FragComm Fridays: Devin Breaux

Hello, everyone! I am glad you could join me for my second installment of "FragComm Fridays"! Today I have another influential man from the fragrance community and a good friend of mine, Devin Breaux. Devin is the owner of Genre Parfums. A newer fragrance house that makes inspirations of high-end fragrances, but he tries to do fragrances that other houses aren't doing. He has also recently launched an original creation line which has been met with much praise.

Devin is an outstanding and polite man who is very cordial and interactive with his customers. He knows where he came from and he never forgets that. He is all about spreading positivity. That is why he and I get along so well. Anyways, I will let the man speak for himself! Here it is!


The Interview

Me: What is your favorite fragrance?

Devin: At the moment, that’s a very difficult question. I’ve grown pretty fond of Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait though. 
 
Me: What made you start up your fragrance brand and why? 

Devin: I’ve always been pretty passionate about fragrances. From my days as a kid receiving fragrances like Candies and Curve for birthdays or Christmas, to my adult life purchasing $300.00+ fragrances on my own. What made me want to start up Genre is the effect that fragrances have on people. It can bring joy, pain, satisfaction, frustration, love, hate, confidence, etc. I wanted to be able to provide something that can really have an impact in many households. Something that has the power to unify people! In doing so, I also dreamt of how I could bring these different attributes full circle, while making it easily accessible.

Devin: What is the biggest challenge for you with Genre right now?

Devin: This answer is simple. For those who know me, I’m sure they’d say the same. TIME! Working a full-time job forces me to exercise patience. So, I am always trying to find creative ways to be productive for Genre, while I am away for work. Time is the biggest challenge.  

Me: Your fragrances have been popping up all across the FragComm lately. How do you feel about your hard work paying off?

Devin: I feel as though you get out what you put in. I put all of myself into Genre because I am passionate about it and I believe in it. I also have a group of friends that help me get the name out there as well. For them (In the Genre Parfums Neighborhood Group) I could not be more thankful. God knows how to give you what you need when you need it, regardless if you realize you need it or not.
 
Me: Do you have any future plans that you can let us in on?

Devin: As my mom would so commonly state, “There’s always a ram in the bush.” Stay tuned and you’ll find out. 
 
Me: What is your favorite fragrance memory?

Devin: Holidays when my mom would make her infamous pumpkin squares for dessert. 
 
Me: What is a fragrance that everyone else likes but you dislike?

Devin: I may be setting myself up for something here, but for me, Aventus is just okay. 
 
Me: If you could compose a gourmand fragrance that smells exactly like the food it's inspired by, what would it be?

Devin: See above (the pumpkin squares) haha.
 
Me: What is your favorite smell that has yet to be realistically captured in a fragrance?

Devin: I’m not sure if many people will get this, but I like the scent that lingers in the air when it is getting ready to rain. It’s quite tranquil and comforting. 

Me: You have quite a few clever names for your fragrances. Are these just your impressions of what the fragrances smell like to you or how do you go about naming them? 

Devin: When naming a fragrance, I do a lot of research on the origins of the fragrance, especially if it is an inspiration. I try to tie my nomenclature to what the original name is, in as clever of a way as I can. But for our originals, I try to create a theme for each and choose a name that plays off of that. A lot of quiet time, a lot of research. I don’t force it. 

Me: Who is one historical person that you would want to meet?

Devin: Because I’m a huge fan of music, I’d probably say Maurice White (RIP), original lead singer and arranger for Earth, Wind & Fire

Me: Who is your biggest inspiration?

Devin: Undoubtedly, my Mother. RIP. She was the epitome of what it meant to stand, give your all even when you feel defeated, and never give up. If only she could see what her teachings, lessons, and discipline has caused to happen today. ️

I hope everyone enjoyed looking into a bit of Devin's life! A big thank you goes out to him for taking the time to do this even though he is super busy!

Stay tuned next week for Kenny Walker, who is a blogger over at The Fragrance Shark! Hit that blue follow button to support my work and remember to always say positive things! You never know the impact you can have!

What to know what #FullDoug is? Well, join the Genre Parfums Facebook Group here and you will figure it out!

Feel free to contact Devin about Genre Parfums here