Maria Host-Ivessich: "Perfumes allow me to collect many personalities" Interview with the director and model with a great passion for the world of perfumery
The world of perfumes and fragrances (if luxury or niche is certainly a bonus but not essential) is incredibly fascinating. It captivates those who have studied it for years, those who talk about it on social networks, and even those who know very little about it and are just starting to explore—especially given its exponential growth in recent times. Today, almost everyone loves talking about perfumes: their creation, the stories they tell, and the visions of the creatives and noses behind them. Because a fragrance isn’t just the scent of musk, amber, or vanilla—it’s a universe to explore. Thankfully, in this multifaceted galaxy, there are people like Maria Host-Ivessich and her Scentlist, ready to bring clarity, create order, share, and communicate their passion.
This is exactly where our conversation begins—with her many passions, all different yet complementary. There’s directing, fashion, and perfumes. "All my passions stimulate me—they’re all part of one single passion. Firstly, because I hyper-focus on everything; secondly, because the common thread is always imagining or conveying sensations, atmospheres, and characters. Ultimately, what I love to do, my true passion, is to communicate. Ever since I was a nerdy 14-year-old participating in a forum where we wrote stories, I imagined worlds, invented runway shows, and even described the perfumes in my small collection. I love sharing what excites me—I think it’s part of our generation."
Maria Host-Ivessich: An Interview with the Model and Director Who Loves Writing About Perfumes
Her relationship with fashion, as both a director of commercials and a model, is a bit more complex—by her own words, conflicted. "My relationship with the fashion world is always a bit turbulent. I can be combative, a little rebellious. I don’t like being told how I should be or how I should look—I don’t even do that when talking about perfumes. I don’t tell others which fragrance they should or shouldn’t wear. So, I don’t like the rules; I enjoy the storytelling, the imagery, the freedom to choose how to represent yourself," she explains. Naturally, fashion and perfumes meet here, in a synergy that has existed forever. "The most classic way they intersect is through advertising—representing a fragrance via a celebrity spokesperson, which might actually be the least interesting method. Perfumes are a means—perhaps until recently underexplored—for expressing oneself while projecting an image of who we want to be. It’s incredibly powerful and beautiful. That’s one reason I love collecting so many personalities. Sometimes I use them as armor. When I attend meetings—fashion can be a very masculine environment—I wear strong scents, like ambers, to take up space."
Exploring the World of Fragrances
If we wanted to enter this world ourselves, what should we do? "The first thing I recommend is to dig deeper. Don’t just rely on the top 5 lists circulating around; don’t hand over the responsibility for your taste to others. Order discovery kits and smell everything from that brand, not just the viral ones. And most importantly, have fun! It’s still an open field—it’s wonderful to explore." In her future, more exploration, naturally: "I hope to combine the world of perfumes with video, to dive into details and deepen this passion for fragrances. I’d also love to be in the Marche region eating ciauscolo!" she laughs naturally before returning to being focused, or as she would say, hyper-focused: "As for the future of fragrances, I see further expansion. Every brand is launching its artistic line—I find it exciting. We’re all in this boat together, finally!"
1st Look:
Full look ASPESI
2nd Look:
Full look MACCAPANI
3rd Look:
Full look ETRO
