Meet Aiesha McKenzie | Fragrance Designer for My Signature Scent

We had the good fortune of connecting with Aiesha McKenzie of My Signature Scent and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Aiesha, how do you think about risk?
I never want to say, “I wish I had…”. Life, which happens to be the meaning of my name, is a blessing and it should not be taken for granted or squandered. Therefore, I’m all about taking educated risks.

As a matter of fact, I have my perfume brand because I took the risk of owning a store in the New Black Wall Street Market. I had been working on starting a business selling perfume-creation kits. Long story short, I just couldn’t get it to work out. I heard that the Market was opening and looking for entrepreneurs. The day I saw the application and its fee was also the day I unexpectedly received a stimulus payment. I took that as a sign to move forward and change the direction of my business. I knew I couldn’t own a store because I had a full-time job, two young kids, and not a moment of free time, so I was excited that they had an option for consignment. However, the consignment program wasn’t fully fleshed out, so they gave me the option to be part of a co-op with two other businesses. Even that was going to be a challenge since it would require me to be in the store to sell my product; it just lightened the weight of owning the store myself. I didn’t know how I was going to swing it, but I decided to go for it because I didn’t want to miss out on an opportunity.

Taking this risk shaped my brand. I hadn’t created any fragrances for sale prior to owning the store. Therefore, knowing that my audience would be primarily Black, I felt free to create scents from the Blackest perspective. If the Market had not been my distribution channel, I probably would have tried to make scents that appealed to the masses. I love the Black experience, and being able to have themed fragrances like Blacker Da Berry and HNIC allow my creativity to go places it never would have, otherwise.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I quit my “good government job” to move across the country to go to fashion school in Los Angeles. I had the mis?fortune of graduating in 2008, during the recession. Needless to say, I couldn’t get a job in the fashion industry. I reluctantly got my job back, and felt grateful, but defeated. I had always said that if I couldn’t work in the fashion industry, the only other thing that I would want to do is be a perfumer. But becoming a perfumer the traditional way is hard, so hard that it is easier to become a rocket scientist. I just knew there was no way that it was going to happen. Luckily, it is becoming easier to get into the industry, as many indie perfumers are experimenting and teaching themselves. So I did extensive research to find out how I could live out my dream. I found a perfumer who makes the accords, and I design the fragrances using them. Therefore, my customers get a professional-quality product, designed by someone with a unique olfactory style.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Naturally, I would take her to the New Black Wall Street Market! Speaking of markets, I think Your Dekalb Farmer’s Market is one of the coolest places ever, so we’d go there and stock up on food to cook. I still haven’t been to Slutty Vegan, so we’d have to check that out. I’d probably do a short getaway to Chateau Elan or Callaway Gardens and hit the spa, or maybe stay local and go to Jeju Spa.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family have always encouraged me. My mom allowed me to be the weirdo that I am, even though she might not have understood me. My husband supports me following my dreams.

Website: www.mysignaturescent.net

Instagram: @mysigscent

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mysigscent