Olfactive Melbourne

Season One Finale — Reflection & GratitudeAs we close out Season One of Olfactive Melbourne, we take a moment to pause, reflect, and soak it all in. In this special season finale, join Robyn and Trent as they look back on the key learnings, conversations, and moments that shaped episodes 11 through 19—and, in many ways, the season as a whole.What began as an olfactory curiosity has grown into something far richer. It has been a genuine privilege (and a constant joy) to sit with Australia’s perfumers, founders, and creative thinkers, exploring not just fragrance, but process, intention, culture, and craft. Each conversation has expanded our understanding of scent as a storytelling medium and deepened our respect for the artistry behind it.Most of all, we want to acknowledge the incredible community that has formed around the podcast. Being part of Australia’s fragrance landscape—listening, learning, and sharing alongside you—has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this journey. Your support, messages, and enthusiasm have meant more to us than we can say.Join us as we revisit standout insights, memorable reflections, and the fragrances and philosophies that lingered long after the microphones were turned off. Whether you’ve walked with us from the very beginning or discovered us along the way, this finale is both a celebration and a thank you—before we take a short pause and return for Season Two.

In this episode of Olfactive Melbourne we sit down with Purvi Joshi — the founder and creative director behind PEOSYM. We dive deep into the origins, philosophy, and inspiration that shape her Australian-made niche perfumery. PEOSYM was born from a desire for self-expression and storytelling: each scent is more than a fragrance, it’s a personal narrative rooted in memory, culture, and emotional resonance.  In this master-class style conversation we turn our focus to Gullal — a soon-to-be-released fragrance inspired by Holi, the vibrant Indian festival of colours. We explore how Purvi channels the spirit of Holi — its joy, colour, energy, and cultural significance — into olfactory form. What does it mean to translate festival exuberance into scent? How do raw materials, notes, and structure come together to evoke an experience of celebration, colour, and memory?Gullal opens with grapefruit, pink pepper, and mineral salt before transitioning into a heart of fennel, orris, damp earth, and scattered wild florals. The dry down arrives in threads of incense, dry woods, and soft ambergris, echoing Holika Dahan and the quiet stillness after joy.We also touch on PEOSYM’s broader work and philosophy, from slow, intentional formulation to ethical sourcing and social impact, including support for education initiatives in India.Watch as we explore a perfume house where story, emotion, and purpose guide every creation, and where fragrance becomes a way to honour heritage, reflection, and love.PEOSYM

In this episode of Olfactive Melbourne, we sit down with Trung Vu, the self-taught perfumer and creative force behind Grimoire Parfums—an independent house built entirely by hand and shaped by myth, memory, and the darker edges of beauty.Trung’s journey from dancer and makeup artist to perfumer reveals a life lived through movement, transformation, and expression. His work transcends genre and gender, blending classical perfume structure with an instinctive, emotive style that feels at once ancient and avant-garde. Each creation is an exploration of the unseen, the symbolic, and the psychological, inviting the wearer into a world both intimate and otherworldly.In this note-by-note masterclass, we explore Nephilim (Volume I – Mesopotamia), a fragrance that opens Grimoire’s mythology with red wine, ivy, rose, and resins—a scent that bridges the sacred and the profane. Built around ritual, duality, and human nature, Nephilim sets the tone for the entire collection.We then journey through the broader Grimoire Parfums library, from the Balkan warmth of Todorac, to the forested chill of Nøkken, the tropical folklore of Penanggal, and the resinous mysticism of Catoblepas. Each Volume draws from a different mythology or geography, revealing the way scent can act as both story and spell.Rooted in freedom and resistance to convention, Trung’s practice reflects a reverence for perfumery’s golden age and a curiosity for its future. Every label, every blend, every formula passes through his hands—a modern artisan working in solitude, building a world steeped in ritual, tension, and quiet beauty.Watch as we unravel the process, philosophy, and patience behind one of Australia’s most distinctive and evocative fragrance houses. From materials and compliance to myth and meaning, this conversation opens the pages of a Grimoire that feels truly alive.https://www.grimoireparfums.com.auSocials: Instagram: @troyperfumes; @grimoireparfums1

In this episode of Olfactive Melbourne, we’re joined by Maryka and Masey, the passionate duo behind Malano, a Tasmanian perfume house crafting emotionally resonant fragrances that draw from memory, nature, and long-form creativity.From the original L’Scents collection to the bold and textured Cigar Spice line, Malano’s approach is rooted in story, material, and time. Each composition reflects their commitment to high quality Tasmania ingredients, innovative structure, and a deep emotional connection to the natural world.In this note-by-note masterclass, we explore Cigar Whisky, a smoky, spiced composition chosen to anchor the episode, before turning to the heart of their original collection with L’Mase, a scent developed for co-founder Masey. We also preview their upcoming limited release L’Nero, an exciting launch set for late November, and discuss how the evolving Cigar range continues to unfold with creations like Cigar Vert and Cigar Fleur.We also learn how Maryka and Masey’s deep connection to Tasmania’s landscape and their long-view planning are shaping new fragrances through to 2028—while recent collaborations, like their interior scent for Hobart’s Economic Development Council, reveal how Malano is helping define the olfactory identity of place.https://shop.malano.au/

In this episode of Olfactive Melbourne, we sit down with Katrina Cochrane, the founder and perfumer behind Archer Farrar Perfume Atelier, a botanical fragrance house that celebrates the raw beauty, complexity, and craftsmanship of natural perfumery.Working exclusively with plant-derived materials, Katrina’s creations explore the intersection of art, chemistry, and the natural world—each composition a study in patience, precision, and place. Her process is deeply rooted in the French method of perfumery, where every botanical is carefully diluted, documented, and evaluated to reveal its full nuance.In this note-by-note masterclass, we explore Mona Farm, a fragrance inspired by the autumn gardens of Mona Farm in Braidwood, New South Wales. Built around jonquil in full bloom and layered with agrestic, earthy tones, Mona Farm captures the delicate balance between floral refinement and pastoral warmth—where rose leaf, chamomile, hay, and amber evoke misty mornings, cool sunshine, and the richness of the land itself.We then journey through the wider Archer Farrar collection: from Dark Cedar, a rose-spiked martini in a whisky bar of wood, leather, and smoke; to Green Vetiver Oil, an award-winning study in vetiver as raw and storm-charged as summer rain on dry earth; and Embrace Oil, a narcotic floral-spice blend that wraps the wearer in coffee, tuberose, and sandalwood. Each fragrance reveals a new dimension of natural perfumery—where emotion, material, and method intertwine.https://archerfarrar.com.au/https://monafarm.com.au/