The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Infamous arrived in 2019 as part of the Marie Antoinette Collection, a group of fragrances that take their names from one of history's most mythologized women. The legend goes that when told the peasants had no bread, Marie Antoinette suggested they eat cake instead, a phrase that's since become shorthand for breathtaking obliviousness. The brand saw something else in it: a chance to be decadent on purpose. Perfumer Joelle Nealy was tasked with building the most indulgent vanilla imaginable, and she didn't hold back. Marshmallow, frosting, cupcake, and vanilla itself, each one a different expression of the same warm, edible sweetness. The result is a fragrance built entirely around one note family, explored from every angle.
Infamous stands out for its focus on a single note family expressed through multiple textures. Marshmallow, frosting, buttercream, cake, each one a different vanilla state that brings something distinct to the blend. The cleverness is in the layering. Too much vanilla can tip into synthetic cloy, but here each expression tempers the next. The marshmallow keeps the frosting from reading as pure sugar. The buttercream grounds the cake. They're in conversation, not competition.
The evolution
The opening doesn't wait. Frosting and marshmallow arrive together, bright, buttery, immediately edible. There's no cool-down period, no hesitation. It smells like the moment you lift the lid on a fresh box. As the fragrance develops, buttercream takes over and the composition deepens into something richer, less immediate. The sweetness stays, but it becomes self-assured rather than shouty. The drydown is where Infamous earns its reputation. The confectionery edge dissolves. What's left is warm vanilla, close to the skin, the kind that shows up on a collar the next morning. What unfolds is a steady, intimate presence that lasts into evening.
Cultural impact
Infamous occupies a particular sweet spot in indie perfumery: vanilla worn without apology. The Marie Antoinette association gives it narrative texture beyond the notes, and the lack of darkness or edge makes it unusual in how it approaches its sweet composition. For those drawn to vanilla done straight, this is exactly what they wanted. The straightforwardness is the point.
The House
PoesiePoesie creates small‑batch fragrances that sit beside a curated tea line, inviting everyday moments to feel a little more literary. Each scent is named for a woman writer, artist or fictional heroine, and the brand frames perfume as a quiet act of imagination. The collection includes releases such as Young Romantics (2019) and Opening Chapter (2017), each presented in understated glass that lets the fragrance speak for itself. Poesie’s approach is intimate rather than mass‑market, with limited production runs that encourage collectors to explore scent narratives at their own pace.
The Creator
Joelle NealyJoelle favors transparent structures that reveal each layer on the skin. She often starts with a historic accord—such as a Renaissance rose or an Ottoman oud—and pairs it with a modern twist like a single green tea leaf or a mineral salt.
