August 26, 2020Flower Person
Sigil Scent Founder, Patrick Kelly
In today's Flower Person interview, we explore with Sigil scent founder Patrick Kelly the meaning of florals, his own connection to them, and how flowers play a role in business and everyday life.
Sigil, a luxury line of 100% natural, gender-neutral, and carefully curated fragrances founded in 2015, has a special way of connecting us to botanicals and surrounding nature through sensorial experiences. As a skilled alchemist and lover of nature himself, Kelly builds hand-blended scents that aim to produce a mystified feeling within the physical realm and creations of our world.
Below, you can read a little bit more about who Patrick Kelly is and what this means to him.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
My name is Patrick Kelly. I own and operate a gender-neutral fine fragrance company called Sigil.
Where did your love of flowers come from and what drew you to flowers?
As a perfumer, I was always drawn toward naturals. There’s a certain alive feeling that comes from working with whole plant extracts. I’ve spent a good amount of time in nature, backpacking, volunteering, wandering, and have always felt most connected to my sense of purpose and peace when immersed in aromatics. In particular, the scent of orange blossom—both in California, as well as in my earlier days driving across long stretches of highway in Florida. The bright, sparkling aroma of these white citrus blossoms is simultaneously vegetal, citrusy, and floral. There’s a subtle indolic depth that incites mystery, too.
What do flowers mean to you?
Beauty. Delicate, impermanent, ephemeral beauty.
How do flowers play a role in your life today?
They are part and parcel to my business as a formulator and perfumer. Florals are the most romantic of the naturals. I feel so fortunate to be immersed in their whole being on a daily basis.
How do you incorporate flowers into your daily ritual?
Outside of my perfume business, I take a rose glycerine tincture from Wooden Spoon Herbs, I cannot get enough of floral treats, too: biscuits, breads, you name it. Orange blossom and rose water in everything, please.
Is there anything special you’re working on right now you’d like to share?
With everything going on in the world, I’ve put most of our focus and resources on creating community in commerce. We have participated in almost a dozen IG Lives, giveaways, and gatherings of communities with shared values and priorities to discuss how to emerge from this experience more compassionate, connected, and engaged in both social and environmental ways to better the world. On the business side, I am rejiggering our sales strategy to push forward some more approachable formats and price points for our direct customers. All while ideating on a totally new business, which I’m hoping to launch with a partner later this year.
Do you have a favorite flower or floral scent that inspires your work?
Osmanthus. Neroli or orange blossom absolute. Jasmine. Rose.
Finally, what’s a wellness tip you’d like to share with our community?
Just noticing our sensations of joy, of anxiety, of duress—and then intentionally and proactively naming them—gets us out of flight or flight limbic brain and amygdala brain patterns. This forces our frontal brain, where logic lives, to light up and to minimize corporeal and emotional stress response. So journal how you’re feeling. Stop and breathe. Touch yourself where you’re holding stress.
To learn more about Sigil or connect with Patrick Kelly, you can explore the website and social links below.
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1 comment
Hi Patrick. I just wanted to say that I think you are a wonderful person. I saw the video you did with Hello Beauty and my heart was instantly won by your charm, gentleness, and intelligence. The interviewer was lovely as well. Anyway, the whole reason I ever saw that video is because I recently bought a vial of Amor Fati for no reason other than I like the name, and . . . this perfume is so enchanting. I’ve smelled a lot of perfumes but was never this genuinely moved by one. So you are something special. Also, I’m a huge Patti Smith fan. I wish you every success. If I were famous, I’d connect you with other famous people and make you (even more) famous, too. Alas, I’m just a French teacher in Sacramento. But my 2020 just got a lot better since Amor Fati came along, and now I know you’re a person in the world, too. Thank you!
Megan McMullan
November 23, 2020
