Conversations with Joseph Solís and Ethan Turner of Maison Solís

by BlackPerfumers.com ~ Dec 2024

It was an afternoon in July and raining torrentially in New Orleans. The kind of New Orleans rain that drenches your summer’s best, the humid rainfall so alive with presence you can understand why historic writers have gushed about it in the pages of old novels. But between the mist and the scattering droplets, it was Tales of the Cocktail week here in the Crescent City--- the 22nd year of this annual conference---and for those of us invited to Margaret Place on that July day, which was also National Tequila Day, we weren’t interested in the state of our outfits or the rain potentially ruining them. We had one thing on our minds as we entered a beautiful preserved building, with its glazed ancient wood, cozy bar and lush interiors--- and that was the presence of Maison Solís and its debut collection of the world’s first agave-inspired niche fragrances.

Founded by Joseph Solís, a renowned veteran and expert in the wine and spirits industry with rich cultural ties to the significance of agave and tequila, Maison Solís’ three debut fragrances, BLANCO, REPOSADO, and AÑEJO were created in close collaboration with sommelier-perfumer Ethan Turner of MOI Fragrances and Empyrean Parfums.  The New Orleans fragrance launch---paired with a memorable tequila-tasting---bridged taste, scent, community and cultures while celebrating the journey it took for Maison Solís to debut and share its fragrant treasure with the world. Join us in Conversations, as we talk to Joseph Solís and Ethan Turner to discover how and why they developed the world’s first agave-inspired niche fragrance collection, the joys and the challenges it took to get here, their tips for young entrepreneurs, and what we can look forward to from this talented team in the coming future.

BP: So, let's dive in. Can you both tell me a bit about the story behind Maison Solis and specifically about your collaboration? What's been the inspirations for your luxury fragrance collection? Have you always wanted to work in fragrance?

Joseph Solis: Oh, always. I think you, and definitely Ethan, kind of know the story that my background--- definitely coming from very humble beginnings and having fragrance be an inspiration and aspiration for life. As I mentioned Elle, when we first met in New Orleans, about my family and coming from immigrant roots. I’m very proud of this heritage and wouldn't change it for the world. It's taught me resilience, perseverance and hard work. I started working around 13 years old. I would save up my little money and run to Macy's or JCPenney's, or even Woolworth’s at that point, to buy what I call now ‘shit perfume’. But then, it was everything. I didn't know that there was eau de parfum, and all these wonderful fragrances. It was eau de toilette’s like Drakkar Noir, Calvin Klein and Obsession. It was Polo. All those “hood sets” that everybody around me was wearing, and my uncles were wearing. For me, scent was transformative. Fragrance made me go to a different, better place.

BP: That’s interesting.

Joseph Solis: As a kid, I had no idea what that meant. All I knew is that everything around me felt better, looked better, and seemed better when I smelt good.

The inspiration happened definitely when I was very, very young. I started working through my teens. In high school, before college, I held three jobs. So, I would save money and buy better perfumes. Still not knowing what eau de parfum was at 18. Then, at that point, it was probably an upgrade. I don't even remember what the perfume was. I think it was Cool Water Eau De Toilette Spray by Davidoff. Commercial fragrances marketed in Macy's. You know the spray counter lady spraying it on my wrist, or me trying to hustle a sample.

So, as I started to travel and I started to make money, and I started to have access--- obviously going around the world exposed me to---you know, a new sense---and living in New York City really, really exposed me to a whole new world of scents, being in the epicenter of the world---New York---and all the different perfume houses. And of course, all the people that I interacted with. To this day, one of my favorite questions to ask people is: what are you wearing? Like I should probably have a show called, ‘What Are You Wearing', right?

BP: I love it, bring it.

