We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alie Kiral. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alie below.

Alie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

As a life-long lover of perfumes, I have always been intrigued by the creation of this product. I grew up with my mother, a fan of Elizabeth Taylor’s “White Diamonds,” and I would sneak sprays at an early age. As a young adult, I was a part of the retail side of the beauty industry, which further spurred my curiosity.

When I discovered niche perfumery, the creative community of artists working outside the more commercial space, I knew I had found my place. They expressed their lived experiences, cultures, and personal stories in the things they made. I needed to be part of that world, so I started reading voraciously, found online communities to join, and started to tinker with my own formulas.

I realized that I was one of the rare self-taught perfumers. Finding mentors in the field was crucial to my development. My biggest challenge was that perfumery is a traditionally secretive and insular industry.

Community is everything when you are an indie perfumer. Once I was accepted into the niche community, I was able to access the industry’s knowledge. Now I pay it forward by sharing what I know with other new perfumers.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Pearfat Parfum is a fragrance house that deals in capturing scent memories of growing up in the midwest, honoring iconic fragrances of the past, fostering a sense of humor around the human body. Pearfat combines the molecular traditions of perfumery with modern olfactory innovations in gender-fluid nods to pop culture—scents that speak directly to instigators.

Pearfat Parfum sprung from my passion for exploring the human body’s senses, my study of and fascination with the anthropology of fragrance, and a desire to create accessible (and amusing!) space for all in a historically insular industry. I consider myself a self-taught perfumer and, with the help of mentors at the Institute for Art & Olfaction and in the larger niche perfume community, I’ve been able to investigate the interplay of art, craft, history, and culture that defines the world of fine fragrance.

I’m proud of the independence I have as a creator and brand owner – I am able to pull from my life in the midwest, the D.I.Y. punk spirit I’ve always adhered to, and tell stories that aren’t often told through perfumery. My primary goal with Pearfat is to demystify and make accessible the incredibly rewarding practice of using your nose – truly exploring the world through smell. And, of course, make you smell good while doing so!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My social media presence has been a huge part of the Pearfat story from the beginning. I think that many people’s reactions to hearing I make perfume is surprise and confusion – perfume often feels like this fancy, intangible thing that magically appears on a department store counter. I love to use my social media to show people my creative process, including things that inspire me, as well as the actual process of creating perfume. This isn’t something the average person knows much about – so creating a video where I discuss the aroma molecules I use to create the smell of bread can be a fascinating insight. I think letting go of the idea of perfection is vital – share your authentic process and your audience will follow.

Alright – so here’s a fun one. What do you think about NFTs?

I would like to live in a world where humans are encouraged to make art, not as a commodity to be bought and sold, but as a way to connect with ourselves and others. NFTs are, to my mind, a purely commercial product. While as a business owner, of course I need people to buy what I create, I hope that by doing so they are exploring a part of themselves and appreciating the handmade nature of my perfumes. NFTs feel very impersonal, and detached from the humanity of art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pearfatparfum.com
• Instagram: @pearfat.parfum

Image Credits

Savana Ogburn & Tia Reiser