One Way Bridge Perfumes: An Interview With Founder Elise Welraven – “I Literally Bottle All My Feelings”

For all its faults, Instagram is an unrivalled way to connect with perfumer lovers and creators around the world. It’s how I first came to know Elise Welraven (pictured, below), founder of One Way Bridge Perfumes.

When we first started following each other, we both shared our love of perfumes and she hadn’t set up her company yet. It was a wonderful surprise when she sent me samples of her launch fragrances. Partly, because the South African postal system is notoriously slow and theft-prone, but mostly because her quality extraits are so rich and unique.

In this interview, Elise describes her creations as “brutal”. At first, I thought that was a strange way to describe them. But having revisited them recently, I know what she means now. They’re unfiltered, unrefined, rough around the edges and highly expressive.

Please refresh my memory: when did we start communicating via IG? I remember your farm home renovation pics from your personal account.

We started following each other on Instagram at the end of 2017. I hadn’t launched One Way Bridge yet and you would have known me on my personal account which no longer exists.

Let’s get the obvious question out of the way: what’s the significance of the name of your company, One Way Bridge?

I wanted to name it something really “Kiwiana”. In New Zealand we are known for our silly one-lane bridges where, of course, only one car can go one way at a time. On a personal level, life should be lived like a one-way bridge: no matter what happens, you need to find a way to keep going forward.

Your approach, from the design of the bottles to the names and moods of your fragrances, is refreshingly different. Why does the vintage aesthetic appeal so much to you?

Vintage speaks to my soul. There’s a lot of depth to vintage. The people from back then were so passionate, so intense. That’s how life should be lived, as you can tell from the brutality of my fragrances.

“That’s how life should be lived, as you can tell from the brutality of my fragrances.”

Is your New Zealand background also an important part of your approach?

Very much so. There are so many beautiful native ingredients we have here, which no one else has access to. I feel so privileged to be able to showcase them in my art.

How’s business been since launch? Is it your sole focus?

Business was going amazingly well and then Covid hit. I was able to get my perfumes around the world through travel. Unfortunately, now, that isn’t an option.

One Way Bridge has officially become my sole focus. Going in and out of lockdowns has made it hard to keep a job. Seeing as the demand was there for my art, I figured the easiest way to avoid all of that was to work for myself.

Can you keep up with the demand?

It is currently a bit harder to keep up with demand, as the shipping from certain destinations for certain ingredients has been significantly delayed due to Covid. So it has taken longer to produce a batch.

Moving on to the more technical and creative aspects: did you study perfumery, or are you self-taught?

I am completely self-taught, with 16 years of self-learning to get me to where I am today.

I know there are people that disapprove and say you can’t really call yourself a perfumer if you haven’t had formal training. And that’s okay with me. My perfume is my art – straight from my heart and soul. I’ve learned my own style and I like that I can perfume without boundaries.

“My perfume is straight from my heart and soul. I’ve learned my own style and I like that I can perfume without boundaries.”

How would you describe yourself as a perfumer?

This is a hard question. It’s a bit like when you first meet someone and they say, “So tell me about yourself.” If I had to answer that in one word, it would be emotional. I literally bottle my feelings.

From reading the stories behind the fragrances and wearing them, it seems you’re using quite expensive and/or exotic ingredients (some of them unique to New Zealand, for example Kumerahou, Totara and ambergris)….

I do – I never skimp on ingredients. I don’t care how much it costs me. Once I have inspiration, the piece of art must be created.

Top Shelf is potent stuff in a very animalic way. It almost has a dirty, urinary aspect to it, and I mean that in a good way…

Top Shelf is my classy cowboy. A hunk with a dirty edge, addictive.

Stout ‘n’ Smoke is superb. How did you go about creating it?

I wanted to bottle a barmaid’s kiss after a shot of whiskey, the patron’s tobacco smoke and her own lipstick. I love whiskey and I wanted to create a boozy scent that wasn’t sweet like all the rest out there.

Does inspiration come easily to you?

I will say yes, because inspiration is based on my feelings, emotions and imagination.

What are you working on now?

I recently launched a new scent called Wildjoy, inspired by the forest on the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The notes are kauri and cannabis.

On the day of launch, I also announced something I’ve been working on for two years: a 60ml Solid State Extrait de Parfum eco line. This is created using a base of all-natural New Zealand oils and plant waxes and my fragrance oils. It comes packaged in a 100% recyclable cardboard push-up tube, sealed with a recyclable label. The entire product is waste free, recyclable, kind to skin and convenient for travel. Solid perfumes last longer as they contain no ingredients that evaporate.

It truly is New Zealand goodness at its best and I like to think the way I’ve been able to present it as “eco” or “green beauty” makes it “perfume re-imagined and refashioned”.

Visit the One Way Bridge website here.  

Read my thoughts on the One Way Bridge samples I received on my Instagram page.