The Story of Velvet Smoke
Let me take you on a journey behind the scenes of how Velvet Smoke came to be, and our inaugural masterpiece, the Filthy Rose candle.
It all started with a blast from the past – a 1970’s palm light that sparked my love affair with vintage furniture. Lia, the mastermind behind Anenome Interiors, became my go-to guru for all things retro. With her knack for uncovering treasures and my penchant for (obsessively) collecting them, it was a match made in vintage heaven.
Picture this: a fitting session for a mammoth 7ft Tomassi barbi palm light in my front room. Amidst the glow of nostalgia, Lia and I found ourselves dreaming aloud about our future ventures. I told her about my desire to venture into homeware, craving a space where creativity could flourish beyond the saturated beauty industry. Lia, on the other hand, had a dream to craft the perfect candle.
And that's when the stars aligned. As we toasted the successful installation of our lamp of joy with glasses of champagne, inspiration struck. With Lia stepping out for a smoke, the name "Champagne & Smoke" materialised in a flash of brilliance… or serendipity, who knows? Within 30 minutes, we had it all – a name, a domain, a trademark, and even an IG handle.
If you’re new here you may be thinking, huh? Champagne & Smoke? Well yep, that was our original name until the actual region of France called Champagne, threatened to sue us if we didn’t change our name. Who knew Champagne was a protected word? Not us. So Velvet Smoke we became. What a story.
It still turns out, all the best ideas really do come with a glass of bubbly in hand.
Now, let's talk about Filthy Rose – our pièce de résistance. Award-winning fragrance journalist Alice Du Parq couldn’t have described it better:
“Within moments of lighting Filthy Rose, the scent filled the room in the most spectacular way - it was so much more intense than many luxury candles I’ve tried (and I’ve tried A LOT!). The burn is beautifully even and steady, and it’s the unique scent that really stands out. It’s the party candle you’ve always lusted for, radiating with the most insanely decadent, opulent and glamorous thorny, dark and devilish rose scent. It makes me think of Tim Burton movies with Helena Bonham Carter trussed up in a scarlet velvet Vivienne Westwood corset heaving with her fabulous sexy boobs and curves, sweeping past a leather-clad Johnny Depp down a carpet scattered with rich burgundy rose petals. This is a candle that sets the tone for a hedonistic and mischievous night of fun, friendship, sequins and dirty jokes. You couldn’t get more Lisa and Lia-in-a-candle if you tried.”
We won’t be resting on our laurels because this is just the beginning. Velvet Smoke is cooking up a storm, with an array of timeless pieces set to add fabulousness to your homes. From candles to Champagne Serviettes, yep we’re making them a thing, each item is crafted with love and designed to stand the test of time. And yes, even our candle vessels are destined for a second act once the wax has burned away.
In essence, every piece we create is something we would proudly display in our own homes – a fusion of vintage charm and modern pizazz. So here's to Velvet Smoke– where creativity knows no bounds, and every scent tells a story. Cheers to the journey ahead, and to your homes being adorned with our unique brand of Lisa & Lia magic.
You can shop Filthy Rose NOW at www.velvetsmoke.com
Love
Lisa & Lia xx