What inspired Milk Orchid – and how did you turn the iconic Milk into something completely your own?
I wanted my perfect, milky non-milk. After trying more than 50 milk perfumes, I found that some of the best milky scents had more subtle milky facets. I admired the use of notes like sandalwood and coconut, which brought a creaminess, as in Santal Calling by Ex Nihilo or Arizona Bloom from Floral Street. More than just milk, it was important for me to create a full-fledged fine fragrance with interest and nuance. I brought my ideas to Christelle Laprade of Symrise and leaned heavily into her creative expertise for this formula.

What made you choose these notes?
I knew I wanted fig, vanilla, and coconut from the get-go. These bring the milkiness without the risk of going sour on skin. Beyond that, I wanted to truly collaborate with Christelle and have fun seeing where this challenge would take us. Magnolia and orchid were welcome additions from her. I never pictured a floral fragrance for my perfect milk, but it just worked. The magnolia disrupts the heaviness and brings an ethereal lift. I have never smelled anything like it.

Do you consider Milk Orchid more of a skin scent or a statement fragrance?
Perhaps a subtle statement. The scent has a soft, delicate flutter, but the projection and longevity will linger for hours.

Which of Commodity’s three Scent Spaces would you place Milk Orchid in and why?
Expressive. It can be smelled for hours by those around you.

Why should fans of the original Milk absolutely try this Limited Edition?
Milk Orchid is for anyone! They both have the same perfumer, but it’s a completely new fragrance with completely different notes.

What’s your favourite thing about Milk Orchid?
I love how creative it is. I always wanted to create a fine fragrance with a strong signature, and I love how we have incorporated milkiness to support this beautiful and unique scent.

What message do you hope this collaboration sends to other young creatives in the fragrance space?
If you do not see an opportunity, make one. This collaboration was my idea from day one – I pitched it to Commodity, and somehow they took me up on it. Here I am nearly two years later selling Milk Orchid at Sephora.