Hemp & Leather
Robbie VanGogh - Perfume and Music
12 years ago
Rob Denton from Robbie VanGogh has kindly given us an interview. We have released it in the Parfumo blog on the German side. Here is the English version of it:
Robbie VanGogh – Perfume And Music
The perfume market gets streamlined more and more. While the Global Players make sure you can find the same limited amount of fragrances in every spot of this world, it is just by chance you come across the sites of small niche brands. However, it is the independent perfumers, people who do their own thing, who not only guarantee diversity, but also have the potential for creative renewals in the art of of perfumery.
One of those independents is Rob Denton from USA – better known by his brand name Robbie VanGogh. He appeared on the scene recently, so his perfumes are still among the hard-to-finds. They struck me with a highly individual approach. After sampling most of his perfumes, to me Rob seems to be somebody who tries a new way in perfumery but without making the fragrances too experimental or hyper-modern. Rob himself claims them to be urban and modern, and I think he is right.
Apicius: Rob, can you tell us a little bit about you. On your website, we can see you are also musician. What was first – music or perfume? Is there a relation for you between your music and perfume?
Robbie VanGogh: I have been a musician for over 40 years, and this was my first passion in life. I left my home in Tampa, Florida at an early age to live in a commune in the inner city of Chicago during the early 1970s. I worked with the homeless, disabled, and poor developing food and clothing programs. This has also remained a passion for me ever since. Music and art inspire me as a fragrance artist. I draw heavily on my artistic background when developing a fragrance. Hemp & Leather was my first inspiration.
Apicius: Did you have a professional education as a perfumer in the industry, or are you a self-made-man?
Robbie VanGogh: I am a self-made fragrance artist. I began my journey as a fragrance artist when I lived in Chicago. It was there that I discovered exotic and lovely fragrances and perfume oils.
Apicius: When did you decide to become a perfumer – and why? When did you start your brand Robbie VanGogh?
Robbie VanGogh: About 2 years ago I took on the responsibility of full-time caregiver for my wife’s mother, who suffered a severe stroke. The stroke caused paralysis and mental impairment. . I gave up my professional life to keep her out the nursing home. If you have ever been a caregiver, then you know how hard and lonely it can be. After the first year, I needed to do something, or go crazy. After pondering many ideas, it came to me like an epiphany that I should start making fragrances. I started RV in May of 2011.
Apicius: What is behind that name?
Robbie VanGogh: Robbie VanGogh was my stage name when I was lead guitarist for the Third Level Project. I was also influenced by Vincent Van Gogh.
Apicius: If we talk about Guerlain, we talk about the famous Guerlinade. Is there also something similar and unique in the Robbie VanGogh perfumes? A certain style or leitmotif? From your point of view, what is special about your perfumes?
Robbie VanGogh: Cannabis for sure. I think this fragrance note brings an herbaceous, earthy expression to my creations. The style is definitely masculine urban. What makes Robbie VanGogh special is that they are all natural and made by hand, in small batches to maintain quality. When a person wears my fragrance, it is like wearing a custom made suit, or shoes. I will not allow my formulations to be made overseas in big vats, and I have been approached about doing that.
Apicius: Who are your customers? Do you aim your fragrances at specific types of people?
Robbie VanGogh: Robbie VanGogh customers range from a college student in Poland, to a New York executive, to a young record producer in Texas, a middle-aged accessory artist in L.A., a thirty something female artist in Japan, and a wealthy man in Thailand. Well, you get my point. I think anyone can enjoy Robbie VanGogh fragrances. These folks also saw the passion and artistry in my creations. It just takes braking away from the mass-production mind-set.
Apicius: I got the impression that your perfumes are unisex or men's fragrances. Will there be something exclusively for the ladies?
Robbie VanGogh: I am developing a fragrance for the ladies. It should ready by the end of summer.
Apicius: You regard yourself as drawn to the so called natural perfumery. What is your concept of it?
Robbie VanGogh: Natural can be a subjective term these days. What I mean by natural is that I seek out small companies that are dedicated to purity and high standards for essential oil production. I do not use chemical science to formulate a fragrance. I have studied both ancient and modern perfuming methods, and have combined them with my style to create Robbie VanGogh artisanal fragrances.
Apicius: You state that some of your perfumes have to do with cannabis. Why are you drawn to that note?
Robbie VanGogh: I really enjoy the fragrance of cannabis oil. It is warm, earthy, and mixes well with almost anything. I grew up in the hippie days, and still enjoy thinking about some of the good times I had back then. Cannabis takes me back. It is a feel-good fragrance. However, I do not over use cannabis oil, but rather have it be like a light brush stroke on a canvas full of color.
