Continuing from part one of the ION Insider Workshop… The next stop in our itinerary was VOM FASS, a couple of doors down from Crate&Barrel. VOM FASS is a tiny space packed to the brim with colorful liquids in glass vials and decanters. If you’re carrying bulky items or have a tendency to be clumsy, please do move slowly. You’ve been warned! To epicures and connoisseurs of fine wines and spirits, VOM FASS is THE proverbial candy store. Of course they also do provide cold pressed oils and vinegars, to cater to those who prefer the non-alcoholic variety. We were met at the entrance by Stefan Kromat, Director of VOM FASS Singapore.
Stefan explained to us the philosophy behind VOM FASS: “Look, Taste, Enjoy”. VOM FASS is the Mediterranean way of sampling and savoring premium artisanal products directly from the cask. Their commitment is to provide uncompromising levels of customer satisfaction. I do love a business which is so focused on keeping their customers happy. I believe the best and most honest marketing is through word-of-mouth. Nothing else even comes close.
VOM FASS has gift sets available for purchase, suitable for the fickle-minded. Ready packed and in small quantities, they’re ideal for house-warming gifts or that hoity-toity gourmet friend of yours. If you’re still spoilt for choice, do speak with the staff. I’m certain they’ll be able to give you good recommendations.
Based on the “Look, Taste, Enjoy” concept, customers can sample the product on the spot and have their chosen quantity freshly bottled. A variety of bottles and volumes available to satisfy all demands, including a glass bottle with a F1 racing car perched inside. If you desire something more flashy and exclusive, consider adding some gold flecks into your poison of choice, complete with a diamond-shaped bottle.
Customers are also encouraged to bring back their empty bottles for refills instead of purchasing new ones. How eco-conscious, I approve. Stefan revealed that some of his regular customers from Indonesia and Hong Kong who happened to be in Singapore for transit would take a cab down to get their empty bottles refilled, and then rush back to the airport within the hour. Such dedication and loyalty to the VOM FASS brand! You can imagine how high-quality their award-winning vinegars, oils, and liqueurs are. According to the expert craftsmen who create an exclusive offering of selected products which are constantly being adopted; “Only the best is good enough”. Perfectionists after my own heart!
Before we left the store, Stefan made sure each one of us got a special VOM FASS gift bag which held three bottles:
- Blueberry Liqueur: Freshly picked blueberries united with fine grappa Valentino. Always appropriate, but served best ice-cold, neat, or on the rocks (I don’t drink, but this sounds fab!)
- Truffle Oil:Created by infusing extra virgin olive oil with truffles, this distinguished oil added just before serving meals gives sauces, starters, risotto, eggs, noodle, and rice dishes a marvelous taste (Truffle fries any one?)
- Apple Balsamic Vinegar: Concentrated apple juice and apple vinegar stored in oak casks (in other words, high-class apple cider vinegar). With four percent acidity, it lends a special touch to salad dressings, poultry, or as a base of non-alcoholic aperitifs
I highly encourage you to pay VOM FASS a visit, because just being in the shop is an experience in itself.
VOM FASS is located at:
2 Orchard Turn
ION Orchard, #04-25
Singapore 238801
Tel: (65) 9272 8284
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Our final stop was to be Penhaligon’s. We were ushered into the shop by Caroline, Penhaligon’s very friendly Brand Manager. Stepping into the primarily purple and gold shop was like being transported into a extremely luxe, royal, and flamboyant universe. Not that I minded, especially because purple is my favorite color. We were given a quick introduction to Penhaligon’s, which I think we all needed. Full disclosure: I’ve never heard of Penhaligon’s prior to doing my research for the event.
Here’s a couple of interesting facts about Penhaligon’s:
- The perfume Juniper Sling is also a popular drink at the Tippling Club. Trademarked by Penhaligon’s, Juniper Sling’s recipe is a closely guarded secret. Mixologists at the Tippling Club who designed the drink based on the fragrance’s actual flavor chart, are the only ones who are allowed to make it. The drink is served in a Penhaligon’s bottle, with an accompanying Penhaligon’s gift box
- Penhaligon’s advocates fragrance layering. Fragrance layering is a simple technique used to lock the fragrance down onto the skin, and extend its projection and longevity. It consists of four simple steps: First, indulge and relax in fragrant bath oil. Second, spritz fragrance generously onto the skin. Third, lavishly apply hand and body cream. Fourth, liberally dust talc to complete the procedure (just like applying a thin layer of loose powder to set your makeup!)
