The perpetual rain and wind on Saturday didn’t put off the 50 or so participants who attended Chi-Cocoa Scentsation, Chicago’s first combined perfume and chocolate progressive sampling event. The weather was not the only challenge when planning the all-day escapade, however. Independent event organizer Anita Berlanga said it was, “running my other business [a manufacturing company] while trying to finalize this event. Luckily, I have had some great support. Laura Palermo from International Cosmetics and Perfumes has been an invaluable ally.”
Inspired by the perfume events produced by Sniffapalooza.com (which lures hundreds of perfume aficionados to New York retailers), Chi-Cocoa Scentsation was designed to provide participants with the visceral experience of sniffing and sampling different perfume lines all in one day. “We want to give the customer an incredible, decadent day of fragrance along with the universe’s favorite food—chocolate,” said Berlanga, a longtime perfume connoisseur and chocolate lover.
The event, which took about three months to plan, kicked off at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast at Oak Tree restaurant on the seventh floor of the 900 Shops, a Michigan Avenue mall. Registration immediately followed on the main floor at Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge. Along with a name badge, guests were given emergency “scent-removal” wipes and a small bag of coffee beans to keep nasal passages clear.
Tour guides "Patty" and "March" from the fragrance blog “Perfume Posse” led participants through special presentations and raffles at niche perfume boutiques such as L’Artisan Parfumeur and upscale department stores like Barneys. The daylong tour along Michigan Avenue culminated with a cocktail party at Outsider Inc., a design company.
Warm candlelight, the aroma of blended oils, and a large screen displaying the Chi-Cocoa Scentsation logo filled the entryway to the 10,000-square-foot space. Outsider Inc.’s video-screening room contained scent stations for niche perfumers Liz Zorn-Sohivole and Neil Morris Fragrances. Here, the attendees could sniff, spritz, and purchase one-of-a-kind blends that are not yet available to the public. A spread of various chocolate treats could be found in the plush lounge area, located alongside a plasma-screen TV playing the movie Perfume.
The evening ended with a raffle and a blind fragrance swap; participants were encouraged to bring a fragrance in an unmarked brown paper bag, so that they could draw for keeps. For those flying home, a station was set up for guests to fill out airbills and pack and ship any large perfume purchases made throughout the day.
