2008年聖誕節前夕，Tammy Frazer 從南非為我們寄出了這件包裹；裡面有著她引以為傲的全天然香水作品，一系列的 Chapters，讓使用者能從香味連結她生命裡的每個階段。我們喜歡她香水的呈現方式，從香味的調配、瓶子的設計、到香水使用的方式，帶著18世紀傳統香水的優雅與古典。我想她是該驕傲的，畢竟同年10月 FRAZERPARFUM 才敲開了英國 Harrods 的大門，進入了許多人心目中的香水聖堂；我想對 Tammy 這樣的調香師來說，Harrods 代表的不是銷售而是肯定吧。

Tammy 做最多的其實是量身訂製的調香服務，也就是 bespoke service；多數的時候她都是透過黑莓機回覆我的信件，英國、巴黎、荷蘭、瑞典都在這段時間出現在我們的信件中，我相信歐洲有很多她私人的客戶，畢竟那兒是現代香水萌芽之處。這樣的私人調香服務一次要價30到50萬台幣，我想一般的我們是負擔不起的。

第一次使用到 Tammy 的香水，會讓人直覺反應到知名牛奶的廣告，濃、純、香三個字；她的香水沒有多餘的花俏點綴在香味的鋪陳上，說真的那香味來的直接，甚至讓人有點措手不及；不過用過的人很難不去感受到她使用的香水原料，也就是這些大自然的萬物可以透過所散發出的香味，來讓人明瞭生命原來可以多真實的存在，就算是換了一種型態、一種呈現的方式，依然如此的扣人心弦。

我們挑了2款她系列中的 Chapters 在店裡販售，有香水也有香膏，品牌介紹的下方也有我們與她的對話，我想可以讓有興趣的客人更了解她的作品。 　

Q) 請問同款chapter 的香水與香膏之配方是完全相同的嗎？
The formula for the solid perfumes is quite similar to the liquid perfumes.  The quantities of the raw materials are adjusted to make them appropriate to the medium.  Please note every single perfume will differ slightly which adds to its uniqueness.  Each product is handmade with unique details.  Each product will therefore be different from every other.  Eventual imperfections are to be considered an individual characteristic of each item and do not represent defects.

Q) 請問香水中妳使用的酒精種類與比列？為何在幾款Chapter中酒精氣味幾乎難以被發現？
My extract perfumes are all made with organic alcohol, however it depends on the raw materials used in a composition as to whether the alcohol can be detected.  The market standard for extract perfumes is a maximum of 20% perfume however I use 30% perfume which is very high given I am not using chemical fixatives.  You are correct in stating that alcohol lends itself to longevity because it works as a carrier for the perfume.  It does evaporate off once exposed to air and can no longer be detected but creates a film per se on the skin which holds the perfume in place.  All of my perfumes are made with organic cane sugar molasses derived alcohol, no water is included in any of my compositions.

Q) 我們很喜歡用dab on 的方式來使用妳的香水，我們也想知道是什麼樣的傳統或是限制讓妳選擇不用噴頭方式來呈現妳的香水？
Technically, with my perfumes being in the extract form the molecules are quite dense and as such if they were to be used with an atomizer the spray could potentially get clogged.  I would adjust the formula to make the perfume less dense if using an atomizer.

I like the act of discreetly dropping the scent on the pulse points, the sense of precision taken to perform such an act lends itself to the quality of the liquid.  I want my perfumes to reflect the return to ancient perfumery and the way perfumery was used pre the chemical age of 1921, therefore this is yet another expression of that.

Practically, an extract perfume is lasting and heady, but can also be intrusive, and therefore requires precision and discretion of application.  It should be dabbed on the pulse points (where the pulse of the heart beat is closest to the skin) i.e. the base of the throat, behind the ear lobes, between the breasts, the underside of the wrists and behind the knees.  Hair is a wondrous captor of odors and one drop applied to the roots is sufficient to create a trail.

Given my perfumes are natural they have not been bleached to extract the colour of the raw materials therefore it is more appropriate to have them dropped on the skin so as not to stain any clothing.

Q) 為什麼玫瑰做為Chapter Seven?
This is a difficult question to answer and quite personal. 

As you know, each perfume depicts a chapter in my life and an expression of that.  Seven is my birth day and for me the rose is the ultimate expression of femininity and love.  Therefore it is something I personally aspire to and the way in which I want to be viewed upon.  It is an expression of me, my identity. 

Q) 請問香水與香膏在調香傳統上或是香味的持久度上有什麼特別之處嗎？
The benefits of having a perfume in the liquid form as opposed to the solid allows for a heightened experience of volatility.  The molecules are release far quicker in a liquid than that of a solid perfume and therefore one is able to immediately experience the perfumed composition as part of the act of perfuming oneself, and in turn therefore experiencing a sense of wellbeing. 

Artistically I wanted to create an extension of my perfumes in a form convenient for travel, the solid perfume.  It is a tribute to a bygone era when the first concrete was obtained from flower waxes.  A return to history while considering the future; aesthetically driven while considering form and function, which to me is the epitome of design.

Q) 妳認為市面上或是妳的作品中有所謂完美的香水嗎？
What I love about perfume is ones individual response to it.  For instance you could experience a perfume that holds no memories for you and it would not make an impression, while another person may experience that very same perfume and fall in love. 

Scientifically, we have g-protein coupled receptors in the olfactory system that are closely situated in the brain to the memory cells.  Odorous volatile molecules are processed through these g-protein coupled receptors and evoke vivid memories.

