with Ariane Laezza of Trinitae

You might recognize Ariane Laezza’s face. For starters she’s a Toronto-based model, making appearances in publications like Canadian Living and Best Health and working with Cadillac Fairview and Vespa. Or maybe you’ve seen her behind the counter after wandering into a little shop on Queen Street West in Toronto called Trinitae, which is full of natural skincare remedies and which smells like essential oils. Laezza is no stranger to the beauty industry and so we were thrilled when she spoke to us about her favourite fragrances and what she currently wears.

QUESTION: What is your favourite scent memory of childhood?
ARIANE LAEZZA: The garden. The garage. The smell of my grandmother making crepes. I think of my grandparents a lot when I think of my childhood and they were either in their vegetable garden or in the shed or garage. Even now, I can imagine the scent of earthiness from the soil, the green of the vegetables, the sweetness of the flowers and the mustiness and dampness of the shed. My grandmother would often make crepes when the family got together and the sweetness of the vanilla and sugar cooking with butter still gives me a sense of comfort. I guess I like a balance of earthy and sweet scents.

Q: What was the first fragrance you bought yourself and why did you buy it?
LAEZZA: I’ve always been into perfume. When I was a kid I had this Celeste Eau de Toilette. She was the wife of the cartoon elephant Babar and the bottle had a bright yellow crown and the perfume smelled fresh and citrusy. I then became obsessed with all of The Body Shop oils, in particular Vanilla, Peach and White Musk.

Q: What does your favourite fragrance say about your personality?
LAEZZA: My perfume now is rather smoky, sweet yet complex. It smells a bit like leather, tobacco and vanilla. I got it as a gift from Paris but I’m embarrassed to say I forget its name. It comes in a beautiful, vintage looking glass bottle from another time.

Q: What makes you notice a fragrance?
LAEZZA: I really think a good fragrance comes from how it makes you feel. I love the smell of amber and whenever I smell this scent on someone it just makes me smile.

Q: How many fragrances you own?
LAEZZA: Five.

Q: How many fragrances do you regularly wear?
LAEZZA: These days I actually only wear my Body Lotion from Trinitae. It’s scented with lavender, patchouli and vanilla and has the most delightful, sweet smell. It’s just delicate enough and the scent lasts all day. People often stop me to ask what I’m wearing.

Q: What do you smell like?
LAEZZA: The other day I walked into a coffee shop and somebody said to me; ‘You smell like orange blossom and lavender’… I had just come from our shop, Trinitae, and so I guess I smell like a combination of all our aromatherapy scents.

Q:  Who is the best smelling person you’ve ever met, and what did they smell like?
LAEZZA: This will sound very strange…but I met Mickey Rourke once at TIFF and he smelled incredible. To the point where I had to ask him what he was wearing but he refused to tell me! He smelled like woodsy tobacco.

Q: If you could bottle the scent of a favourite place/city/memory/moment, what would it be and please describe the smell.
LAEZZA: The café where I met the love of my life. The smell of freshly ground coffee beans, buttery croissants, vanilla, fresh spring breeze, sunshine. That might sound overly romantic but that essentially describes our life together! Every morning we have coffee together and it’s the favourite part of our day.

Q: How important is fragrance to your life, to your sense of style?
LAEZZA: It’s top of the list! I see fragrance and scents as an integral part of my life experience, memories and how they make you feel. The right scent can really change your mood. To me, it’s as important to wear the right scent as it is the right shoes.