Joseph Solis: And I can tell so much about people based on what they're wearing. So the fragrance line has been in the making for gosh, 7 to 8 years. Back then, I knew I wanted it. I just didn't know what it was going to take to get it. I didn't realize the cost of entry---not just the dollars and cents but also the cultural obstacles being a man of color. But that, you know, comes from my background to just insert myself into multi-million dollar French cis White male owned environments. That's also on the wine and spirit side, because that's something that Ethan and I share. But, you know, the aspiration was there. The know-how wasn't---and I just chugged along and chugged along and chugged along. And then there’s, my collection of fragrances. I have a warehouse or a storage unit of honestly, probably hundreds of bottles.

BP: Wow!

Joseph Solis: They don't fit in my house. I just started collecting and started getting a perspective. I taught myself. I enriched my perspective, which I think everybody should do before they start collecting.

BP: That makes sense.

Joseph Solis: Then came along the pandemic. I actually had a coach in the business that was fantastic for me. His name is Joseph Quartana.

He actually was my mentor for a while in 2017, 2018. He didn't create a fragrance for me, but he guided me in the right direction. He taught me about having a scent story and about having a perspective. He showed me the vast world of niche perfumes versus the commercial ones.

BP: Hmm.

Joseph Solis: And then we had to halt everything during the pandemic, when there was a shortage of oil, steel, and coils, and so Joseph is still dear to my heart. I just saw him actually in New York, and presented him with the fragrances and he absolutely loved them. I was honored, and immediately texted Ethan with, ‘Oh, my God! Quartana loves them!’

So in my search for finding the right perfumer---like, I had no idea where to go. What to do. I literally started researching. I started Googling. I started asking around. I started asking a few perfumers that I do know and upon discovery I heard of this company called MOI Fragrances. No idea what that was at all--- I figured, let me just reach out, right? Call it instinct, call it Godsend---let me just reach out. And I ended up speaking to somebody that worked for Ethan and we had a few conversations.

So Ethan is very humble. He had nothing in the marketing or the information that had a picture of him at all. At least not that I found. So at that point, I'm having a conversation with Ethan. It was great. The first thing that we bonded on, which I'm so happy about is literally luxury, wine, and spirits. And Ethan will get into his story about being a sommelier turned perfumer.

With me having a wine and spirits background for 22 years in the business, it was like Kismet. It was like literally no learning curve. Mind you, this is, you know, meeting two or three times and I have no idea that Ethan is a Black perfumer at all, which for me---I would have signed the deal the second that I knew that. Because, you know--- our collaboration, our connection to culture--- is so strong.

BP: Yes. That’s beautiful.

Joseph Solis: But I love the fact that it was based on our passion of fine wine and spirits before it was based on our cultural connection, if that makes any sense.

BP: It does.

Joseph Solis: When I did find out, I was like holy shit. You're kidding me, right? And then we started to dig deeper. You know, Ethan is also a salsa instructor and a bachata dancer, and I'm just like---he’s my soul brother---like, what's going on here? like. So anyways, that's part of my story. How the fragrance influenced my life, leading up to the fact that it was godsend that I connected to Mr. Ethan Turner.

BP: Thank you so much for sharing that and it really just ties into my next question about

how you and Ethan share backgrounds in the luxury, wine, and spirits industry.

I really want to know, like what were some of the insights and challenges that you experienced in bringing to life fragrances inspired by tequila---and you can feel free to elaborate on some of the specific fragrances that are in the Maison Solis line.

Ethan Turner: Yeah, I think the biggest hurdle was understanding the difference between building a fragrance that's inspired by tequila, and not just tequila, because it's about expressions of agave. So, it's---how do we look at what an agave plant smells like in each of the stages of development? From it being harvested, it being mashed, it being roasted, it being turned into this tequila, the distilling process? The aging process going from Blanco to Reposado to Añejo. I think understanding the difference between what that smells like in a bottle and having a lot of experience of drinking tequila, both for professional reasons and for   leisure is very different than building the actual scent into an experience, into a fragrance. And I think there's a difference between enjoying a nice sip of tequila, you know?

