The Hottest New Scents Bottling A Hotel Rendezvous
March 3 | 5 minute read
Words by Christie Sinclair
Tucked away on a leafy street corner of Hudson in Upstate New York, The Maker feels like a well-kept secret. From the historic red brick facade to the jewel-toned interiors, cosy fireside nooks and velvet armchairs that invite you to stay just a moment longer, every single detail has a sense of nostalgia and intrigue. In the air, worn leather, fresh espresso and something elusive, drifting from the second floor – the owner's personal fragrance library, with over 500 scents collected over many years for guests to explore.
Instagram: @themakerhotel
With owners Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, this really is no surprise. The duo have, after all, spent decades redefining the way we experience and interact with fragrance. As the visionaries behind Fresh, a beauty brand they founded in Boston more than 30 years ago, they have always had a way of turning every product into something deeply personal, layering nostalgia, emotion, naturally-derived ingredients, craftsmanship and heady scents into everything they create.
Now, the pair have taken that sensibility and bottled it, creating a collection of perfumes and candles under the same name as their hotel and inspired by their shared love of travel, exploration and, of course, hotels. As Glazman explains, “Something about hotels is mysterious, sensual and sexy, it’s a place where you put your inhibitions aside and be in the moment.”
“The Maker is about celebrating hotel life, and the memories and fantasies that come to life there. It’s the fantasies that you long for – the fragrances are about inspiring an emotional space that you can take yourself,” he says.
“The hotel and the fragrances were always interconnected. Hospitality intrigued us because, in some ways, hospitality is very much connected to us running and hosting customers in our own [Fresh] stores. We felt ready to take the next step and share something beautiful with the world,” Glazman explains.
Glazman, the fragrance architect, collaborates with different perfumers across the US to craft each scent. In his role, he creates the structure of a fragrance and shares this vision with the perfumers – it always involves natural essences and the highest quality ingredients - and together they work to bring to life the perfect scent. The brief, however, is always the same, he says:
“Fragrance is about transporting you to another place, about creating a destination - and not necessarily a physical one. We want our fragrances to transcend beyond the walls of the hotel. Scent can awaken something within us.”
The Maker fragrances are now exclusively available at MECCA. So although we can’t all experience that fabled hotel in person, we can take a piece of it home.
The Reckless: Fire Eau de Parfum
Inspired by the famous fireplace in the Maker Hotel Lounge, where sparks always seem to fly. It’s a spicy, smoldering vanilla fragrance that’s impossible to ignore, with juniper berry and smoky tobacco.
The Hedonist: Libertine Eau de Parfum
For pleasure seekers, risk-takers, and those always up for a good time, this zingy citrus scent features pomelo, hibiscus and cedarwood. It’s freedom, bottled.
The Obsessive: The Lover Eau de Parfum
Not a romance, an addiction, the kind that lingers on skin long in a hypnotic, woody haze. Creamy sandalwood, fig vetiver are layered with jasmine sambac, narcissus, and a whisper of oud slowly reveals itself.
The Seductive: Naked Eau de Parfum
A tangle of sheets, perfume on the pillowcase, a beautiful hotel room. This sensual, salty, skin-like scent with white musk, wild orris and passiflora is impossible to get out of your head, like a night you never want to end.
The Escapist: Paradiso Eau de Parfum
If you can’t find paradise, reach for this sun-soaked, skin scent that feels like a sensory escape. It’s fruity, floral and joyful, with a rush of mangosteen, a flirty hit of plumeria, and a hint of dewy patchouli leaves.
The Lone Wolf: Stag Eau de Parfum
This scent is rich, powerful woody blend with a palo santo and leather edge. A scent of confidence, for those who want to leave a lasting impression.
The Rebel Romantic: Wild Eau de Parfum
Electric and spontaneous, like locking eyes from across the room and knowing exactly what happens next. A slightly smoky floral with bite – blending tuberose absolute, luscious peach and creamy sandalwood.