I would have to answer your question with a question being, “What is perfection?”.  In my opinion it is in the eye of the beholder and therefore subjective.

In terms of technical quality, there are certainly measures by which one may identify a technically sound perfume composition.  Balance comes into play, the ratio between top, heart and base note volatility.  The perfume on the dry down should also not create a ‘surprise’ and be vastly different from the commencement of the perfume.  Throughout, the perfume should be consistent while developing specific accentuated notes to give it personality.
Some like to form opinion on a perfume for its commercial value, that being the most commonly liked.  I personally do not subscribe to this and prefer to look at each of my compositions as a work of art based on a specific inspiration and my interpretation of that.

Natural perfumes also evoke memories of the actual raw material used, opposed to synthetic perfumes that may remind one of another perfume.  It is a shift in mindset and a process of education when one experiences natural perfumes for the first time. In my opinion I think we were closer to ‘perfect perfumes’ in the 1800s than what we are now and a return to traditional methods will enrich perfume compositions.

Q) 哪一種香味特別的吸引妳？以及妳有將這種香味呈現在妳的作品中嗎？
For me, the raw materials continually surprise me and thinking of one raw material on its own can create one emotion, but when it is coupled with another raw material it creates a whole new element.  For instance neroli on its own is a citrus raw material, however when you add katrafay wood to it, this pushes the bell-pepper note and creates an herbaceous effect.  Not only that, from yield to yield the raw materials differ and this fascinates me too.  This means each raw material has a sense of provenance that adds to its unique personality.

When I am feeling traditional I love florals for their complex simplicity – which is a contradiction in itself – and yet another reflection of whom I am.  At the moment I do believe that a perfume for a woman should contain traces of flowers, but it would be interesting to try and achieve a feminine perfume without this ‘rule’ in the future.

The ultimate raw material for me is the tuberose.  It is an intoxicating night-blooming white flower.  It possesses a sweet, waxy green top note vacillating between assuming a mineral and a warm skin form.  While the creamy layers of honey sweetness undulate slowly over this odd but fascinating accord it never remains at rest.  The sweetness paired with the profound sensuality of the dark carnal base never ceases to draw me to it.  This is the overarching raw material used in Chapter Seven.

Q) 雖然妳的香水中沒有很複雜的配方，不過她們給予使用者一個對香味剛剛好的體驗空間，請問妳如何使用有限的搭配來展現香水的深度？
This is exceptionally observant of you.  In respect for how special each raw material is and how much it changes over time, I hold back on putting too many raw materials in any one composition.  I rely on the natural raw material to develop with the melding of the other raw materials to create nuances.  For instance a single molecule of the Rosa x damascena oil has over 400 properties of which we are only able to scientifically identify 150.  What this means is that there is a lot going on in one raw material we are yet to identify and for me, this is where the synthetic molecule cannot begin to replace a natural raw material at any cost. As I have mentioned, perfumes vary depending on the wearer’s skin, to such an extent that it is sometimes impossible to recognize your favourite perfume when it is worn by someone else. 

Four factors determine the way in which perfume changes once it is applied and are affected by environmental factors.

Perspiration favours perfume evaporation, in other words the more a person perspires the less lasting the perfume;

Skin acidity, known as the pH, affects the quality of the odorous molecules, thus altering the harmony of the accords;

The skins profile, i.e. its smoothness or roughness influences the persistence of perfume; rough skin retains fragrances, whereas smooth skin allows them to escape more rapidly;

The skin’s fat content also affects duration: those with more sebaceous skins are in luck because they retain perfume the longest.

I do not think a perfume should overpower a person and be the first thing one notices about the individual.  It should be a subtle extension of ones personal style, an expression of oneself and not the definition of one. One’s perfume should be delicate, gentle, polite and graceful.  It should be an accessory that enhances the wearer’s personality.  The scent should be humble.  What I mean by this is that all these values I talk of are ideals one should aspire to as a person and need to be represented in every facet of one’s style - classic, sophisticated and timeless.

FRAZERPARFUM does not use any synthetic molecules or chemicals and in no way are any of the raw materials tested on animals. Their palette consists of rare absolutes, concretes and resins coupled with petals, woods, roots, grass and zest. 100% vegetable. All natural and biodegradable.

No animal testing. No genetically modified material. No herbicides. No paraffin. No pesticides. No petroleum. No synthetic material. No toxic material.

Presented in hand blown bottles (the female fragrances in 22ml flacons, and the male cologne in a 50ml pebble) crafted by South African glass artist David Reade, and swathed in silk couture bags...

VALUES
Against Animal Testing
Support Community Trade: reflecting FRAZERPARFUMs avowed practice of trading with
communities in need and giving them a fair price for natural raw materials or handcrafts
purchased from often marginalized countries
Defend Human Rights
Protect Our Environment

SUSTAINABLE SOUTH AFRICA
All facets of the range have been handmade by leading South African artists to aid industry development of local fine art, culture, design and entrepreneurship.

In support of the African Blackwood Conservation Project.

ORGANIC AND FIRMLY AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING
FRAZERPARFUM does not use any synthetic molecules or chemicals and in no way are any of the raw materials tested on animals. Our palette consists of rare absolutes, concretes and resins coupled with petals, woods, roots, grass and zest.

100% vegetable. All natural and biodegradable. No animal testing. No genetically modified material. No herbicides. No paraffin. No pesticides. No petroleum. No synthetic material. No toxic material.