

Perfume Room
Emma Vernon
Hosted by perfumehead & comedian Emma Vernon, Perfume Room is your #1 safe space to obsess over all things scent.
Enjoy intimate, never-before-told stories from the fragrance legends you’re most curious about—master perfumers, industry titans, secret celeb fragheads, indie perfumers you should know, and lots of friends with good taste & hot takes along the way.
CRITICS CALL IT 'hilarious,' 'engaging,' 'educational,' 'just earnest enough,' & 'really bad for my wallet.’
Wherever you are on your perfume journey, you are welcome in the Perfume Room.
FOLLOW ALONG ON IG: @perfumeroompod
Enjoy intimate, never-before-told stories from the fragrance legends you’re most curious about—master perfumers, industry titans, secret celeb fragheads, indie perfumers you should know, and lots of friends with good taste & hot takes along the way.
CRITICS CALL IT 'hilarious,' 'engaging,' 'educational,' 'just earnest enough,' & 'really bad for my wallet.’
Wherever you are on your perfume journey, you are welcome in the Perfume Room.
FOLLOW ALONG ON IG: @perfumeroompod
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 13, 2026 • 1h 1min
198. SY TRUONG [SYLHOUETTE] ~ The Man With the Paracresol Tattoo.
In 2018, Sy Truong began studying (and teaching himself) perfumery. Six years later, he's the recipient of an Art & Olfaction Award, the founder and perfumer behind the internationally-celebrated brand Sylhouette Parfums, the perfumer of record for TOOUCH perfumes, and is shaping the emerging landscape of Vietnamese niche perfumery.Today, we chat about the perfume book that changed his entire life, his quest to embody his art, his self-image and how it shapes his style and aesthetic, and Sy shares the driving force behind all he does (in my words, not his) that we could all do a bit more of in 2026: ~LET UR HATERS BE UR MOTIVATORS!~linktr.ee/emmavernGET SMELLS LIKE LOVE TIX!SINGLE NEW YORKERS CLICK HERE!JAN SMELL CLUB TIX: coming v soon!!FRAGS MENTIONED:Amouage Jubilation 40 (SOTD), Stora Skuggan Azalai, Sylhouette: Poème Noire, Molotov Cocktail; Mugler Alien, Coco Chanel, Toouch: Smoky Graze, Heritage Nuzzle; Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule, ONE DAY

Jan 6, 2026 • 54min
197. BRIAC FROCRAIN [MARLOU] ~ How To Smell Human.
MARLOU perfumes smell like LIFE—aromas of existence shared across human, fauna, and flora. They’re Dirty. They’re Clean. They’re tender. They’re coarse. And it’s this very proximity to reality that draws its critics and fans alike. Founder Briac Frocrain welcomes all reactions and through his perfumes, invites and challenges us to reflect—what do we [humans] smell like? Is that dirty? Is ‘dirty’ bad? What is the function of perfume? What do we consider beautiful? And WHY. WHY. WHY.SOTD: El Morocco Highball for Lucius B.FRAGS MENTIONED:Marlou: Carnicure, Ambilux, Heliodose, Doliphor, PoudrextaseSAVE 10% on Marlou purchases on luckyscent.com with code: 'perfumeroom'FOR PERFUME ROOM DISCOUNTS, UPCOMING EVENTS, AND OTHER FUN HAPPENINGS: https://linktr.ee/emmavern

Dec 30, 2025 • 57min
196. BONUS HOLIDAY EP ~ Hot Takes LIVE! (FEAT. YOU!!)
36 PIPIN' HOT TAKES FROM 36 PEOPLE. RECORDED @ STÉLE in NOLITA.Featuring:• CHRISTINA LOFF • ISABEL FINSTON • LOLA GUSMAN • JUSTINA SPARLING • KATE KHARASOZHENKO • MICHAEL NORDSTRAND • ARABELLE SICARDI • EMILY JENSEN • BILLIE MCGHEE • MICHELLE DELORENZO • ALISON RINI • LAURA HOPKINS • LIZ DYER • LIZ GERSHMAN • AMY SEIDEL • NOAH VIRGILE • EMILY BRUNSTEN • J.K. ROBBINS • JOEY ROSIN • BENJAMIN ESPOSITO • RYAN CAPOGRECO • CHRIS UNDI • JUSTIN CHARLES • ARIELLE SHOSHANA • AMANDA EISENBERG • CAIT GIUSTRA • DAISY BOW • MARGAUX LE PAIH GUERIN • SOPHIA COSTABAL • MICHAEL RYAN KARPINSKI• TEDDY HAUGEN • UGO CHARRON • AMEERAH MUKAYED • SUSANA MATALLANA • ANECHKAFRAGRANCES • MELISSA GANDARINHO • ♥ closing remarks from Jake Levy ♥(format inspo ~ Las Culturistas I Don't Think So Honey! <3)

