Alexandra Donaldson, assistant editor at The Whale & The Rose

We have a new member of our team at The Whale & The Rose—Alexandra Donaldson—and her birthday is today. You’ve probably already read one or two of her posts!

Since we understand people by the fragrances they choose (among other choices ie. the food they eat, the books they read, the friends they keep, the clothes they wear etc.), we thought a fragrance Q&A with Alex by way of introduction would be a great idea. After all, our questions always have a way of getting people to dig deep into their olfactory unconscious and reveal a few interesting facts about their style and passions. Don’t forget to check out the rest of our interviews as well! 

QUESTION: What is your favourite scent memory of childhood?
ALEXANDRA DONALDSON: Fresh-cut grass. It reminds me of everything from the beginning of spring to going to see fireworks in the field by our home, to just hanging out on a Saturday while my Dad mowed the lawn. 

Q: What was the first fragrance you bought yourself and why did you buy it?
DONALDSON: Surprisingly, I’ve never bought myself a fragrance. I’ve been lucky to receive some that I like as gifts. But, since I’ve gotten more interested and exposed to different fragrances I’ve started a bit of a wishlist/shopping list: “Untitled” by Margiela for its completely original greenness, Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Limon Verde for that fresh lime and summer smell, Balenciaga’s B for its fresh, woody earthiness, and Bottega Veneta’s Pour Homme Extreme—with its notes of pinewood, fir balsam, leather and pimento it’s a warm and rugged feel-good scent.

Q: What does your favourite fragrance say about your personality?
DONALDSON: Probably that I am understated, slightly masculine and warm/earthy—and not as lighthearted as I should be.

Q: What makes you notice a fragrance?
DONALDSON: I’m actually very drawn to sweet-smelling fragrances like Lancome’s La Nuit Tresor and Theirry Mugler’s Angel Eau Sucre even though I never wear them (I don’t like how they smell on my skin). That I’m drawn to sweet scents isn’t so surprising—I’m a notorious sweet tooth who has no problem justifying cake for breakfast. To wear, I’m always looking for things that smell new or different or, conversely, things that recall a particular time and place. Lately the scent of rosemary and lavender appeal to me as well as warm musky notes—leather, cinnamon, balsam.

Q: How many fragrances do you own?
DONALDSON: I own three—Comme Des Garcons Girl, Fresh Life, The Body Shop’s Red Musk—but I count my boyfriend’s cologne as part of my own collection too.

Q: What do you smell like?
DONALDSON: Clean laundry and warm skin.

Q: Who is the best smelling person you’ve ever met, and what did they smell like?
DONALDSON: My partner smells amazing. He wears Dior Eau Sauvage (which I often wear as well), but even his natural scent—warm, musky—is great. It sounds kind of strange but I often find myself nuzzling into his armpit when we sleep, because I love how he smells.

Q: If you could bottle the scent of a favourite place/city/memory/moment what would it be and please describe the smell.
DONALDSON: Northern Ontario in the spring and summertime. We go to Algonquin Park every year and if I could bottle the smell of the lake, the pine, the earth it would be perfect.

Q: How important is fragrance to your life, to your sense of style?
DONALDSON: Fragrance used to not be important at all to me—in fact I used to actively try to smell like nothing. But now that I have a better sense of myself, I look for ways to express my style, and fragrance is definitely one of those ways. I don’t wear perfume every day, but when I do I am always happy to catch a whiff of whatever I decided to spritz. I always feel more put together that way.

Q: What fragrance are you hoping you’ll get for your birthday?
DONALDSON: The new Byredo X Oliver Peoples scent is amazing. It’s earthy and sunny and subtly sweet. It reminds me of both the comfort of a sun-drenched porch and the adventurousness of a Californian road trip—both of which sounds like great birthday activities too. (Read more about the scent here.) 

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