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 Daniela Carrasaco from Linen Tutu
About You
Tell us who you are?
I’m the founder and artisan perfumer behind Linen Tutu, a perfume studio based in Hudson Valley, New York highlighting botanical and bio-renewable ingredients.
I was born in Peru, raised in Miami and have called New York home for over a decade now — three very different places! My experiences in each have influenced my work.
How did you get into the perfume industry?
In 2016 I was living and working in New York City when my anxiety hit an all-time high. I thought to myself, “I need to take a few days off of work and do something for me.” I stumbled onto an aromatherapy course, signed up and spent a week smelling beautiful raw materials. I was drawn to the aesthetic part of formulation the most, and grew fascinated with the direct connection between scent, memories and emotion. That then piqued my curiosity about perfumery.
I spent the next 8 years knee-deep in studying perfumery, through courses and books, with incredible teachers and mentors, and most of all, in my studio working with materials. I have a design background (Parsons School of Design) so I like to play with synesthetic concepts and apply visual design constructs to formulation.
What was the first perfume you ever purchased?
I’m not sure I paid for these with my own money (I was a pre-teen at the time!) but CK One and Tommy Girl were my fragrances of choice when I first started wearing perfume.
What is your favourite meal?
I can’t just pick one but lately I am finding myself craving cacio e pepe with a crisp white wine for dinner.
A constant for me is Peruvian food — ceviche, papa a la huancaina, arroz chaufa — I can go on and on. I’m very biased but I love the flavor and diversity of ingredients Peruvian cuisine has to offer.
Where is your favourite place?
Just one?! Two current favorites are Paris and Barcelona. Very different from one another but both have incredible energy, culture, food and a thriving arts scene. I’m inspired from the moment I arrive. I could easily live in both cities.
Do you have an interesting party trick or any hidden talents?
I’m not particularly good at this anymore but I used to practice ballet and had a pretty decent split back in the day.
Who would play you in a film of your life?
Melissa Barrera. She’s a powerhouse Latina actor with incredible range. I’m a fan.
About your Brand
Describe your brand in one sentence.
Artisan perfume that paints dreamy olfactive landscapes with plant-derived, biorenewable ingredients.
Where does the name of your brand come from?
Linen Tutu is the juxtaposition of two textures: linen, which comes from flax. It’s easy, flexible and has an organic feel to it. Tutu is a nod to tulle, which is transparent and airy and visualizes movement. The contrast and synergy that exists between these two is representative of Linen Tutu’s DNA.
Who are your perfumes for?
If you have a hard time finding a commercial fragrance that you enjoy, but love the aroma of handpicked fragrant flowers, my perfumes might be for you.
If you appreciate fragrance that wears intimately with an understated, elegant presence, my perfumes might be for you.
If you like clean-smelling skin scents that are easy to layer, my perfumes might also be for you.
Tell us about your latest perfume.
I launched my debut collection of four simultaneously. Here’s a quick round-up:
Up @1 has notes of orange blossom, clementine, coriander and orris butter and feels like a late morning on a sunny day. It was inspired by my childhood memory of a family remedy: orange blossom water — “agua de azahar” in Spanish — to calm the nerves.
Hearsay @3 features notes of bergamot juice, hibiscus musk, ambergris and amyris and feels like a sudden burst of your wildest side. Still you — with a little extra sparkle.
Lately @5 is the fragrance I designed and wore for my outdoor summer wedding. It has notes of jasmine sambac, wild foliage, saffron and hinoki wood.
Afterthought @7 was inspired by the Hudson River and features notes of freshwater, violet leaf, sea fennel and driftwood. It’s a watercolor, magical realism depiction of the river from the perspective of a character who has just encountered a moment of self-discovery.
If someone wanted to try your fragrances, which one would you recommend they try first and why?
Hearsay @3 has had the most universal appeal across ages, genders, interests, etc. It’s a clean, citrusy skin scent that adds instant sparkle; a few people have said that it’s a perfect pairing with a crisp white t-shirt. It’s very chic on its own, and it also layers beautifully with sweeter, fruitier scents — adding a bit of freshness and airiness to contrast and balance.
What challenges do you want to overcome for your brand?
Right now our distribution is mostly within the United States, but international expansion is certainly on my mind.
What is unique about your brand?
I like to play with different dimensions and concepts. For example, the names of the fragrances in our debut collection use numbers to indicate different times of the day and lighting effects. I also partnered with wonderful artists to “translate” the perfumes into other sensory “languages” (for example, music and film).
Another unique practice we have implemented is 100% fragrance ingredient transparency. This was a challenging decision to make, but ultimately I felt it was right for the brand. I like to say that we wear our heart on our sleeve.
You can find out more about Linen Tutu at the website here
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