Gabriel Conroy is a designer & illustrator who made the illustrations for our Master Perfumes.
What inspired you to become a fashion designer?
I grew up around fashion. My aunt was a model and later produced a lot of fashion shows. I remember being back stage at fashion shows as a little boy. She also had a huge Vogue magazine collection and I used to lay on the floor and look through those magazines.
When did you start working as a designer?
In 1998 I was just about to start my last semester of design school. Victor Costa had visited the school the previous term and had seen some of my designs. He offered me a position prior to graduation so I dropped out and moved to New York. The school allowed me to finish my degree while working for Victor.
What is your most challenging “one-of-a-kind piece” that you made for one of your customers?
Each piece is challenging in it’s own way, in design school I used to try to make very difficult things that looked difficult. Now I find that making things that are “Simple” can be even more difficult and that’s what I am striving for. I don’t want to make things that appear pretentious.
How was the transition for you from making “one-of-a-kind” pieces to creating “ready-to-wear” collections?
The transition from one–of-a-kind to ready-to-wear was a real learning process. It has taken a few years for me to figure out the art of production and I am still learning. I still do one-of-a-kind designs for my clients but my main attention is now on ready-to-wear.
What is the inspiration for your current collection?
The inspiration for my current collection is the Pacific Northwest. We moved up to Vancouver Island a year ago. I am so inspired by the coastline here, the light is amazing and the nature is breathtaking.
Which other designers do you admire?
I have always very much admired Christian Lacroix’s collections. You could always tell a design was his by the cut and use of color and pattern. I also admire Rick Owens.
If you were to do a fashion show for your current collection, what perfume would you use to further describe the concept of your collection?
I would use OPARDU for this collection. There are key elements of that fragrance that are found in the Pacific Northwest like Cedarwood.
What qualities attract you the most in Puredistance?
I am most attracted to the quality and craftsmanship of Puredistance. You can tell immediately that this is not some dime store perfume when you smell it. The scents are so unique and rich. The packaging is so simple, I love the entire product, every aspect of it.
If you were part of the Puredistance Team, what would you like to do and see this year?
If I were part of the Puredistance Team I would want to create a scent called Mémoire. I would use the history of perfume as the marketing material. The history of things is very interesting to me. I think when people know where things come from they gain a deeper appreciation for them. Perfume has a rich and mysterious history that I think should be told. I think Puredistance is carrying on the great tradition of perfume with a lot of integrity and people should understand the difference.
How would you integrate perfume into the fashion world?
I think licensing is still a good option for integrating fashion and perfume. I think in the 80’s and 90’s the quality of the product suffered, but if done correctly it could be great! Personally I feel that fashion shows are a thing of the past and that video is the future. You could tell an amazing story by showing the evolution and history of fashion and perfume side by side. You could start with the Egyptians and then move through history to the renaissance and Catherine de’ Medici. It would be very interesting and it would be something real and historical to show people.
