Toke Makinwa Talks Perfume Launch, Partnership with Seinde Signature

• Reveals she has collected over 1,000 fragrances

Vanessa Obioha

Nigerian media personality and lifestyle influencer Toke Makinwa has recently partnered with Seinde Signature Salon de Parfum, a renowned brand known for its extensive collection of exclusive luxury niche perfumes, to distribute her perfume range both locally and internationally.

At the unveiling in Seinde Signature studio in Victoria Island, Lagos, Makinwa described herself as a perfume lover.

“Perfume is an art to me. I’m the girl who will spend six hours shopping for perfumes. While my friends are shopping for clothes and  shoes, I’m lost in the perfume store, smelling different fragrances.”

She revealed she has collected over 1,000 fragrances.

“I currently have collected about 1,200 perfumes. I give out perfumes a lot. I have scents from five years ago; some are nostalgic to me, while some were gifts. So when it gets to a certain level, I will keep it and start using another because I can always relive the experiences again.”

Her love for perfume eventually led her to create her brand, Toke Makinwa Perfume. The idea, according to her, started about three and a half years ago. She travelled to France and other parts of the world, speaking to creative geniuses to understand the art and business of fragrances before finally launching this year. The first batch released in May sold out immediately to her surprise.

Makinwa said she was involved in the whole creation process. Her indecisiveness, however, proved a challenge.

“There were times when I woke up and I thought a particular fragrance was the right one but three months later, I’m changing my mind. So it was important for me to detach my personality from the brand because I’m a deep scent lover. I’m more of the woody, saffron kinda girl. So when you are creating for the general public, you have to consider inclusivity.”

Her eponymous perfumes include Vogue, Dive and The Intense. Toke Makinwa Vogue comes in a distinctive red bottle and is an extrait de parfum featuring top notes of floral, jasmine, and blossom, with base notes of woody, musk, and amber. Housed in a striking black bottle, Toke Makinwa Intense offers top notes of florals and cinnamon while the lush Toke Makinwa Dive, presented in a white bottle, is the most subtle of the range, boasting top notes of pink pepper, black currant, and grapefruit. Unlike Vogue and Intense, Dive is an eau de parfum.

The General Manager of Seinde Signature, Oreoluwa Olaseinde, noted that Toke Makinwa Perfume shares a vision closely aligned with Seinde Signature. Both brands cater to perfume collectors who appreciate unique and distinctive scents. While Seinde Signature specializes in niche perfumes, Toke Makinwa Perfume also stands out for its uniqueness and sophistication, offering a complimentary addition to the Seinde Signature collection.

“I’m really excited about this collaboration,” said Makinwa at the unveiling. “Distribution was one of the key reasons why we did this partnership. You have to respect a brand that has its roots all around Nigeria. We didn’t want to work or stock at stores that only cater to the elites or people who live on the island alone. What about those in Ikeja, or people living in Port Harcourt or Abuja?”

Describing her brand as aspirational, Makinwa said her perfumes are made for every successful person who loves to smell good and loves and collects perfumes as well. “So it was important for me to collaborate with a store that they can walk into and experience the perfume and make their purchases.”

Makinwa also hinted at a future fragrance collaboration between her and Seinde Signature which will epitomize the luxury and exclusivity of the fragrances as well as the Seinde Signature branding.