Sniffapalooza is an event-based group of fragrance aficionados that originated in New York City and now unites perfume passionatas from around the world. What started as a small group of women getting together to shop and share their enthusiasm for fragrance, has grown into a phenomenon that has attained national recognition through CBS MarketWatch, The Wall Street Journal, Women's Wear Daily, and WWD BeautyBiz.
Sniffapalooza is the creation of Karen Dubin, and now with the collaboration of Karen Adams, the event is reaching new proportions. Sniffapalooza occurs several times a year and draws hundreds of kindred spirits, both men and women, and spans an age range of 16 to 76. Members meet perfumers, representatives from fragrance houses, fragrance journalists and authors, they preview new launches, are privy to special motion picture screenings, and participate in fragrance workshops.
Past events have been held at Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, Takashimaya, L'Artisan Perfumeur, Lafco NY, Le Labo, Bond No. 9, and Aedes de Venustas. In February 2007, Ron Robinson at Apothia of Fred Segal/Melrose hosted Sniffapalooza for its West Coast Premiere. Sniffapalooza in NYC on March 31st/April 1st will have its biggest attendance yet with 125 fragrances lovers taking part. This event is currently sold out, but you can check out their website for details on future events.
I recently got to speak more in depth with Karen Adams regarding this event that I know many of my fellow Beauty Bloggers rave about...
How did Sniffapalooza begin and what was the initial reaction when you first put it together (by both perfume addicts and the stores alike)?
Karen Dubin started informal get-togethers with other fragrance-lovers back in 2004. She met the "kindred spirits" in an on-line community called "MakeupAlley". It started out with 4 people, then 12, and then I got involved when it was a larger group of 35, all of us having *met* on MUA, and many people traveling to the city from outside the tri-state area. The people attending had an incredible time, finally being with people who shared their love of fragrance and understood them. The stores who sponsored us also found it quite beneficial to them. The stores served us breakfast or snacks, had perfumer and company reps speak to us, and special GWP and other offers for us.
Tell me about the very first Sniffapalooza get together.
The first large-scale Sniffapalooza premiered in the Fall of 2004 at 8:30am at Bergdorf Goodman. Forty-five guests attended, most of them women. Karen D. worked with the fragrance manager to line up a roster of speakers and reps from various fragrance houses and they told us about the histories of their lines and we got to try upcoming releases. We continued on to Barney's, Takashimaya, and Henri Bendel, with each store providing the chance to meet fragrance personnel and learn and test as much as we could. The stores offered snacks and gift bags, and the event had an exhilarating party atmosphere. It was an exciting day, because people who had written to each other on-line for two years were getting to meet in person for the first time. They got to test out new scents together, and ask each other for guidance in what they should buy. They could talk about their favorite subject--- fragrance--- as much as they wanted and there was always someone who wanted to listen. That is a glorious way to shop! In short, the event was a smashing success. The stores were impressed at how knowledgeable the group was, and they were thrilled at how much money was taken in. The guests had an unbelievably fun day, and they came away with purchases they loved. Everyone was happy!
Is this a twice (or more) a year event?
We hold our major events in the Fall and Spring, and smaller events throughout the year. We've had a special screening of "Perfume" held for us by Paramount, a Creed Master Class, a trip to Williamsburg, Brooklyn to visit CB's "I Hate Perfume", perfume shopping tours of Chelsea and the West Village, a celebrity event with Alan Cumming, an FIT Perfume Lab Workshop, and we held our first LA Sniffapalooza last month. We are currently planning a trip to Paris for a small group, with opportunities to explore the major perfume houses abroad.
What are your goals for Sniffapalooza?
To further people's knowledge and appreciation of fragrance (we view it as an art form!) and to bring people from all over the world together to meet, shop, and share their passion for fragrance. We both work full-time at our "real" jobs; have families, and other obligations. Sniffapalooza is our "hobby", but we do plan to turn it into a viable business in the near future.
Please be sure to check out Sniffapalooza’s website, where you can chat with other fragrance lovers on their forum, read articles in their online magazine and check out reviews written by fellow fragrance aficionados.
If you have attended Sniffapalooza in the past or plan on attending the event this month, tell us your thoughts about it in the comments!
