Far removed from the centers of commerce and industry, in the heart of Britain’s oldest remaining overseas territory, one finds Lili Bermuda whose exclusive fragrances are blended, filled, packaged and sold at the Bermuda Perfumery which enjoys the distinction of being the only off-shore member of The Fragrance Foundation U.S. From the perfumery’s setting, in the historic Steward Hall in St. George’s, The Forum talked with Isabelle Ramsay-Brackstone, owner, with her family, of the perfumery, and a passionate and accomplished perfumer whose rare and luminous fragrances are expressions-in-scent of Bermuda itself. Imagine life as a perfumer? “Not in my wildest dreams”, said Brackstone. Schooled in accounting and international business – and backed by a successful career in investment banking - Brackstone left her native Montreal, in 2003, to live on the Island with her Bermudian husband and their 3 small children. A year later, destiny stepped in: from its then- owner, set to retire, Isabelle and her husband acquired the 75-year old Bermuda Perfumery and Brackstone had found her true calling. With a staff and David Bothello, the company’s perfumer of 40 years, in place, she began her training, augmented by periodic formal training with master perfumers. Further, as a trained musician,Brackstone found, as she does today, many similarities between the arts of music and perfumery. But, she explained, while she gets a lot of guidance from her masters, there’s nothing like working on your own to understand every aspect of perfumery. “You must develop your own frame of reference and your style over time; only self-studying allows you to do this.”
Our virtual tour took us through the Perfumery at Stewart Hall where Isabelle and her husband, Kirby – who left the banking industry to join the business – work in tandem. While he oversees the retail end of the business, she focuses on the creative side. During the summer tourist season, however, Isabelle holds the rapt attention of customers, often well-traveled couples there on a cruise or a long weekend, and young honeymooners, who learn how her perfumes are made in her charmingly conducted seminars and linger (often for hours) over the single note infused blotters, perfume genealogy charts and touch-and-smell jars of raw ingredients on display in the “history room”. “It’s the personalized experience, as well as the made-by-hand, in-house fragrances that make the Perfumery a destination”. In her view, consumers – that growing population of lapsed fragrance users - have been alienated by too much of the same thing, uninteresting products of dubious quality at outrageous prices. “I believe customers feel cheated”, she said, “so you can’t really blame them for not buying those products. And this is why I think our customers, who are searching for products that are authentic and of unquestionable quality, appreciate what we do.”
Because she gets many requests from her off-Island clients, who cite the convenience of shopping in Boston or New York, Brackstone gives considerable thought to expanding distribution to the U.S., among the many benefits of which would be the opportunity to compete for a coveted FiFi® Award. “On the other hand, clients appreciate the fact that the fragrances they wear are so original and special”. Further, given the made-by-hand production process, the business is limited in its ability to supply overseas, so “if we decide to export”, she concedes,” it will have to be a very exclusive distribution”. Even though her offshore membership does have some limitations, Brackstone said she had many reasons for joining The Fragrance Foundation and, because well trained associates are so very important, the online tutoring programs top the list. In point of fact, she enthused; her husband was the Perfumery’s first candidate to take and pass the Certified Fragrance Sales Specialist exam and found it to be an extraordinary learning experience. She also listed other benefits such as market intelligence, opportunities to voice her opinion – the Foundation consults all it members on critical issues – and to network through which she claims to have developed so many friends and contacts. “I need this alliance to stay in touch with the continent”, she remarked. ‘Otherwise it would be very easy to lose touch with what’s going on in our industry”. Finally, on a more personal note, we were curious to know about her own most memorable fragrance experience. “The process is intense”, she explained, “extremely personal and intimate. Perfume is a living artwork which must appeal to all our senses. When I smell, I hear music, I see color, light and shape, and I can feel their textures. Each perfume I have created has its own precious story.” For further information or to order Bermuda Perfumery fragrances for delivery anywhere in the world, please visit www.lilibermuda.com. |
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Still speaking with the soft, silver-edged accent that hints at her French Canadian upbringing, Brackstone spoke of the Island’s botanical diversity and the aromas that so profoundly inspire her; the carpets of wild freesia that blanket the Island in spring, the ocean before a storm, crushed Suriname cherry leaves and her personal muses, the flowers that flourish in her own garden. She pointed, as well, to the gardens of her childhood. Carefully tended by her father, an avid gardener himself, were roses, peonies, lilacs and lily-of-the valley which, while she uses notes and themes that reflect her Bermudian home, very much influence her artistic bent. With inspiration evolving every day, Brackstone keeps several creations in the works at one time and only when she absolutely loves a new one, does she add it to a perfectly edited collection of 12 nowhere-but-here fragrances for men and women.
Sold at the Perfumery and at one or two fine specialty shops on the Island, Lili Bermuda also sells online to loyal clients who became acquainted with the fragrances during a stay on Bermuda. Brackstone keeps them up to date on new creations with the 2 free sample vials that accompany each order. New clients can “try before they buy” with a modest investment of $25.00 which brings them a “Fragrance Library; a handsomely decorated little flat tin chest holding 7 vials of the men’s fragrances or 9 of the women’s. (Each vial is a generous l.75 ml). Word to the wise: these adorable little travelers –housed in navy or pink, silver-stamped boxes, would make charming stocking stuffers and, since any order under $100.00 ships for $15.00, a cache of 4 can be in the mailbox for a single shipping fee. For the customer who wants to experiment with one or two fragrances, single vials are offered at $10.00, which includes shipping anywhere in the world. 