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perfumer

The first interactions with the world of perfume appeared early, at the age of just four. Iulia searched her grandfather’s yard for various to discover inviting scents. She did not dream of becoming a perfumer, but the thread of destiny led her to this field. From that candid game, Luviane Atelier de Parfumerie (Luviane: the Perfumery Workshop) would be born later, a business that delights in elegance and refinement. We entered the fragrant universe of Iulia to discuss the beginnings, the passion for the art of perfumery, and the evolution of a brand with an unmistakable scent.

Summary:
  • When the pandemic challenges you to adapt: “During the lockdown, we couldn’t keep the service side open anymore. As for the products, we were quite intuitive and we created sample packages that we put on the site where they can be ordered. In such situations, we have to be creative. Either you are creative, or you are out of business, there is no middle ground „
  • The secret of Luvian perfumes: “A lot of joy and love. The moment I enter the workshop and close the door behind me, I enter a certain state, and that energy is transposed into the perfume. „
  • 100% natural perfumes: „For several years we have been using extracts from rare flowers: hyacinth, lotus flower, but also lavender, jasmine, rose”
Childhood, the sweet smell of grandparents’ yard

”The passion for picking plants came through my family, more precisely from my grandfather.” Later, Iulia began to pick various plants with one purpose: to get a charming smell. “For generations, we have used plants in different combinations in our family (mostly medicinal purposes). But, I didn’t think that this could become a profession, especially since in Romania at that time not much was known about perfumers. For me it was an entertaining activity: I was just macerating and combining „, Iulia-Victoria Neagoe tells Matricea Românească.

I didn’t think that this could become a profession, especially since in Romania at that time not much was known about perfumers


Time passed quickly, and Iulia decided to attend the Faculty of Construction, then a master’s degree in management. She wanted more than that, so she went to Austria to study Biochemistry. „There, the parents of a colleague had a boutique with niche perfumes. I started to discover perfume notes, combinations and I understood the difference between mass market and niche perfumes. In that boutique I understood what artisanal perfume means, I discovered the difference between Italian and French perfumes „, says Iulia.

The secrets of Luvian perfumes

She didn’t want to return to the country anymore, but Cupid’s arrow made the opposite happen. In 2010, Iulia made her first formulas. She didn’t think she was doing anything extraordinary, but those around were fascinated. “Luviane was born in 2013. It was my husband who encouraged me to make it happen. In the first phase, we set up a PFA(fiscal authorized person), because the conditions were more advantageous then and besides, it was a matter of pride because such status also required training in that field. After that, I concluded that it is more appropriate to transform the PFA into a company „, says Iulia-Victoria Neagoe.

The first collection of the brand was Miresme românești (Romanian scents), through which I olfactorily and symbolically captured hypostases from the woman’s life, with the help of well-selected ingredients and graphic elements


The ingredients that Iulia uses in the Luviane laboratory are 100% natural and certified. The fragrances include rare flower essences such as hyacinth, iris, violet, lavender, tuberose, jasmine, rose, etc. With each bottle, Iulia tells a story and invites you to enter a magical universe. “The first collection of the brand was Miresme românești (Romanian scents), through which I olfactorily and symbolically captured hypostases from the woman’s life, with the help of well-selected ingredients and graphic elements. After that, in 2018, I dedicated a collection to Queen Maria, which I titled Queen’s Flowers. Now we have the collection Perfumes of Medicine, a perfume therapy based on the principles of Aromacology that I have been studying for many years, here it is about the connection between perfumery and psychology. If we talk about insomnia, for example, it can be treated with a specially crafted perfume „, Iulia mentions.

About the importance of olfactory education

Entering the market was not easy at all. The fight against mass-market perfumes that have excessive advertising requires a lot of effort. Iulia draws attention and says that this is a lack of olfactory education. „We haven’t had a culture in this field, we haven’t had a history in the area of perfumery. In general, countries that have a history in the art of perfumery also have the right ingredients to create perfumes. In this sense, we initiated olfactory workshops in Luviane where the client comes and makes his perfume formula. The workshop has over 100 ingredients at the client’s disposal to smell and combine according to his preferences, and all this time I tell him or her everything that is needed for the experience to be wonderful and complete „.

The workshop has over 100 ingredients at the client’s disposal to smell and combine according to his preferences


From the moment she sets foot in the workshop and closes the door, Iulia enters a certain state. Creative energy flows through the body and pours into the perfume bottles. At the end of the dialogue, we were curious to find out if, among the smell of chlorine and disinfectants, Romanians still smell. „I would recommend them to still use perfume. If they give up the perfume that brings them well-being, I think things are going down a steep slope. Let’s be careful of the fact that the smells of these disinfectant solutions attack and destroy the olfactory receptors. „