A former motivational speaker and educator, Sid has been a participant in the fashion world his entire life. He has an ongoing passion for fashion and has now been entrenched in the fragrance world for over two years and has been dubbed by the Ottawa Citizen as “The aristocrat of scent”. We sat down with Sid to discuss fashion and of course the new hot scents of the season. His philosophy has always been that young, men and women want luxury- and that is what you’ll find in the classic fragrances. You may not be able to buy a designer suit but you can participate in a luxury world with fragrance with names that become affordable. Exposing young people to iconic names in fragrance is his true passion.
The correlation between scents and textures? Does it make a difference when you’re wearing jeans as opposed to a suit?
Yes, your fragrance has to be more suitable for the attire. After a soccer game if you splash a little of the Burberry sport you’ll find it light and refreshing. Come evening, you want to make that “SS” statement. “You know what I call that? Stylish and sensual. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you are out to attract and fragrance is a form of attraction.” Today, a scent is a sign or signature. A return to the classics – the iconic fragrances- Gucci, Versace, Burberry, Ferragamo etc. will never go out of style for the young working man or woman. the trend is light, sheer, (Gucci sport for example- great for work- fresh, citrus notes, light) or, (Versace pour homme- splash it on your suit. A mans fragrance should be contextual, for example, if you’re going out clubbing at night it shouldn’t be the same fragrance you wear going to work. When going out in the evening Bvulgari man- it’s woodsy, oriental, and exotic. For a more exclusive fragrance try Jean Franco Ferre- unavailable in the US, it has black iris from the middle east, tonka beans, this fragrance really makes a statement. For the lighter version try Ferre Azura with hints of orange and frozen ginger.
For the Ladies, what is the right scent for the little black dress?
It has always been that the new fragrances are much lighter, opposed to past generations of scent that were found to be heavier. For younger women try Ferre Rose. It’s filled with roses from Monaco and sandalwood. Some other notables are from the Burberry collection. The whole line is modern, hip, fresh and iconic. Versace has also released something new and exclusive to Ottawa, the new Versace Venitis. which was Gianni Versace’s last collection before he was killed. It’s filled with lime, Frescia and the tiara flower from Tahiti. This scent is exotic, luxurious, and perfect for the young modern woman. Another favourite is Gucci Flora inspired by Princess Grace of Monaco. It features hints of roses, peonies and sandalwood. This scent is a luxury for any woman- especially between the ages of 25-45.
Some other notables include, van Kleet and Von Kelle. Feragamo. Blue Marine. Bellisima, which has wonderful notes of Grapefruit, sandalwood, ginger, and orange. It’s exclusive and everybody loves it. Bois, which originated in Italy in the 1920’s. They had never done a woman’s fragrance until this one. It features very pure extracts, roses from Bulgaria, Egyptian jasmine, and Lebanese wood cedar. It’s luxury at its finest. With this scent, you have something for the girl next door with the more discerning fragrance. These are not one hit wonders like many scents that are swelling the market. These names will succeed us.
Are there any fragrance tips you’d like to share?
Learn how to apply your fragrance properly. It is not always about pulse points, it is also timing. Whether for a man or woman, apply a light spray and allow it to fall all over your body as soon as you come out of the shower. Ladies, next time you apply your perfume, try splashing your scent on your silk scarf and then tie it around your neck.
