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“The final maker of a fragrance is the person who wears it,” says Lev Glazman, co-founder of The Maker, “Perfume only comes to life on the skin–it reacts with your chemistry, your personality. That’s what gives it depth and individuality.” This philosophy lies at the heart of The Maker’s fragrance collection, where every scent is designed to be a deeply personal experience.
Born from a passion for craftsmanship and storytelling, The Maker began as a boutique hotel in Hudson, New York–a sanctuary of artistry and sensory pleasure. But for Glazman and co-founder Alina Roytberg–who first made their mark in the beauty industry with cult-favourite brand Fresh–fragrance was always part of the vision. Inspired by the hotel’s intimate, immersive atmosphere, they developed a collection of gender-inclusive scents beloved by guests and fragrance aficionados alike, including favourites like Lover, Paradiso and Wild.
Now, The Maker introduces Dream, a fragrance that captures indulgence in its most addictive form. Born from a fantasy of gluttony without consequence, Dream envelops wearers in a sensory journey of sweet decadence.
Ahead, Glazman and Roytberg dive deeper into the inspiration behind The Maker’s newest coveted fragrance and more.
From Fresh to The Maker–what inspired you to return to fragrance?
Glazman: “For me, fragrance has been a lifelong passion. Growing up in Russia, scent became an important part of my personal experience. I connected fragrances to people, to spaces, to moments–that’s how I started capturing things in my memory. When we created the hotel, we felt we could create fragrances inspired by what’s happening within the walls of The Maker–the stories that people experience could be bottled to take with them.
Fresh is all about nature–natural ingredients, remedies passed down through generations and scientific exploration of why they work. Those fragrances are light and clean–not just in formulation, but in the scent itself. The Maker fragrances allow me to dive deeper into more intense notes–really bring the sensuality to the forefront. The hotel spaces we created are very sultry, very intimate, very sexy. They really make you feel a certain way, and I always like fragrances that have a lot of personality and depth to them. The Maker gives me an opportunity to really hone in on the true character of fragrances.”
Scent is so closely tied to memory–it’s such a universal experience. I love that you’re bottling that for people.
Roytberg: “The old saying is ‘You see a picture once then hear about it seven times.’ There is a real destination–there is a real place where things happen. And sometimes, when you look back at certain memories, you’re not sure where reality and fantasy crossover. A visual story activates your memory. One day you could be there, but you don’t need to be if you have a fragrance to bridge that gap.”
How does The Maker Hotel’s atmosphere influence your fragrance collection?
Glazman: “Whatever happens at The Maker stays at The Maker. People come into the hotel every single day, they have their own lives, their own stories, they celebrate their own moments–they stay for a few days and then they leave. But the memories stay. There’s something within the environment of The Maker that evokes something in you, and the fragrances help draw up some of those moments.
For example, the Fire fragrance has a gourmand element, but it also has a lot of ember in it and leather and so forth. It was inspired by our lounge that feels like a little speakeasy. It used to be an old carriage house that we converted into this very special room that has a big fireplace with two chairs in front of it–everyone loves to sit there.
When I sat there for the first time, I had this feeling of warmth–like two people in deep conversation having a cocktail by the fire. There’s music playing in the background, and you’re smelling the cognac and loving that moment with each other. It’s not just looking at the fire, it’s how those two people put each other on fire.
The fragrance Naked immediately follows that scene. During COVID, when I was staying in the Artist Studio, I imagined that couple that put each other on fire being in a room embracing, exchanging the scents of their skin and continuing that magic with each other.”
Did Dream take inspiration from a particular moment or place in the hotel?
Glazman: “One particular influence was actually the film Marie Antoinette by Sofia Coppola–specifically, the scene where she’s in the bath, surrounded by cakes. I personally love pastries but follow a strict diet, so I imagined a dream where indulgence has no consequences. In this dream, you wake up at The Maker Hotel, walk downstairs into the conservatory, and find a display of exquisite pastries. You can eat them all without guilt, and the more you taste, the more you desire. Dream captures that feeling–it’s addictive, sensorial, sensual. It’s a gourmand fragrance but with refinement and depth.”
Who do you see wearing Dream, and how does it make them feel?
Glazman: “Dream is for everyone. When we introduced it, many people told me they never thought they could wear a vanilla fragrance, but they fell in love with it. One person I know, who never considered vanilla scents, now wears Dream all the time.
Roytberg: “I think wearers really appreciate the idea that you animate your fragrance, and your experience with the fragrance, too. Two people could be wearing Dream and one might pick up more of the bourbon vanilla, while another might be touched with the cinnamon butter notes.”
Glazman: Yes. The fragrance isn’t just vanilla–it has woody and spicy notes, with a floral hint of magnolia. It’s complex and layered. We don’t believe in labeling fragrances as strictly ‘masculine’ or ‘feminine.’ Fragrances are for everybody. At the end of the day, fragrance will do its job on your body. You bring it to life–you are the maker of your own scent experience.”
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