Love & Crime
Ex Idolo
Inspired by the forgotten story of May Coyle and Thomas Howard in their romantic 1905 Boston prison escape. The nationwide press coverage that followed made them folk heroes of the day, even more so when May was acquitted of all charges with the support of the nation behind her. May’s bravery was translated into LOVE & CRIME resulting in a deep-gourmand floral. The dark notes of cocoa juxtapose against the brightness of red mandarin and pink pepper to act as a metaphor illustrating how life’s cross roads can reveal hidden layers within our personalities.
Fragrance Facts
Head notes: Pink pepper, Red mandarin, Feminine florals
Heart notes: Baking sugar, Star anise
Base notes: Natural cocoa, Vanilla sponge cake
Perfumer: Tanya Zhuk
Conception: London, UK
Year of Release: 2018
- Meet the Brand
- Meet the Maker
- Media
Ex Idolo was founded in Mayfair, London in 2013 by Matthew and Tanya Zhuk. The core concept is showcasing rare and precious materials within sympathetic compositions. Their careful sourcing of the world’s finest and rarest aroma ingredients transforms each bottle into a portal, offering a glimpse into an elusive and secret world. Their style is rather not to be predictable, but to tell each olfactive story individually, and faithfully.
Ex Idolo offers a truly artisan experience that reflects the traditions of classic perfumery, using rare natural materials, hand packaging and small batch quality control.
Matthew Zhuk
Matthew Zhuk is one of the noses behind Ex Idolo perfumes. Bringing innovation but also paying homage to classic methods.
Tanya Zhuk
Tanya Zhuk discovered the power of olfaction from a young age, drawn to the scent of freshly-made vanilla creams in the pastry shop where her mother worked as an accountant. By the age of 14 she was combining natural materials such as vanilla, lavender and tonka to create solid perfumes. Those first steps turned into a serious interest in perfumery and today Tanya is the creative director of Ex Idolo.
Creative Director, Tanya Zhuk used inspiration gained from the narrative of May Cole & Thomas Howard's great escape to create poems and develop illustrations for Lucid Dream and Love & Crime. Her expressiveness give the fragrances multi-dimensional representation.
LOVE & CRIME ILLUSTRATION AND POEM
Must hide my armour in sweet secret,
high time to use tradition as a vice
Night grows large, heart braves the fear
that’s made of bars and slate
I know they won’t like such caper,
but those with me would make a state
And if I had to I would get down to the nitty gritty
not just this once but twice, and thrice
LUCID DREAM ILLUSTRATION AND POEM
When the snow melts and winter ends
For joy and fun,
All the while I roam and run,
My bushy tail catches scents
Of woods and berries, and sweet rose...
Then at night,
When the sun gives way to the moon’s light
I wrap my tail to hide my nose...
I fall asleep and as I dream
I look around, suddenly I seem...
To have two wings and start to fly
Along with the wind, towards the sky
In my dream, I’m a butterfly