You may recognize Chris from his 25-year career as a model, where he appeared in over 60 campaigns for Ralph Lauren and became an iconic face for the luxury brand. It was on a spontaneous trip to Grasse, the French Riviera town known as the perfume capital of the world, that Chris struck a deal with a scent manufacturer to start his own line. Not long after, Chris Collins became the first Black-owned fragrance line to be sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Nordstrom, and Sephora.
In this episode, Chris sits down with Brittney Jackson Moseley, who runs integrated marketing at Scentbird. He tells the story of the cultural exchange between New York and Paris, takes us back to the artistry of the 1920s Harlem Renaissance, and reflects on what it means to live a bold, free life.
Highlights:
- Being discovered as a model and pivoting from a medical path
- What it was like to work as a Ralph Lauren model for 25+ years
- Obsession for Men and early scent moments
- How Chris found the freedom to be himself
- The first “yes” from a fragrance house in Grasse
- Take the first step, even if you don’t know how to start
- The connection between Paris and the 1920s Harlem Renaissance
- What does a Harlem speakeasy smell like?
- How a fragrance goes from an idea to the bottle
- Daring to explore (and overcome) taboos in self-expression
- Chris’ scent preferences day to day
- Scent Spotlight: Harlem Nights, Renaissance, & Danse Sauvage
- The story of Josephine Baker
- Scent Connection, First Moments
- Why Chris is making history
- The definition of a life well-lived
Featured Fragrances:
Harlem Nights by Chris Collins
Danse Sauvage by Chris Collins
Renaissance by Chris Collins
Soak in all of our audio and video content at https://podcast.scentbird.com.