CAROLINA HERRERA could equally have been talking about her fragrances, there is a hugely successful portfolio of scents loved by all ages. Her debut signature scent launched in 1988, with a men’s scent in 1991. And in 1996, it was the turn of another CAROLINA HERRERA – the designer’s daughter – to step into the picture: CAROLINA HERRERA de Báez joined as Creative Director at the fragrance house. She grew up in La Vega, the Herrera family estate built in 1590 just outside Caracas. Originally, Carolina Jr. wanted to become a doctor, studying sciences at Vassar. When she realised lab work wasn’t her thing, Carolina spent several years in the film and audiovisual industries. She also opened a boutique showcasing clothing from new designers, and launched her own line of jewellery which she made by hand herself. But in 1997, chatting to her mother, Carolina Jr. had the idea of helping her to launch a new perfume. ‘It required evoking the spirit of New York, a spirit I missed so much that I thought it would be a great idea to translate that world I adored, and that I often longed for, into a language of aromas… to capture it in an evocative fragrance that would let you bring a whole world of sensations around with you in your bag, and bring you closer to the Big Apple, no matter how far away you were.’ And so 212 was born. The first fragrance was launched in 1997 and has enjoyed massive global success. Many perfumed ‘plays’ on 212 have since been released, often as seasonal editions, to be quickly snapped up by fans and new ‘converts’. Developing each fragrance takes more than two years, Carolina Jr. explains. ‘It’s a process of constant inspiration and evolution. Feelings and instinct help, but to really make the product work, you have to fuse all the aspects: the name, the flask, the concept, the fragrance and even the publicity. When I work, I have to really establish what I like and what appeals to me. And I begin to contemplate and mentally organise everything I know, from a colour to a material. Then all that information starts to flow throughout all the different aspects of the process. The most important things are my memory, my eyes and nose, my imagination – and an excellent creative team.’ Carolina Jr. has now been the force behind almost a dozen 212 and CAROLINA HERRERA launches. She clearly loves creating alongside her mother: ‘It’s really easy to work with her. We don’t have exactly the same taste in everything, but we’re not opposites, either. We complement each other very well.’