Dec 16, 2025 • 30min
195. A SOLO ~ 2026 WILL BE THE YEAR OF TENDER WEIRD.
A look back on 2025 and a look ahead at 2026.Which of my 2025 predictions came true ;) ;) ;) and what's coming in the new year? My thoughts with RECEIPTS, PROOF, TIMELINE, SCREENSHOTS [notes, accords, categories, concepts.]FRAGS MENTIONED:Param Sara The Mandala, Biche, Artemis, lil luv dog, Beastie, Welltayl, Odette Parfums Pas de Chat, Redoux Silver Lining, Nostos Calico, Demeter Kitten Fur, Papillon Bengale Rouge, D'Annam Mooncake, The Maker Dream, DedCool Mochi Milk, Clue Dandelion Butter, The Nue Co. First Milk, Melanie Martinez Portals Womb, Villa Erbatium Bambini Soap, Shalimar L’Essence, Coty Ambre Antique, Spoturno 1921, Chanel: No. 5, No 5 L'Eau, No. 5 Eau Premiere; Jouissance Le Bague D’O, Arquiste, Jorum Studios, Strangers ParfumerieBOOK A SCENT STYLING SESSION AT STELE! stele.nyc/emmaJoin the IG Live Holiday Pack smell-along this Friday Dec 19, at 4p EST on IG (@perfumeroompod) or Substack (perfumeroom.substack.com)

Dec 2, 2025 • 44min
194. VÉRONIQUE SPOTURNO ~ The Great-Granddaughter of Modern Perfumery
Spoturno is an haute perfume house bridging and blurring the lines between legacy and modernity. And it makes sense. Founder Véronique Spoturno is the great-granddaughter of François Spoturno (dit Coty), who's widely credited as ‘the father of modern perfumery.’ Véronique drops by the Perfume Room to talk family legacy, the vision behind the brand, and the debut collection created with Christopher Sheldrake (who is the sole perfumer for the entire brand).RSVP TO HOT TAKES LIVE: (pw: hotmic)https://stele.nyc/pages/12-5-hot-takes-live-with-emma-vernon-of-perfume-room-at-steleFRAGS MENTIONED:Escentric Molecules M01+ Cistus (SOTD), Spoturno Barbicaja, 1921, Barbicaja, Alphée, L’Âme du Phénix

Nov 25, 2025 • 1h 4min
193. CHRISTOPHER SHELDRAKE ~ Your favorite perfumer's favorite perfumer.
Christopher Sheldrake is the nose behind numerous fragrances other perfumers only wish they had created: Feminité du Bois, Ambre Sultan, Chergui, etc. His style is at once deeply technical, classical, and avant-garde. Today, we chat about his prolific career, the creations he considers part of his personal canon, his unfiltered thoughts on the current state of niche, and Christopher shares the never-before-heard stories behind some of his greatest works.RSVP TO HOT TAKES LIVE: (pw: hotmic)https://stele.nyc/pages/12-5-hot-takes-live-with-emma-vernon-of-perfume-room-at-steleFRAGS MENTIONED:Spoturno 1921 (SOTD), Shalimar L’Essence (SOTD), Molton Brown Milk Musk, Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur, Serge Lutens: Santal Majuscule, Féminité du Bois, Rahät Loukoum, L'Orpheline, L'Innommable, Serge Noir, Chanel No. 5, Spoturno: 1921, Barbicaja, Alphée, L'Âme du Phénix; Giardini di Toscano Bianco Latte, Serge Lutens: Un Bois Vanille, YSL Opium, Dior Poison, Pour un homme de Caron, Serge Lutens: L’Orpheline, Féminité du Bois, Ambre Sultan, Chergui; Spoturno Barbicaja; Serge Lutens: Santal de Mysore, Santal Blanc; Le Labo Santal 33; Serge Lutens: Fumerie Turque, A la Nuit, Cuir Mauresque

