In Indie Perfume Brand Spotlight, we question different brands to find out more about their brand and the people behind it. This time we question Chris Undi from Cult of Kaori<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Tell us who you are?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like many small businesses I wear a lot of hats. My name is Chris Undi<\/a> and I am the founder, creative director, and independent perfumer behind Cult of Kaori<\/a> fragrances. I\u02bcm the fragrance compounder, bottler, labeler, social media presence, and I get myself my own coffee too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the brand\u02bcs owner, I understands that one\u02bcs scent enhances that feeling of confidence and becoming comfortable in one\u02bcs own skin. I believe that wearing fragrance is a mischievous and quiet form of rebellion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why the spirit animal for the brand is the fox\u2014with its mischievous nature and folklore of human shape-shifting and seduction, it\u02bcs the perfect metaphor. I have a passion for creativity and a love for bold designs that are both timeless and modern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u02bcs exactly what defines, Cult of Kaori<\/a>. I want you to feel that same feeling of self appreciation, confidence, and rebellious strength that comes from wearing fragrance. I love discovering new and often difficult ingredients to work with, thus shaping new concepts for emerging fragrances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What some may not know is that before becoming a perfumer and launching a fragrance brand I had developed a wide background of expertise within the design industry specializing in branding, logo design, packaging, campaigns, digital and even TV. At the core though, I am a family guy with 3 crazy young kids and an amazing partner in crime, my wife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n How did you get into the perfume industry?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I got into the perfume industry by accident really. I was working on a project with my younger brother, Alex, a very talented industrial designer, developing the redesign of the fountain pen\u2014something that hadn\u02bct been redesigned fully in over a hundred years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The brand was based on heirloom writing instruments, handwritten letters and the legacy of memories shared and passed along. What better recalls memory than scent? So we thought to scent the packaging, letterhead and even the inks, to better instill the memory of our brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Through the brand development process we were going to hire a perfumer to craft this fragrance. But my brother surprised me with a 50 ingredient perfumer discovery set instead, I bit the perfumery bug, and fell down the rabbit hole of curiosity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Eventually through the encouragement of friends, family and business owners alike I decided to develop my own brand of fine fragrances. I would not be here today without all of their continued support, advice, and mentorship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What was the first perfume you ever purchased?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I can\u02bct say that I recall which was the first but I think it might have been Polo Sport in the blue bottle<\/a> or Polo green<\/a>. I started getting into fragrances through my parents and around high school I was wearing Drakkar Noir<\/a>, Tommy Hilfiger<\/a>, Christian Dior Higher<\/a>, Jean Paul Gaultier Le Male<\/a>, and FCUK by French Connection<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is your favourite meal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Hands down sushi is my favorite meal. Ramen is a very close second. I\u02bcm also the cook at our house and as I\u02bcm surely not the first to make this correlation, but that act of cooking and knowing your ingredients is very synonymous to that of the art of perfumery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Where is your favourite place?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I have traveled all over the globe from Frankfurt to Scotland to Tokyo to Greece\u2014 and lived in many different cities . But I\u02bcd have to say one of my favorite places is Wildwood, NJ. It\u02bcs the beach that my family grew up going to each summer and I have so many memories there that it very much reminds me of home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you have an interesting party trick or any hidden talents?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I always grew up drawing and taking art classes rather than sports so art is one of my hidden talents. I practiced calligraphy at a young age which grew into hand lettering and illustration as the years went by. I also have a full letterpress print shop at the house with a monstrous, 3-ton, 12×18 Chandler & Price printing press, hydraulic paper cutter, lead and wood type, etc. A full print shop. As a designer this was the coolest thing to me\u2014to design something, print it, and walk away with a physical piece rather than something that stays digital on your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Who would play you in a film of your life?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n If we went with looks I\u02bcd say I\u02bcm more similar to Leonardo DiCaprio if I had to pick an actor. Some have told me Tom Cruise, but I don\u02bct see it at all. But as far a personality, Channing Tatum apparently has a similar bravado\u2014according to Buzzfeed anyways, LOL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I have a warm, light-hearted and bubbly personality. I\u02bcm an extrovert and often the center of attention. And my sociable personality makes my inspiring. While I can\u02bct say that\u02bcs 100% true, there is some truth in it. I like to think of myself as an involuntary extrovert. Artists by nature like to keep to themselves and not talk about the work we do or what inspires us, but sometimes you need to do just that and step outside of your comfort zone<\/p>\n\n\n\nAbout You<\/h2>\n\n\n\n