from their line. Perfume shopping requires a more intimate and relaxed environment for testing and sampling, and guests could either purchase full sizes or discovery sets of all 5 scents from each perfumer. 

Please mark your calendar for the following and note the event schedule:

WHEN:
Saturday, June 22nd, 11am-5pm

WHERE:
Moryork Studio
4959 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA
 
WHAT:
11am-Noon: Moderated Discussion With Perfumers
Noon-5pm: Reception and Collective Pop Up Shop Opens

WHO:
Complete list of the 15 participating perfumers TBA The list of participants is out!
Arabesque Aromas (Christen Schilling)
Artemisia Natural Perfume (Lisa Fong)
Ayala Moriel Parfums (Ayala Moriel)
Divine Life Perfumes (Ragna Rostad-Ruffner)
DSH Perfumes (Dawn Spencer Hurwitz)
EnVoyage Perfuems (Shelly Waddington)
Escentual Alchemy (Amanda Feeley)
MikMoi (Michael 'Mik' Coyle)
Parfums Lalun (Maggie Mahboubian)
Persephenie (Persephenie Lea)
Rebel & Mercury (Nikki Sherritt)
Rising Phoenix Perfume (JK DeLapp)
Roxana Illuminated Perfumes (Roxana Villa)
Sebastian Signs (Sherri Sebastian)
Velvet & Sweet Pea’s Purrfumery (Laurie Stern)
 
Come sniff, get the story behind each perfumer's art and, if you choose, purchase directly from them.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online in advance on the FRAGments website.