Nov 4, 2025 • 1h 4min
192. CAMMYREVIEWS ~ MUD!!! (and other perfume white whales)
Cammy (of @cammyreviews) is a PerfumeTok darling with impeccable taste and niche recommendations to scratch your every fragrant itch. But her curation doesn't stop there. She’s as devoted to perfume as she is to gummy candy — equally discerning in both. So today, naturally, we smell perfume and eat candy!!WATCH FULL VID EP THIS FRIDAY ON SUBSTACK!FRAGS MENTIONED:Astier de Villattes Ambre Liquide (SOTD), Serge Lutens Ambre Sultan, Tom ford Amber Absolute, Guerlain Shalimar, Regime des Fleurs Glass Blooms, D.S. & Durga IDK What, Hermes Terre D’Hermes, Mugler Angel, Ormonde Jayne Evernia, Serge Lutens Santal Majuscule, Le Labo Bergamote 22, Frederic Malle Musc Ravageur, Le Labo Labdanum 18, Boyd’s of Texas High Desert, Clue Perfumery Warm Bulb, Kierin Nitro Noir, Miller Harris L’Air de Rien, Liquides Imaginaires Blanche Bete, Commodity Orris, Justin Beiber Someday, Glossier You, Fragonard Rose Lavande, Parfums de Marly Delina, Sol de Janeiro, Tale Fleurt, La Perla Once Upon A GardenCANDY MENTIONED:Jolly Rancher Gummies, Haribo Gold Bears, fruit slices, Jarritos Sour Gummies, Lifesavers Gummies Exotics

Oct 28, 2025 • 54min
191. AMÉLIE HUYNH [D'ORSAY] ~ reviving a 200-year-old perfume brand
Amélie Huynh does it all: she’s a jewelry designer, art collector, historian, mother, and the visionary who revived the 200-year-old fragrance brand, D’ORSAY. Guided by a mission to honor its romantic and scandal-tinged legacy through a modern lens, Amélie’s era of D’ORSAY balances its storied past with modern perfumery. Today, we discuss why she chose to revive the brand, its evolution, her jewelry line Statement Paris, her family’s restored chateau, and you might even hear a brainstorm for the next eau de parfum, D’ORSAY E.V. 😏FRAGS MENTIONED:Meo Fusciuni Viole Nere, D’ORSAY: Nous Sommes Amants MD, Flower Lust Extrait, Sur Tes Lèvres EQ, A Coeur Perdu LB, Tilleul, Vouloir Etres Ailleurs CG, Dandy or Not GA, La Dandy; Chanel No. 19, D'ORSAY: Le Dandy Pour Homme, Holy Berry, Tonka Hysteria, Celine perfumes, D'ORSAY 21:30 Sous les Draps

Oct 22, 2025 • 1h
190. MANUEL MATHIEU ~ What Lingers: Haiti, Memory, and Home
Manuel Mathieu is a Haitian multidisciplinary artist known worldwide for his emotionally-charged, indefinite-form paintings, drawings, ceramics, and installations. His work is held in major collections, and just last year, he was named a Companion of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres du Québec.Three years ago, during a residency in Paris, Mathieu turned to a new medium: scent. What began as curiosity has grown into an eponymous fragrance line (Manuel Mathieu Parfums), which Manuel created alongside IFF VP perfumer Juliette Karagueuzoglou. Like his art, Manuel's perfumes evoke the intricate, layered depths of human existence.10% OFF manuelmathieuparfums.com: code: perfumeroom10FRAGS MENTIONED:Maison Mataha Printemps Blanc, YSL Black Opium, Tocca Stella, Britney Spears Curious, Hanae Mori, Nonfiction Odorama Manuel Mathieu Parfums Dsire, Eccco, Île Noire; Chanel No. 5 MANUEL'S EXHIBIT AT THE PHI

Oct 14, 2025 • 1h 11min
189. GARY MCNATTON ~ THE CREATOR OF 90s GAP PERFUMES!
Wait wait, Gap Dream was inspired by what? The initial concept for the collection began as... soaps? All this, and so many more amazing insider stories on the making of THE ICONIC 90s GAP SCENTS (Dream, Heaven, Om & Grass), with the visionary behind it all: Creative Exec and Entrepreneur, Gary McNatton! FRAGS MENTIONED:Diptyque Lazulio (SOTD), Jorum Studio Pony Boy, Diptyque Corail Oscuro, Chris Collins African Rooibos, Heath London, Creed Aventus, CdG 2 Man, Gap Dream, The Body Shop Rain, Van Cleef First, Molton Brown, Antonia’s Flowers, Giorgio, Dior Poison, YSL Opium, Gap: Om, Dream; Antonia’s Flowers, Hudson Grace OriginalSMELL CLUB: spookysmellclub.eventbrite.com


