Edmonton: Scentsational
Powerful enough to arouse raw emotion, evoke memories and trigger intimacy, fragrances are the most important weapon in a woman’s arsenal of products and potions. Carmela’s Profumeria (12531-102 Ave, 780-455-3336), on the high street in Glenora, is the place to shop for rare scents and couture fragrances, including the infamous Joy by Jean Patou.
The owner, Carmela Caputo, is an olfactory powerhouse who can recite the notes of virtually every fragrance in the posh boutique that bears her name. (Quite a feat considering her shop houses hundreds of scents.) With access to suppliers all over the world, Carmela is able to bring in hard-to-find perfumes not found anywhere else in the city. She has even been known to stock her shelves with bottles of fragrance that have been requested by a single client, giving whole new meaning to the term customer service.
Carmela’s is one of the few boutiques in Canada to carry the exclusive line of Creed fragrances and her top picks for stocking stuffers includes their newest fragrance, Love in Black, the follow-up to Love in White (shown). The new scent was inspired by Jackie O and is a masterpiece of tuberose blends. There’s also Salvador Dali’s Little Kiss, which has notes of lily of the valley, white musk and freesia. Salvador Dali’s Black Sun, with notes of juniper and sweet vanilla, is her top choice for men. Want these to end up in your stocking? Just write a letter to Santa and tell him to follow his nose.
