We love getting to know the people behind a brand, so we asked the Belle Fleur founders, Meredith Waga and Tony Perez, four questions about their work. This is what they told us, with a few notes on what stands out.
We love to get to know the people behind the brand. They are the foundation on which their story is built. For me, getting to know the owners gives me a much better understanding of their brand and an even greater appreciation for their creations. Here is some insight behind Belle Fleur from Founders & Creators, Meredith Waga and Tony Perez.
What is the most challenging aspect of your home fragrance business?
I’d say that one of the most challenging aspects is forcing ourselves to avoid being seduced by trends. We made a decision early on that what we wanted to create was a lasting business, one that stood out on its own and had its own unique place in the world of fragrance. Trends are transient, too many companies have been compromised by chasing fads that they never had a chance to develop brand identities.
We had a vision and we’ve stuck to it and I think, in the end, that is what gives a brand life. We don’t subscribe to seasonal launches, we only launch a product when we have something to say. It’s certainly a challenge not chasing the crowd, but we have our vision and that has to stay true to who we are at the core.
How has it been working with your husband, Tony? How do you separate your tasks?
As any husband-wife team will tell you, it has its challenges. But, I must say that, for us, the advantages far outweigh the challenges. In fact, I daresay its the challenges that make us stronger, both as a couple and as business partners. Our creativity benefits as well. We are free to critique each others’ ideas without the ego getting in the way so that our products end up being the best we can offer.
We share the same passion for fragrance and design and we use our distinct backgrounds, in fashion and architecture, to leverage the best from one another. Tony went to perfumery school in Paris and has an immense passion for fragrance. He finds it amazingly similar to architecture so he approaches design from a calculated and methodical angle, whereas my creative process is more freewheeling and loose.
If you believe in Mies van der Rohe’s adage “Less is More,” then Tony is the “Less” and I’m the “More” so we always end up with the perfect balance! And thank heaven it works!!
Tell us about your next collection and how you selected the fragrances?
Our next collection is our Rose Extraordinaire Collection. We felt it was necessary because, frankly, being in the floral business, how can one avoid the rose; it was inevitable, that the “Queen” of flowers would find her way into our palette! It’s something that was very personal to Tony, as well. He’s lived in Turkey and Ecuador, and roses were a big part of those cultures.
It was a huge challenge for us because we wanted to find a way to express our love for the flower without reverting to the stereotypes.
Perfumers have been doing rose fragrances for as long as there has been perfumery, so the challenge was to create something modern and different while still paying homage to her beauty in an elegant and classic manner. In addition, we needed to ensure that each fragrance was true to the rose, yet distinct enough to make all 4 unique.
The point of distinction for us was in the absolutes. It’s incredible to note the varied characteristics of different rose absolutes. We found 4 whose facets were so exceptional from one another and used those as the point of distinction behind each rose fragrance: Egyptian rose absolute (Centifolia), Moroccan rose absolute (Centifolia), Turkish arose absolute (Damascena) and Bulgarian rose absolute (Damascena).
If you hold the Moroccan and the Bulgarian up to your nose, the Bulgarian is honeyed and sweet while the Moroccan has a distinct fresh, earthy nuance to it.
While those classic absolute distinctions were the catalyst to developing our collection, we still wanted each to be modern and interesting. We pared the perfect rose absolute with each concept. For Petalés D’Amour; we were inspired by imagining what a rose garden within the Garden of Eden would smell like, infused by apples, berries flowers and figs. For Velvet Santal, it was the actual tactility of a rose petal, it’s smooth, fabric-like velvety texture.
For Imperial Oudh, we went to the extreme, imagining a bouquet of luscious red roses in an uber-masculine setting – a den with wood paneling, leather chair and smokey fireplace. The Moroccan rose absolute was perfect for this with its earthiness. We used the Egyptian Centifolia absolute for Rose Immortelle: It had an earthy, green aspect that screamed a fresh rose just pulled from the ground, roots and all.
What can we expect from Belle Fleur in the future?
