Meet The Founder of A.N Other: Ariella Appelbaum
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Time to read 4 min
Exciting unisex perfumes, reduced to the essentials – that’s what the brand A.N Other stands for. By avoiding excessive marketing, A.N Other can invest more time and money in developing and producing high-quality fragrances. We chatted with the founder Ariella Applebaum
Table of contents
1. You studied law in Israel. What inspired you to create unisex perfumes? 2. What sets A.N Other apart from other perfume brands? A.N Others master perfumers 3. What was the biggest challenge when founding the company? What motivates you to keep going? 4. How has A.N Other developed and how do you see the future of the brand? 5. How are you involved in the development of new fragrances? What do you look for when selecting your perfumers? Dear Ariella, thank you very much for your time and continued success with A.N Other! A.N Other Collection
1. You studied law in Israel. What inspired you to create unisex perfumes?
Life. I moved several times with my family and decided it was time to become more independent and create something I can take with me when I move again. I have always loved perfume and saw an opportunity in the perfume market segment in the USA (where I live) for a niche perfume that is very high quality and not outrageously expensive. And I wanted our customers to be able to buy perfume in their favorite boutiques.
2. What sets A.N Other apart from other perfume brands?
We put the perfumers in the spotlight! Instead of hiding them behind advertising stories about moods, genders, models, travels, and other marketing gimmicks. We also differ from other brands in how we work with perfumers – they have complete creative freedom with us!
Most perfumers usually have to follow strict brand guidelines and try to realize a vision dictated by consumer trends and marketing requirements. The instructions they receive are incredibly detailed. We gave the perfumers free rein to create the scents of their choice. We don’t demand a specific fragrance, and we don’t interfere with the creative process. We also impose no budget restrictions on the perfumers, giving them more freedom. Carlos Viñals (the perfumer behind FR/2018) said it was like a kid in a candy store. Catherine Selig (WF/2020) chose an incredibly expensive rose concrete. David Apel (OR/2018), on the other hand, took a different path by blending common oils in a unique way to create a very personal scent.
A.N Other Master perfumers
From top left to bottom right: Rodrigo Flores-Roux: Sultry Green, David Apel: OR/2018, Catherin Selig: Crushed Velvet & WF/2020, Carlos Vinãls: FR/2018, Nathalie Benareau: FL/2018, Patricia Bilodeau: WD/2018
3. What was the biggest challenge when founding the company? What motivates you to keep going?
A major challenge was attracting top perfumers to collaborate with us. We struggled to gain the attention of perfumers who usually work with much larger clients. We achieved this with a lot of persistence. Once we had concrete products, we had to make our brand and products known. Most of our competitors in the US have significant marketing budgets and a very large distribution network. All of this factors into the price of the perfume once it’s on the shelf.
We neither had the means nor the will to "buy revenue" by spending a fortune on marketing and advertising. That is still a big challenge we face every day.
I am very results-oriented, meaning that as soon as I have a goal in mind, I am determined to achieve that goal. The entrepreneurs I work with also motivate me a lot – the boutique owners, our designers, many of our suppliers – they have all been where I am today, and their story fascinates and inspires me again and again. I am still quite new to entrepreneurship, so there is a lot to learn.
4. How has A.N Other developed and how do you see the future of the brand?
A.N Other is still a young brand, and this is just the beginning for us. I love that we can infuse our own values and beliefs into the brand. Things are constantly evolving, and we have to ask ourselves every day what is right for the brand. Every day we learn something new.
We focus on increasing our visibility within the network of well-curated stores and boutiques in the USA and Europe.
5. How are you involved in the development of new fragrances? What do you look for when selecting your perfumers?
I am very involved in the process of developing new products, but only from the outside, so to speak. I am not a trained perfumer and believe in letting the perfumers do what they do better than anyone else. The perfumers work independently on the fragrances. We smell the final works after they are completed. In doing so, we learn more about the ingredients used, the different notes incorporated into the perfume, and the perfumer’s inspiration.
Every perfume has a story. I also learned that some perfumers have their own signature accords that they incorporate into many of their creations. Carlos Viñals used one of his signature accords in FR/2018, just as Catherine Selig did in WF/2020. Sometimes questions arise during the process, for example: Can we use an ingredient that is listed as "endangered" in certain regions? Or is it okay to use Australian sandalwood, which is more expensive than other sandalwoods because it is sustainably cultivated?
We are very fortunate to work with incredibly talented perfumers. But even more important is that I had the chance to get to know them as people.
