It has been a busy past year for David Bromley. The Melbourne based artist and six-time Archibald Prize finalist and his wife Yuge, criminal defence and commercial litigation lawyer, turned designer. David and Yuge, have recently teamed up with the iconic Bondi Perfume Company to create and launch three bespoke fragrances: Noir, Oriental and Floral, all of which are available at Chemist Warehouse stores nationwide. David is also best known for his exquisite paintings and sculptures. He has painted portraits of many celebrities ranging from Hugo Weaving to the Jenner sisters. For nearly 40 years, David has had more than 30 solo exhibitions both within Australia and around the world.
Ahead of the fragrance launch at the Capitol Grand in South Yarra, David spoke with Jake from Melbourne My Style, telling us how he has always had an immense passion for the beauty industry, and this collaboration is finally bringing his dream to fruition through the creation of three distinct Eau de perfume fragrances that exude refinement and luxury.
David, congratulations on the fragrance and the launch tonight, can you tell us about Bromley Fragrances and how this came about?
We had an association with the owners of the ‘Bondi Perfume Company. They are big art collectors and, we have a mutual friend, Larry Kestelman, a businessman and property developer. We live in a building called the Capitol Grand in South Yarra that was developed by Larry. One day Larry and our mutual friends were talking together and Larry said to them, “Why don’t you do a perfume range with Bromley?”
What was the thought process when making the fragrances? Were you personally involved in choosing the scents?
Yes. There’s nothing that was not really our concept and idea.
When it came to choosing the scents, I decided to involve my beautiful daughters and darling wife, we sat around and sniffed different samples to find the best ones. My sense of smell after 40 years of painting, is slightly skewed by enormous amounts of inhalation of just about every paint known to man.
How did you as an artist design the bottle and packaging?
I have a phenomenal love for design and for packaging. I’m always looking at packages and things. I also have a collection of beautiful old perfume bottles by Salvador Dali. It’s not just the scent but it’s the way the box opens and things like that. I love that sort of thing and kept that in mind when designing our fragrance collection.
When I stand back and I see it all finished, (the Bromley Collection), packaged, the way the lid comes off with a magnet and all those intricate details, it makes me happy. I’m very driven towards these outcomes.
How long did it take to come up with each design and concept?
The design time would only be a matter of weeks but the actual process, getting the prototypes, and doing all of those things was probably a year and a half. I’m dying for to the product launch. Some of the models who are featured on the packaging will be attending tonight’s launch like Julia Vogl.
Out of the three cases, which design was your favourite?
I love them all. It’s really hard to say.
How has Yuge, your wife helped with this project and working together in general?
My wife Yuge was involved in this from the start. She is around all the time and is definitely my equal in the studio. We have an almost telepathic conversation with each other. Yuge is a very creative person, and she’s one of the only people that I listen to.
Which fragrance out of the three do you think people will go for the most?
I think they will choose the one with the art cover that they like the most.
The David Bromley fragrance collection is available exclusively at Chemist Warehouse stores Australia wide and online via www.chemistwarehouse.com.au. The fragrance collection consists of Floral Eau de Perfume, Noir Eau de Parfume and Oriental Eau de Parfume.
To learn more about David and Yuge Bromley and his artwork on display or to visit his studio go to www.bromleyandco.com
Written by Jake Freeman.
Photography by Fiona Hamilton.