The future holds more of what you find in the present – thoughtful, well crafted and creative products. Our biggest endeavor however, is perfume! It’s an absolute passion of ours and the next logical extension of our brand.
We so love working with raw materials and we’ve been exposed to some that would knock your socks off, they are so beautiful. For us and our passion for flowers, we constantly strive to find new ways to express the beauty of nature.
It’s also a very different creative challenge because fragrances that we create for home do not make a direct translation to ones we would want to wear. As designers and artists, we are always pushing the design envelop, looking for new means to express ourselves and our ideas.
It’s part of our growth as individuals and as a brand. What our consumers will know for sure is that, whatever we do create, will have the same attention to detail and will be ALL about the fragrance.
What the Belle Fleur founders say about trends
The first answer is a clear statement of purpose. The Belle Fleur founders say the biggest challenge is refusing to be seduced by trends, because fads can stop a brand from ever developing its own identity.
The Belle Fleur founders chose to build a lasting business and they do not follow seasonal launches. They only release a product when they have something to say, which is rare in a market full of limited editions.
For a shopper, that is a useful signal. A brand run by founders who launch slowly usually puts more thought into each scent, though you still need to smell it to know if it suits you.
That is the plain message from the Belle Fleur founders: stay true to the vision, even when the crowd is going elsewhere.
Working as a couple and a creative team
Meredith and Tony are married, and they say the benefits outweigh the challenges. Their backgrounds are in fashion and architecture, and Tony also went to perfumery school in Paris.
Their methods differ: he is calculated and methodical, while she is freewheeling and loose. She jokes that if you believe in Mies van der Rohe’s saying that less is more, Tony is the less and she is the more.
That mix is probably why the Belle Fleur founders produce candles that feel both polished and personal. Two views balance each other, and the Belle Fleur founders say they can critique each other’s ideas without ego.
It is a good picture of how the Belle Fleur founders divide the work.
The Rose Extraordinaire collection
The longest answer is about the rose collection, which is the next range they described. The Belle Fleur founders say a floral brand could hardly avoid the queen of flowers, and that roses mattered to Tony because he lived in Turkey and Ecuador.
To make four distinct rose scents, they used four different rose absolutes: Egyptian and Moroccan Centifolia, and Turkish and Bulgarian Damascena. A rose absolute is a concentrated extract of the flower, and you can read about rose products on Wikipedia’s rose oil page.
We reviewed the results in our posts on Petals d’Amour, Velvet Santal, Imperial Oudh and Rose Immortelle. If you want to hear how the founders explain each rose, the interview is the best place to start.
Notice how the Belle Fleur founders talk about each rose as a character, from a garden in Eden to a den with a leather chair.
Perfume plans and what to take from the interview
The last answer looks ahead. The Belle Fleur founders say their biggest endeavor is perfume, which they see as a natural next step, though they note that home fragrances do not translate directly into ones you wear.
What they promise is the same attention to detail, and products that are all about the fragrance. It is a modest promise, but an honest one.
If you want to read more about the craft behind such work, the Wikipedia article on perfume is a handy overview.
Overall, the interview shows a small team that cares about long-term quality more than quick wins. That is what I take away from the Belle Fleur founders, and it is why I keep writing about the brand.
If you are curious about perfume, follow what the Belle Fleur founders release next, and compare it with the candles you already own.
Why interviews with the Belle Fleur founders are worth reading
A candle label tells you the scent name and little else. A conversation with the Belle Fleur founders tells you how decisions are made, which helps you judge whether you will like what they make next.
If you want to try the brand, start with the reviews of the candles named above, or read about the Belle Fleur giveaway for a look at how the shop introduced them.
We will keep sharing what the Belle Fleur founders and other makers tell us. If you have a question for them, leave it in the comments.
Reading the answers side by side, the Belle Fleur founders come across as honest about the hard parts, which is refreshing.
Thanks to the Belle Fleur founders for their time and their thoughtful replies.
Questions for the Belle Fleur founders are welcome here, and we will pass them on.
Check back for more from the Belle Fleur founders.
