Luxury scentologist Brant Anderson takes his consumer back to jazz’s golden age when Ella Fitzgerald and Dizzy Gillespie ruled the airwaves with Olphactory Candles. The sensory brand flirts with the mind and entices the nose with each movement around the spaces his products occupy. In an interview with The BALDWIN, the founder talks jazz, inspiration, an Black ownership.
The BALDWIN | Your brand is inspired by Jazz. During an era where the genre isn’t as popular as it once was, why choose it as an anchor for your company?
Brant Anderson | Jazz being an anchor in American and African-American history is one reason that I chose it as a pillar of my company. Personally, jazz has been so influential in not only my upbringing, but also my current life today. I’ve never really followed trends so my love for the art form that is not trendy is indicative of my true love of jazz and the joy, calm and positive energy that it brings me. OLPHACTORY CANDLES specializes in the art of scent, paired with the art of jazz.
TB | What’s the inspiration behind the name?
BA | OLPHACTORY has a multi-part name. Your olfactive sense is responsible for smell recognition and regulation. It plays such a huge part in your life and you may not even realize it. From deciphering amazing and memorable to toxic and unpleasant smells, your olfactive sense is integral in everyday life. As far as the “PH” within olPHactory, I wanted to highlight and represent the balance that life requires. You must try to stay as balanced as much as possible even when things become lopsided.
TB | At this point, you’re creating a sensory lifestyle brand. Can you talk about expanding, and what that process has been like?
BA | Expansion for OPHC is more about finding the things that work and staying steady. Most times, so many people chase trends and hype. That has never and will never be an OLPHACTORY CANDLES thing. I’ve built my brand on consistency and making sure excellence is created time after time. Expansion is a slow and meticulous process because I feel as if I haven’t even reached the peak of “the perfect candle” so it will be a lot more of the same until it’s perfected. Slow and steady wins the race. OLPHACTORY is a brand that exudes classic and timeless. Some brands just take their time to grow and that’s what we want to do here. Stay tuned.
TB | Did your company start as a hobby? Or was the idea to always been a full-on business?
BA | I’ve always been a fragrance fanatic and collected an array of colognes and scents. In all honesty, I wanted to start a cologne and perfume line. The barriers for entry into the cologne/perfume world are crazy. The idea to make candles came from that. Initially, candle making was a hobby to see if I could learn the art form and have a scent for my home that nobody else could replicate. After creating 4 scents that would eventually be named Heritage (signature scent), Noir Vanguard, Cole’s Trane and Intimacy Calling, I figured out that I could brand this with jazz, wine, and art to create a business. The birth of OLPHACTORY CANDLES was a series of events, ideas and perfect timing jettisoned by my love of fragrance.
TB | Black-owned candle-brands are booming, why is equity important in the luxury sensory and scent-based space?
BA | In my opinion, luxury doesn’t always mean costly. Luxury is more of a feeling and mindset. My brand is defined to make you feel good and not drain your pockets in the process. Equity on the other hand is a HUGE part in the boom of Black brands across a multitude of industries. We are looked as if we don’t understand or can’t produce LUXURIOUS products. I know so many Black creators who have produced some insanely great products that rival and exceed your big-name brands. We take our time because we know we will be scrutinized more than others and in turn, that ensures that our products are a step above everybody else’s. The sensory and scent-based space is so cluttered right now, but you can immediately decipher the brands that take their time to create very luxurious products.