Apicius: One of your perfumes has the name „Ubermensch“. Is there a link between your work and the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche? Would you claim a philosophical background for your work?
Robbie VanGogh: Ubermensch was inspired by Nietzsche’s “overman” I wanted to create a masculine fragrance that was like something you’ve smelled before, but had nothing to do with what it used to be. That is very philosophical. I also consider Ubermensch to be the smell of jazz, with a cool vibe that inspires one to live deeply.
Apicius: I saw your statement that you want your perfumes to be rather discreet. However, you now have started to offer perfume oils and Extrait de Parfums. Is that a change of your original approach? Should we regard the new fragrances as „powerhouses“?
Robbie VanGogh: What this means, is that I am listening to my customers who asked for, stronger and longer lasting fragrances. Since I amped up the volume on my fragrances, I have been comments like; “Hemp & Leather is a longevity beast” and “I love Hemp & Leather, and it is much stronger than I thought it would be” So I guess you could say they are more powerful than before.
Apicius: With the extrait and perfume oil versions, you are reformulating your perfumes. Reformulations are highly controversial among the Parfumo users. Often, customers are disappointed if they cannot buy exactly the same perfume they fell in love with three years ago. What would be your answer a customer who wants to buy the same version of – let's say – Hemp & Leather? Will the old versions still be available?
Robbie VanGogh: Hemp & Leather will always be the same. I simply made a higher oil concentration. It is the same formulation. I suppose that I should change the wording on that. I keep strict records of my formulations, and faithfully recreate them every time.
Apicius: What are your future plans?
Robbie VanGogh: So far, so good. I am now being distributed in both Europe and the US. My “head-shop” fragrances and I will be the featured in February at www.electricfetus.com . I would really like to see Robbie VanGogh in the big name stores, alongside Tom Ford and Jack Black, but I am very happy that so many people, from around the world are wearing and enjoying Robbie VanGogh fragrances now. RV started out as a way to deal with the isolation of being a caregiver, and to keep me moving forward while fulfilling my commitment. It has become so much more than that. Robbie VanGogh is all about rising up and overcoming, and to never stop daring to live your dreams.
Peace, Robbie VanGogh
Robbie VanGogh – Perfume And Music
The perfume market gets streamlined more and more. While the Global Players make sure you can find the same limited amount of fragrances in every spot of this world, it is just by chance you come across the sites of small niche brands. However, it is the independent perfumers, people who do their own thing, who not only guarantee diversity, but also have the potential for creative renewals in the art of of perfumery.
One of those independents is Rob Denton from USA – better known by his brand name Robbie VanGogh. He appeared on the scene recently, so his perfumes are still among the hard-to-finds. They struck me with a highly individual approach. After sampling most of his perfumes, to me Rob seems to be somebody who tries a new way in perfumery but without making the fragrances too experimental or hyper-modern. Rob himself claims them to be urban and modern, and I think he is right.
Apicius: Rob, can you tell us a little bit about you. On your website, we can see you are also musician. What was first – music or perfume? Is there a relation for you between your music and perfume?
Robbie VanGogh: I have been a musician for over 40 years, and this was my first passion in life. I left my home in Tampa, Florida at an early age to live in a commune in the inner city of Chicago during the early 1970s. I worked with the homeless, disabled, and poor developing food and clothing programs. This has also remained a passion for me ever since. Music and art inspire me as a fragrance artist. I draw heavily on my artistic background when developing a fragrance. Hemp & Leather was my first inspiration.
Apicius: Did you have a professional education as a perfumer in the industry, or are you a self-made-man?
Robbie VanGogh: I am a self-made fragrance artist. I began my journey as a fragrance artist when I lived in Chicago. It was there that I discovered exotic and lovely fragrances and perfume oils.
Apicius: When did you decide to become a perfumer – and why? When did you start your brand Robbie VanGogh?
Robbie VanGogh: About 2 years ago I took on the responsibility of full-time caregiver for my wife’s mother, who suffered a severe stroke. The stroke caused paralysis and mental impairment. . I gave up my professional life to keep her out the nursing home. If you have ever been a caregiver, then you know how hard and lonely it can be. After the first year, I needed to do something, or go crazy. After pondering many ideas, it came to me like an epiphany that I should start making fragrances. I started RV in May of 2011.
Apicius: What is behind that name?
