Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Imani Bordeaux. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Imani, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Like most grand ideas, Jo Phillipe was born from many smaller ones that eventually formed something bigger. I wanted to create a fragrance collection that didn’t yet exist: a reflection of quintessential California luxury expressed through scent. Natural, mood-boosting compositions that feel like a grounding burst of joy with every spritz. Fragrance not just as adornment, but as a tool for presence.
Jo Phillipe is also a heritage brand, inspired by both of my parents. My mother’s middle name is Jo, and my father’s middle name is Phillipe. Doesn’t get more heritage than that!
My debut scent, Bordeaux (my maiden name), is rooted in McCloud, California—a small mountain town where I spent my childhood summers. It’s a place with the freshest air and cleanest water you can imagine. Fun fact: not many people know that Mt. Shasta, McCloud’s majestic backdrop, is believed to be the Earth’s root chakra—considered the base of Mother Earth’s energetic system. That deep, grounding energy was something I wanted to bottle.
My love affair with scent began with Ralph Lauren Romance. I remember discovering it on a magazine blotter as a little girl and keeping that page for months. It wasn’t just the fragrance I fell in love with—it was how it made me feel. That’s the magic of scent: its ability to anchor us in a moment. But with Jo Phillipe, I wanted to flip that idea. Not to romanticize the past, but to use fragrance to help us live fully in the now. Every scent is crafted to deepen presence—and create new memories worth holding onto.
Defining what quintessential California luxury meant to me was both a challenge and an opportunity. I wasn’t drawn to cliché symbols of status—not just Rodeo Drive or Silicon Valley. I wanted something more expansive. After months of refining, I arrived at a blend of sophistication, rejuvenation, and natural beauty. These three pillars guide everything I do—from formulation to design. Each Jo Phillipe scent invites you to pause, breathe, and admire the beauty around you.
Sophistication is artistic expression in all forms: culinary innovation, intentional design, eccetera. Our bottle is sleek and architectural—like a glass house on a coastal bluff. And our scent profiles are intentionally complex and niche, drawing from obscure yet emotive notes you won’t find everywhere, yet somehow feel familiar.
Rejuvenation comes from ritual—from mineral soaks in Palm Springs to meditation in the Santa Monica Mountains. Bordeaux is my tribute to that feeling, layered with lemon, rosemary, jasmine, sea salt, honey, and geranium to reset the senses and lift the mood.
Natural beauty is the essence of California itself—rugged coastlines, sun-warmed vineyards, fragrant forests. Our collection is an olfactory journey through this wild, soulful state I call home.
What excited me most was how intuitive this all felt. Long before “functional fragrance” became a buzzword, I was already intentional about creating mood boosting compositions. While many brands anchor themselves in nostalgia, Jo Phillipe is firmly rooted in the now.
We’re currently independent, and I believe that’s part of our magic. In a world saturated with influencer brands and mass-market formulas, there’s something sacred about discovering a brand that feels personal—something you find before everyone else. Jo Phillipe is that rare gem: niche, sensory, soulful, and undeniably Californian. Blended and bottled in my Golden State—with love, purpose, and a deep breath.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Imani, founder of Jo Phillipe Fragrances. I create natural, mood-boosting scents that embody quintessential California luxury. Each fragrance is designed to feel like a grounding burst of joy with every spritz—perfume for presence.
My journey into fragrance began long before I realized it would become my life’s work. I’ve always been drawn to scent as a form of storytelling and self-expression. I still remember my first perfume—Ralph Lauren Romance—and how I kept the magazine page it came on for months. That moment taught me that fragrance isn’t just about how you smell—it’s about how you feel.
Years later, as a new mother navigating a transformative chapter, I wasn’t trying to build a brand—I was simply trying to return to myself. What began as a personal ritual evolved into something much more expansive.
Jo Phillipe’s formulas are 100% natural, blended and bottled in California, and inspired by the belief that fragrance can be both beautiful and functional. We focus on wellness-forward ingredients that elevate mood and support emotional clarity.
What sets us apart? While many fragrance brands root themselves in nostalgia, Jo Phillipe is rooted in the now. Our collection is designed to help you stay present—to create new memories worth holding onto, rather than chasing the ones behind you.
What I’m most proud of is how undeniably Californian our collection is. From the intentionally niche yet emotionally resonant scent profiles, to bottles inspired by the state’s architectural elegance, to the joy people feel when they discover something that feels like it was made just for them.
For those discovering us for the first time, I want you to know: Jo Phillipe is about beauty, emotion, and intention. It’s about connecting with yourself in a way that feels grounded, luxurious, and deeply real.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Jo Phillipe was initially a lingerie brand. Since college I had dreamt of all black lingerie with vintage inspired robes in the most beautiful boutique.

I pivoted to fragrance after one of my best friends suggested I should look into it. She saw the passion in my voice whenever I talked about fragrance and said I should go for it! I said, “you’re right”! The rest is history.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I eat chicken, rice and beans for dinner every night! I make it work and make it good while doing it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jophillipe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jophillipefragrances/