Caroline then announced we would each be getting scent profiled today, ending with us walking out of the store with a personal fragrance. I was pretty stoked because this was the first activity of the day involving us doing something cool!
We were introduced to the scent profiling specialists and split up into two groups. My group ended up with Dex (the guy on the left), and I bravely went first. Dex was very detailed in explaining how scent profiling worked. Basically, it involved getting to know the customer; exploring olfactory memory and building a profile, based on your likes, dislikes, personality, background and what you’ll want your ideal fragrance to say about you.
My go-to perfume has always been Gucci’s Envy Me. It’s my signature scent. I absolutely love everything about the scent–it wears really well–and lasts the whole day. I wear it so much the people around me associate the scent with me. A male friend once texted me asking if I had just been in the lift because it smelt like me. Aside from coming across as slightly creepy and stalker-ish, I think it’s the best representation of a perfume that smells so distinctly me.
Based on that story, Dex told me I needed a perfume representing my strong and outgoing personality, and one with plenty of longevity. He picked out four different scents for me, as described below:
- Artemisia: Floral and fruity with a beautifully sensual powdery dry down (I personally found this a little too sweet for my liking)
- Iris Prima: A citrus freshness mimicking the graceful flight of a prima ballerina as she leaps into the spotlight (I found this really fitting since I used to be a ballerina, but I still felt it wasn’t the one for me)
- Zizonia: A spicy fragrance that is nomadic and oriental, like a desert traveler finally finding an oasis in the middle of a dessert (I thought this smelt nice, but too similar to my DKNY Be Delicious, Night)
- Endymion: A sensual fusion of citrus, spices, and leather. Spicy and fresh, it is a fragrance of contrasts, a seductive night-time fragrance. (This smelt like nothing I’ve ever encountered before, really enticing, exotic, and oh-so-so sexy!)
After being sprayed with all four scents (thank God for long arms!), I wandered around the store to explore as the scents took time to settle…
Make a guess which one I picked?
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| c/o of Penhaligon’s |
If you guessed Endymion, you’re absolutely right!
Created in 2003 by Steve de Mercado, Endymion is a sensual fusion of citrus, spices and leather. It opens with a burst of sweetened mandarin wrapped gently in sage and lavender, then settles and smoothes gently into a dark coffee heart. As it warms up, mysterious resins rise up with hints of creamy nutmeg, cardamom and the softest leather.
Fun fact: Endymion was a mortal so loved by the Goddess of the Moon that she put him to sleep forever, so she alone could visit him every night.
Typically a men’s fragrance, this makes me feel strong, powerful, and in control. It’s the type of perfume you’d wear to a board meeting, or to make a strong impression at an interview. Since it’s unisex, this is a scent both your partner and yourself can enjoy.
And so ended the workshop, with everyone going their separate ways. But not before taking a group photo of course! I’m glad I got the opportunity to attend the workshop, and meet other like-minded individuals with different personalities.
Because I was one of the last to leave, I was treated to a preview of a new fragrance slated for launch later this month–Tralala. Dex wasn’t able to give me a sample because it has not been officially launched in Singapore, but I did get a liberal spray on my arm to see how it wore on me. Three words: I LOVE IT! Dex was absolutely right in saying that the scent is very ‘me’, which was the feeling he got when I first walked in the shop. Can’t wait for the launch!
My mini-sized atomizer of Penhaligon’s Endymion. It’s such a unique and romantic scent! Thanks so much Dex for your patience, and helping me picking this one out. I know I must’ve been quite a difficult customer because I took so long to make up my mind. Please look for Dex if you’re ever at Penhaligon’s. He’s the best! If you’ve been to Penhaligon’s before, I would love to hear which scent’s your favorite. Let me know in the comments down below.
Penhaligon’s is located at:
2 Orchard Turn
ION Orchard, #03-16
Singapore 238801
Tel: (65) 6634 1040
Many thanks to Coleen, Chermaine, and Zoe for the invite, not forgetting your lovely company throughout the morning. If not for this workshop, I wouldn’t have known the intriguing back stories behind all the shops we visited. It was indeed an eye-opening experience I don’t regret signing up for.
