Frances Shoemack
Founder of Abel talks creativity, self-care and rewarding relationships
Tell us about your beautiful brand…
Abel is the happy by-product of my failed search for a beautiful, all natural perfume. A decade ago, having recently moved from Auckland to Amsterdam, I was searching for just that, among the then new wave of indie perfume brands. It surprised me that while I could get my hands on luxurious natural skincare and makeup, when it came to perfume, this just didn't exist. The more I learnt about the petrochemical based industry, the more I realised that this was something I needed to do. Nine years since launch, Abel's mission has remained the same - to create the world's best natural perfume without compromising on ethics or aesthetics. Today we have a team based across Wellington, Amsterdam and Boston and are sold in 25 countries globally. It's been a joy of a journey to date!
How did the partnership with Master Perfumer Isaac Sinclair come about?
When I was starting out, I realised the importance of working with a Master Perfumer - it's an incredible calling, there are only around 50 Master Perfumes in the world. Isaac is the only one from Australasia, ever! When I came across a video of Isaac set in the Waitakere ranges talking about how perfume is like wine (my background was winemaking!), it was a eureka moment and an anecdote to a largely French, Italian perfume culture. We've worked together ever since. In the early days, that meant getting together in Paris whenever he was across from his Sao Paulo base (4 or 5 times a year). Since we moved the business back to New Zealand, it's been a virtual relationship - sending perfume back and forth between Sao Paulo and Wellington. Perhaps not the most efficient way to do things, but there's a beauty in the space that distance creates, and I believe we've done some of our best work this way!
When are you at your most creative?
When I have space! Being stuck in the weeds is where creativity goes to die! Nature is a guaranteed source of inspiration, and I'm grateful to have it on my back doorstep here in Pōneke. Whether it be a morning ocean swim, gardening or walking along the coast, nature always brings clarity and endless ideas.
“Nature is a guaranteed source of inspiration, and I'm grateful to have it on my back doorstep”
Outside of your career, can you share some of your passions in life?
I love to cook and get pleasure from sourcing beautiful local ingredients, cooking them with care and sharing them with friends and family (paired with a favourite wine!). I've already mentioned nature, but returning from Europe it's really replaced the gap that travel and culture was filling for years (I still adore that, it's just not as frequent!).
Favourite self-care ritual?
Yoga has been part of my life for years (I was fortunate to be raised by a yoga teacher mother). Alongside being an almost daily ritual, it's also something I turn to whenever things feel too much. A more recent self-care ritual is one I share with my husband and as such has become both self and relationship care! We go for a weekly sauna and cold plunge together - it keeps us grounded and in harmony.
A book that everyone should read?
One of my all-time faves is Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. My parents bought it for me as a teenager, and it's one I re-read every few years. The notion of 'the world conspiring' is something I carry with me as a mantra.
How will you be relaxing this summer?
We (Dave my husband, Rufus and Arthur my sons and I) are heading south which I'm really excited about. We'll kick around the lower South Island and West Coast with a tent in the back - stopping for day hikes, surfs and just generally having a classic kiwi roadie.