It was only a matter of time before model Lily Aldridge made a foray into the beauty industry. But while many of her celebrity peers have entered the space through makeup, skincare, or hair care, Aldridge gravitated toward a rather unexpected facet of the industry: fragrance.
Aldridge, who developed a love for scents at a young age, is taking a personal approach to perfume. In fact, the first fragrance from the model’s eponymous line, Lily Aldridge Parfums, is a romantic floral scent inspired by her Nashville home’s garden that’s aptly named Haven—we talk all about her career pivot from supermodel to entrepreneur on the WorkParty podcast.
Ahead, Aldridge shares more details behind her new business including the decision to pair each of her perfumes with a charity so her customers can give back, and how her modeling career prepared her for being an entrepreneur.
CREATE & CULTIVATE: You recently launched Lily Aldridge Parfums. We love how each perfume has a story and a location associated with it in order to create a "journey" for your customers. Why did you decide to set your brand up this way? What was the inspiration for this direction?
LILY ALDRIDGE: Since I was a little girl, I have loved to travel and discover new places and things. I am lucky that I found a career that takes me around the world, not to mention a husband that tours the world as well. When I think back on my travels, I can identify different scents that remind me of all these special places; like the candles burning in a small shop I found walking around a new city while touring with Caleb or the fresh flowers being cut and arranged into beautiful bouquets at a flower stand. I want to share some of my favorite places with others, through these four different scents. Hopefully, everyone that wears my scent experiences it in their own way and makes new memories they will cherish.
When you hit a bump or hurdle in your career, how do you #FindNewRoads + switch gears to find success?
I have always been very introspective. That’s why I love nature so much because it allows me time to be at peace; an escape from the noise. I truly believe that when one door closes another one opens. It’s about mindfulness and making sure your eyes are always open. When your eyes are open you can see opportunities you may not have seen before. Don't spend time looking down or looking back because you may not see what is right in front of you.
“Don’t spend time looking down or looking back because you may not see what is right in front of you.”
What do you wish your younger self knew about the fashion and beauty industry when she was just starting out? What advice would you give her now?
My advice to my younger self (and my future advice to my daughter) is to embrace your differences. Everyone is unique and everyone is beautiful. The cliché that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is true! Be true to yourself and believe in yourself and always dream big!
Do you think your modeling career prepared you for being an entrepreneur? How? And what advice do you have for other entrepreneurs reading this? What is it like?
Starting a company is a lot of work and a lot of pressure! The most important advice I can give to other entrepreneurs is that you cannot do it alone! You need a great team behind you. Just like a photoshoot—I rely on the team around me—the makeup artist, the stylist, the hairdresser, the photographer… I have learned from my years of modeling how important it is to have a support system to rely on and to feel inspired by.
The fragrance campaign photos of you with your family are heartwarming. What are some of the greatest lessons motherhood has taught you? How has it motivated you and inspired you or even changed the way you move through life? Why?
Patience! It truly is the greatest virtue. And be kind to yourself. We all try to be superwomen and do it all but it is okay to not be perfect. Be the best you can be and don’t hold yourself to other people’s standards. Your kids love you unconditionally so you should love yourself the same way.
We can only imagine the number of opportunities in the beauty industry that have come your way over the years, so why fragrance? Why did this speak to you so much? Can you share your earliest fragrance memory?
The world of beauty has always fascinated me. I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the industry for years, thanks to my career, but I’ve always wanted to do something on my own. When the opportunity to create Lily Aldridge Parfums came about, I immediately jumped at that chance.
Fragrance is just so special. I love how different smells can evoke certain emotions or memories of specific places. That is why for my first perfume, Haven, I wanted my home in Nashville to be the inspiration. I love my garden and having fresh flowers in the house, and Haven perfectly encapsulates that. It’s a soft floral scent with notes of rose, peony, and musk.
One of my earliest scent memories is going into my mother’s bathroom and spraying her perfumes everywhere. She actually gave me a rosewater spray when I was little from Whole Foods (then called Mrs. Gooch’s) so that I could have a scent of my own—and probably so that I’d stop spraying her expensive ones. To this day, I still love the smell of rosewater.
You decided to pair each of your perfumes with a charity so your customers can give back. Why was this an important part of creating your business? How do you pick the charities to work with? Do you think purpose should be an essential part of every business plan moving forward? Why?
Charity is so important to me, which is why I'm pairing each fragrance with a different cause. With Haven, St. Jude Children's Hospital was a natural fit. When a customer buys my fragrance, he/she will have the chance to make a contribution directly to them. And, unlike other hospitals, most of St. Jude's funding comes from individual donations. No family at St. Jude's ever pays for a single bill, which means that every gift counts. Giving back has always been part of my life, and it is what brings me the most joy. Every business should look outwards and do what they can to make a difference. We must take care of one another.
“The most important advice I can give to other entrepreneurs is that you cannot do it alone! You need a great team behind you.”
With success comes opportunity but that also means you have your hands full. What keeps you inspired and motivated to keep going even on your most challenging days?
My children. I want Dixie to know that she can do anything she sets her mind to and that giving up is not an option. This journey has been very challenging at times, but it is so rewarding and worth every sleepless night. It is easy to have an idea, the hard part and the most fulfilling part is seeing the idea come to life.
How do you define beauty? What makes you feel beautiful?
Beauty is confidence and self-love. I feel the most beautiful when I can look in the mirror and see a woman who has been the best mom she can be, the best wife she can be, the best businesswoman she can be, and the best sister/friend/daughter that she can be. When I can accept my shortcomings and celebrate my successes.
What is the #1 book you always recommend? Why?
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite stories of all time! It reminds me that we are on a path in life and that there will be ups and downs, but everything is happening for a reason and to trust the journey!
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