I sit at bars by myself. I journal. I meet new people, and having that experience with a glass of tequila next to me is something you'll definitely find me doing, and it not being this party experience, but literally just---this might be my choice for drink tonight. That experience is very different I'd say than wearing a fragrance, right? And what that experience provides to the people around you, what it provides for yourself. And I think distilling that as a story, but then also taking the materials and understanding---how do we build an agave accord? What are the different components that agave smells like starting at that base? What does agave smell like when it's been roasted and charred and burned?

Then turning that into something approachable. Something that expresses Blanco, Repo and Añejo, but still also balances and pays homage to culture and tradition. I'd say that was probably the most complex part of this journey. Especially not wanting to step on what it means to enjoy the beverage culture as well, especially coming from it. I didn't want to make something that was super ‘fake boozy,’ right? Like I wanted it to actually be something that was luxurious and an experience. Balancing that out, I'd say was the hardest part.

BP: You did a great job of bringing that experience to life.

Joseph Solis: I have to agree Elle. I think Ethan hit on a couple of points at least from my perspective of developing, and thank you, Ethan, for clarifying and emphasizing that this was inspired in paying homage to agave and expressions of tequila, because, as you know Agave can be Soto, Mezca, etc. It can be other things. In my background, I’ve had 25 years in tequila.

BP: Wow.

Joseph Solis: Literally created the first ever tequila program for Don Julio and Jose Cuervo for Diageo  in 2006. It had never existed before. Right? We've been there before. The popularity. Tequila is the number one selling spirit in the world right now.

BP: Wow, ok I didn’t know that.

Joseph Solis: You can combine gin, rum, and everything else---it won't touch tequila. I knew that there was a popularity and sales aspect to this, which, of course---who's not going to want to capitalize on something that's popular at the moment?

More importantly though, I think what's really important to understand and acknowledge is that this really is not---and, Ethan, you hit it so deep on the head. This was never intended to be like a tequila drink on the bar. Pound shots, party brand like that's first and foremost. Agave is sacred to me. It's ancestral to me.

It’s the nectar of the gods, if you would. So, whenever I go to Tequila, Mexico in the fields, and I'm literally touching the earth---it is magical. It literally is connecting us to the source and to ancestors, and I mean ancestors not divided by borders. It could be your ancestor, right? We share ancestors. Regardless of culture or race. It is so deep that I wanted to make sure that we were paying homage and respect to Agave first. Because it produces this nectar of the gods for the world. Right? History will show that it's always had this grace, and this sort of you know, beautiful presentation and experience.

So, acknowledging that aspect of Agave, you know, was so important, first and foremost. You'll see it in our marketing. There's nothing that we're doing that is remotely party brand. We're not at a bar, there's nothing that insinuates this is a drinking experience, because we get that question all the time, like---'am I gonna get a DUI if I wear this?’ I'm like dude, really? This is a full, well-rounded, complex fragrance that basically is created and inspired to be a beautiful parfum---so that's also part of the story as well.

BP: One of the things that I love Joseph about your brand is that it's also about elevating cocktail culture and I think the wine and spirits industry and the perfume industry share things in common, for instance, the use of certain ingredients like with flavors, and the way the industries are also marketed. Can either or both of you elaborate on any other commonalities? How might they have informed the development of Maison Solis, or where they may have also been a challenge?

Ethan Turner: From a technicality perspective, there's definitely huge crossovers between being a sommelier, being a tequilero, and being a perfumer, especially in regards to the wine industry, which is more of my background---because of what you're doing with your nose when you're experiencing any kind of beverage---even sommeliers need to have some experience with cocktail culture, as well as with beer culture. So, the crossover is immense.

The biggest part for me is the way that you store information. It sounds and is very technical. The way that I analyze a wine is the same way that I analyze a fragrance. I break down all of the different smells.

BP: Interesting.

Ethan Turner: I put them into a different file in my brain. And I then attach--- okay, these different smells make this wine right? And that's what you do as a sommelier if you're trained to the Court of Master Sommeliers. That same filing process. I've got all of my ingredients behind me. The same way that I file away all of my ingredients in my studio as I sit down and I say, ‘Okay, let me smell through this. What's the strength of this? What's the effervescence? Is it taking a longer time to develop?' You could get into some of the molecular stuff. I don't do a lot of that when I first am approaching a scent.