Robbie VanGogh: Robbie VanGogh was my stage name when I was lead guitarist for the Third Level Project. I was also influenced by Vincent Van Gogh.
Apicius: If we talk about Guerlain, we talk about the famous Guerlinade. Is there also something similar and unique in the Robbie VanGogh perfumes? A certain style or leitmotif? From your point of view, what is special about your perfumes?
Robbie VanGogh: Cannabis for sure. I think this fragrance note brings an herbaceous, earthy expression to my creations. The style is definitely masculine urban. What makes Robbie VanGogh special is that they are all natural and made by hand, in small batches to maintain quality. When a person wears my fragrance, it is like wearing a custom made suit, or shoes. I will not allow my formulations to be made overseas in big vats, and I have been approached about doing that.
Apicius: Who are your customers? Do you aim your fragrances at specific types of people?
Robbie VanGogh: Robbie VanGogh customers range from a college student in Poland, to a New York executive, to a young record producer in Texas, a middle-aged accessory artist in L.A., a thirty something female artist in Japan, and a wealthy man in Thailand. Well, you get my point. I think anyone can enjoy Robbie VanGogh fragrances. These folks also saw the passion and artistry in my creations. It just takes braking away from the mass-production mind-set.
Apicius: I got the impression that your perfumes are unisex or men's fragrances. Will there be something exclusively for the ladies?
Robbie VanGogh: I am developing a fragrance for the ladies. It should ready by the end of summer.
Apicius: You regard yourself as drawn to the so called natural perfumery. What is your concept of it?
Robbie VanGogh: Natural can be a subjective term these days. What I mean by natural is that I seek out small companies that are dedicated to purity and high standards for essential oil production. I do not use chemical science to formulate a fragrance. I have studied both ancient and modern perfuming methods, and have combined them with my style to create Robbie VanGogh artisanal fragrances.
Apicius: You state that some of your perfumes have to do with cannabis. Why are you drawn to that note?
Robbie VanGogh: I really enjoy the fragrance of cannabis oil. It is warm, earthy, and mixes well with almost anything. I grew up in the hippie days, and still enjoy thinking about some of the good times I had back then. Cannabis takes me back. It is a feel-good fragrance. However, I do not over use cannabis oil, but rather have it be like a light brush stroke on a canvas full of color.
Apicius: One of your perfumes has the name „Ubermensch“. Is there a link between your work and the thoughts of Friedrich Nietzsche? Would you claim a philosophical background for your work?
Robbie VanGogh: Ubermensch was inspired by Nietzsche’s “overman” I wanted to create a masculine fragrance that was like something you’ve smelled before, but had nothing to do with what it used to be. That is very philosophical. I also consider Ubermensch to be the smell of jazz, with a cool vibe that inspires one to live deeply.
Apicius: I saw your statement that you want your perfumes to be rather discreet. However, you now have started to offer perfume oils and Extrait de Parfums. Is that a change of your original approach? Should we regard the new fragrances as „powerhouses“?
Robbie VanGogh: What this means, is that I am listening to my customers who asked for, stronger and longer lasting fragrances. Since I amped up the volume on my fragrances, I have been comments like; “Hemp & Leather is a longevity beast” and “I love Hemp & Leather, and it is much stronger than I thought it would be” So I guess you could say they are more powerful than before.
Apicius: With the extrait and perfume oil versions, you are reformulating your perfumes. Reformulations are highly controversial among the Parfumo users. Often, customers are disappointed if they cannot buy exactly the same perfume they fell in love with three years ago. What would be your answer a customer who wants to buy the same version of – let's say – Hemp & Leather? Will the old versions still be available?
Robbie VanGogh: Hemp & Leather will always be the same. I simply made a higher oil concentration. It is the same formulation. I suppose that I should change the wording on that. I keep strict records of my formulations, and faithfully recreate them every time.
Apicius: What are your future plans?
Robbie VanGogh: So far, so good. I am now being distributed in both Europe and the US. My “head-shop” fragrances and I will be the featured in February at www.electricfetus.com . I would really like to see Robbie VanGogh in the big name stores, alongside Tom Ford and Jack Black, but I am very happy that so many people, from around the world are wearing and enjoying Robbie VanGogh fragrances now. RV started out as a way to deal with the isolation of being a caregiver, and to keep me moving forward while fulfilling my commitment. It has become so much more than that. Robbie VanGogh is all about rising up and overcoming, and to never stop daring to live your dreams.
Peace, Robbie VanGogh
(So I probably have to order some more samples)
