NEXT IN NICHE:
PERFUMER KALEIGH PROKOP
We continue our journey through the perfumers shaping today’s niche perfume, a series also featured in Le Parfum Magazine Chapter 7, with Kaleigh Prokop. A young perfumer at Mane, her creative world is shaped by a fluid, modern approach to scent, guided by everyday rituals, food, and literary imagination.
Kaleigh Prokop’s approach to perfume is shaped by everyday rituals and creative curiosity. In the Q&A below, she shares how process, pleasure, and personal interests continue to influence the way she creates perfume, including the story behind her latest creation.
“INSPIRATION FINDS ME ANYWHERE, BUT MOST INTIMATELY IN THE KITCHEN”
Creative style:
Ethereal, modern, and fluid
Loves to use:
Aquatic calone, dark and woody cypriol, and cosy musk
Latest creation:
Amber Solis by Ayond
How did you become a perfumer?
I have always been drawn to the sights, sounds, and smells of New York City. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology, to study fashion and photography, in addition to cosmetics & fragrance marketing. Later, an internship with Mane’s marketing team turned into a full-time job in the perfumery lab, followed by my formal perfumery apprenticeship.
What inspires your creations?
Inspiration finds me everywhere, but most intimately in the kitchen. Food has always been a big part of my life; I’m a true foodie and love a good meal. There’s something about the process of creating a dish, following a recipe, or even improvising that really fuels my creativity. I’ve found that the simplest things often bring the most comfort.
What’s your dream project?
A bibliophile at heart, few things bring me more joy than getting lost in a good book by the sea. I’m especially drawn to the vivid olfactive moments in classic literature. My dream project? To translate those passages into scent. I am drawn to the idea of capturing the essence of characters and stories to create a living library of fragrance filled with people, places, and things.
What is your latest niche perfume creation?
My latest niche perfume is Amber Solis by Ayond. It draws its soul from the hush of twilight, when the sun melts into a golden horizon and the world exhales. I sought to capture the warmth of honeyed light, the textured poetry of the desert, and that tender moment of introspection that golden hour inspires. The fragrance is an invitation to slow down, to soften and then reignite.
READ MORE IN LE PARFUM MAGAZINE CHAPTER 7
In “Next in Niche: Upcoming Noses” on page 38, you can explore more stories of upcoming perfumers like Kaleigh Prokop.
SHOP NOW
