Meet Viktoriya Martynova of La Parfumerie USA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Viktoriya Martynova.

Hi Viktoriya, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
La Parfumerie is a small fragrance boutique in the heart of Raleigh, NC offering high-end perfume from Europe. Currently, we represent 16 niche perfume houses from Italy, Spain, and France. At our store, you will find worldwide acknowledged and award-winning perfumes from Montale, Carner Barcelona, Borrelli, Eight & Bob, The House of Oud, Nicolaï, Maison Sybarite, Essential Parfums, Gallivant, and Nasomatto, etc. Our store continuously presents new brands.

I am Viktoriya the owner and the founder of La Parfumerie. I grew up in Russia and moved to the USA at the age of 21. Entrepreneurship has always been my passion. I studied business administration and while at school I always dreamed about owning my businesses. By combining my two biggest passions- perfume and entrepreneurship, I started La Parfumerie.

La Parfumerie started from a search of the perfect chocolate fragrance. I love chocolate fragrances and when the mass production market failed to satisfy my desire, I turned to niche fragrances and “voila”! Endless possibilities and luxurious varieties stimulated my curiosity and determined the future path in the field of selective perfumes. I understood that I found the niche for my business. From that moment on, I continuously try to surprise my customers with carefully selected high-end fragrances, holding unusual but very beautiful notes in each bottle.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
La Parfumerie USA was established in October 2017, and it is a female-led small business. I started La Parfumerie without any investment but with a big faith in its mission and vision. For me perfume is very much associated with music, and I know that when you find your perfect scent it unlocks the symphony of your soul.
The mission of La Parfumerie is to help everyone find their perfect scent and hence the symphony of their soul.

I am very proud of what I have achieved. In four years, I was able to open a boutique and offer national shipping through https://www.laparfumerieusa.com/ website. Besides presenting a wide range of niche perfumes, we also organize educational events, such as “Meeting with Perfumers” mini-series and offer a Personalized Perfume Session. Each month we organize “Meeting with Perfumers” with renowned perfumers or founders of the perfume companies. We have already organized three sessions. Through our Personalized Perfume Session, I guide our customers through the world of niche fragrances and help to choose the perfect scent.

But the road has not always been smooth. By moving to the US at the age of 21 I have overcome the language barrier, experienced a cultural shock, and had my own struggles. It took several years to develop the dream that I had in my heart.

When I started my business, I didn’t take a bank loan, I didn’t have an investor and I didn’t have any money to invest. I had a few hundred dollars which I spent by buying the perfumes that I really liked. I was very careful in choosing the first fragrances. Then I started introducing them to my friends and very soon got my first customers.

Choosing being self-employed is not easy. It means leaving the stability, and security that my previous jobs offered me. It was not an easy decision. But I think it’s better to take a leap of faith than to settle for something that is not you. Because by the end of the day you must live your life and do what you were designed for.

We’ve been impressed with La Parfumerie USA, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
While there are many shops in Raleigh that offer wide selection of perfume, my shop stands out by its uniqueness and rare collections. We are a small shop, and we know each of our customers by name and offer one-on-one experience on a journey of finding their PERSONAL EXCLUSIVE scent. We have diversified our services and we also provide consultations, organize educational events about perfume and offer seasonal discovery boxes.

Our mission is to help you find your exclusive scent which will unlock the symphony of your soul. Our vision is to offer an opportunity to everyone to find their perfect scent. Scents have the power to unlock the best memories of your life and create new ones. The scents you choose will mark your seasons, determine your personality, and become an intimate soul-connector.

During those years we created a small community of perfume lovers who know each other, and we have our own chat group where we share the latest news and always keep in touch. They are my customers who became La Parfumerie family.

Our store is known by the European brands, and the perfumers and founders of those brands gladly agree to meet with our customers. Through our “Meeting with Perfumers” mini-series they answer all their questions, as well as share the story of perfume creation.

We do not just offer fragrances; we aim to become a platform for all the perfume lovers with a selection of perfumes that are unique and experiences that they will not find anywhere else.

What was your favorite childhood memory?
Celebrating New Year was the best memory of my childhood. Those were the best days of my life. I was very happy and had nothing to worry about but the gifts under the tree. Those were always surprising gifts, but my sister would spoil it a couple hours before the clock hit 12 am.

We cooked food, watched old movies, and received a lot of candies from different countries. We watched the special festive programs until 4 am or won’t even go to bed at all. And then for the next 3 days, we would keep celebrating by just doing nothing and spending time with friends and family.

Pricing:

• Discovery Box-$45 (+complementary $10 coupon towards full bottle purchase)
• Nicolaï Candle $60
• Montale fragrances-$140-$170
• Nasomatto Fragrances- $185
• Amouage Fragrances- $340

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.laparfumerieusa.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laparfumerieusa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laparfumerieusa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAYi5cqVEqoASB9YFeZLlHQ/featured

Image Credits
Sitora Kan
Oksana Grim
Maria Risen Photography