Frances Shoemack has her upbringing to thank for her interest in perfumery. The founder of fragrance brand Abel grew up one of six children on a farm in New Zealand, with home grown produce the main food source for the family.
“My mother was a yoga teacher and brought an intrinsically holistic lens to our upbringing,” she tells Broadsheet. “It wasn’t so much about fragrance or a particular smell, as a deep connection to nature and a love of the olfactory in our daily lives – fragrant herbs from potager to table, luscious flowers from garden to vase. This appreciation for nature and seasonal bounty, and in particular an olfactory sensibility, led me first to winemaking and then to perfume.”
Twelve years ago, Shoemack was living in Amsterdam when she developed an interest in artisanal fragrance. There were parallels between crafting a fragrance and her career in winemaking; she explains how both “rely on intuition, patience and respect for raw materials”. But the difference was the fragrance industry’s over reliance on unsustainable ingredients. Seeing a gap in the market inspired her to create a 100 per cent natural perfume.
“The turning point came when I discovered that an estimated 95 per cent of fragrance molecules are derived from petrochemicals. I was looking for a natural alternative and couldn’t find one,” she explains. “I hope to ultimately shift the fragrance category away from fossil fuels.”
Isaac Sinclair – one of two master perfumers to come out of New Zealand – was the first nose Shoemack partnered with. He was excited by the challenge of creating a natural perfume, but going fossil fuel-free hasn’t been easy. When they started, the palette of available ingredients was considerably smaller, and synthetic fixatives (which help make a scent last longer) weren’t an option. French perfumer and biochemist, Fanny Grau, also came onboard. She has developed Abel fragrances Pause and Nurture, and works with the innovation team to develop the natural ingredients.
Now, Abel has nine fragrances and three room sprays, ranging from bright citruses and florals to more intense wood- and spice-based scents. Scents include Green Cedar, with top notes of magnolia and cardamom and a cedarwood base, and the smoky amber and tobacco of Coat Check. It also has stockists worldwide – including Liberty, where it has recently launched. For Shoemack, this partnership is particularly nostalgic. “Growing up in New Zealand, [Liberty] held a special place in my heart and was one of my first stops – for a Liberty print diary – when I made my first trip to London.”
The launch at Liberty coincides with the brand’s own relaunch. The collection has been updated with biotech formulas and more eco-conscious packaging.
Grau specialises in biotechnology which, in the fragrance world, uses living organisms like yeast to ferment plant sugars into scent molecules. It offers a more sustainable approach to perfumery, but is yet to hit the mainstream.
“Biotech gives us precision and consistency,” says Shoemack, on its benefits beyond sustainability. “These biotech molecules expand our natural palette, giving us more consistency, stability and longevity while remaining 100 per cent natural.”
