One idea has ruled the fragrance industry for generations: women wear florals and men wear musks. When Matthew and his co-founder, David Kien, began making candles out of their kitchen, they took a different stance. They named the brand Boy Smells and packaged products in a pink box, giving rise to what they call “genderful” expression. It’s an invitation to embrace the gender spectrum and tap into your fullest power by calling on both the feminine and the masculine.In this episode, Matthew sits down with Marianne Mychaskiw, who runs communications at Scentbird. He explores the history of gender-based marketing, collaborations with Grace Jones and Kacey Musgraves, and why Boy Smells is a love letter to his younger self.Highlights:
Matthew's relationship with scent growing up
Embracing the fullness of your identity: “genderful” vs. genderless
Calling on both the masculine and feminine
Working for great fashion designers in London and New York
Treating Boy Smells like a fashion vs. fragrance brand
Starting Boy Smells with David Kien from their LA kitchen
Why they called it Boy Smells and packaged products in a pink box
The brand as a love letter to Matthew’s previous self
Scent Spotlight: Cowboy Kush, Violet Ends, Grace, Slow Burn, & Hinoki Fantôme
How the collaboration with Kacey Musgraves started in the DMs
Why Grace Jones is the original gender disruptor
Scent Connection, Beyond-the-Binary Edition
What a David Bowie scent might smell like
Alexander McQueen’s influence
A brief history of gender-based marketing
What Matthew would say to his 13-year-old self
Featured Fragrances:Cowboy Kush by Boy SmellsViolet Ends by Boy Smells‍Featured Candles:Grace by Boy Smells‍Slow Burn by Boy Smells‍Hinoki Fantôme by Boy SmellsSoak in all of our audio and video content at https://podcast.scentbird.com.