But that same process is a huge crossover. So that's from a technical side as a perfumer versus being a consumer of perfumery, which is a little different. I don't actually have a huge collection of fragrances. I've never been big on buying tons of fragrances. I build them---which is a little confusing for most people. Most people are like how do you not like go out and buy everybody else's work? And it's not from a point of disapproval of other people's work. It's that I enjoy building. That's my hobby. That's my love---is building.

And so, the crossover as a perfumer also comes in through hospitality. And I think that the service of providing a fragrance and telling that story, it brings me back to being a sommelier and sitting down and explaining the story of a wine, and sometimes it's salesmanship. Sometimes it's literally telling the story of it, because I think it's the right wine for pairing your dinner and there's a difference there. I see this table that comes in. They're ready. They're having an exciting time. I've got my right wine in mind for them, and I go, and I select that wine based off of the experience.

Sometimes it's about, hey---this person's having fish. This person's having steak. This person's having duck. How do I make sure all these things round out together in the wine?

And then, being able to bring both those worlds together through hospitality and the way that you service people through wine. But then, also looking at it from the storytelling perspective of perfumery. There's a huge crossover for me as well. I love that.

Joseph Solis: Yeah, I think for me, my background is luxury. So, I've been working in luxury, wine, and spirits my entire career. Many different roles as the owner of SOL Hospitality Group, which is my other company. We create cocktail experiences. I've worked with the best brands in the world. Moet Hennessy, Diageo, Bacardi, William Grant, I mean, it goes on and on and on. I've spent 20 plus years developing cocktail programs, cocktail strategies, PR launches ambassador programs. You name it. I've done it in this business.

For me, the similarities were obviously the luxury touch points. It was very important to me that we created a scent that was luxury, not only in the scent, but in the packaging.

The crossover in telling cocktail experiences to me is the equivalent of telling scent stories.

And that's my goal, as Maison Solis, as we go into 2025, we’re putting out scent stories about life, love, joy, peace, experiences, travel. I mean all of that good stuff. I think the perspective I've had in the 25 years of being in wine and spirits, in creating cocktails and bringing in ingredients that are important to the diaspora that are from Latin, African, American, the Caribbean, and Asian cultures--it's very similar to perfumes the way that Ethan was talking about breaking down some of those scents and then putting them back together. I did that in cocktails. I'm working on a program, actually, where I'm incorporating some ingredients that are---what's the multicultural buzzword--BIPOC? We can name all of them, right?  Cultural integrity and inclusion of ingredients from our motherlands.

BP: I really love what you just said about cultural integrity and ingredients from our motherlands. It reminds me of The Colors fragrance and beauty conference that just happened in New York, founded by Haweya Mohamed and Ammin Youssouf.

Joseph Solis: That sounds incredible. It's interesting because I often times post these kinds of content that really bridges the gap between Africa and Mexico. A lot of the things that we have in Mexico, they are African, like you know rice water aka Horchata, you know and the Jamaica/hibiscus. I mean half the dishes that we know are some variations at some point. So I love that.

BP: I love that you're bringing that connection in. A lot of people aren't aware of that history. So, tying this in, Maison Solis is a luxury lifestyle brand that offers fragrances and also upscale cocktail bar essentials. As creators in your respective fields, what draws both of you to this space of luxury? And what would you say are the essentials that define this space versus other spaces?

Ethan Turner: It's actually not so much luxury that attracts me. It's what comes from luxury. I've always branded myself holistically outside of perfumery, and many, many other spaces that I work in, as a social pioneer and oftentimes the people that are pioneering culture tend to be in luxury spaces.

They tend to be driven in spaces of Haute Couture, the highest level of culture, and then that trickles down. And so, it's not just a social pioneer in culture. For me, it's a social pioneer in politics and environment, in technology. And all of those things feed into who I am, and so it only made sense when I was looking at wine that I would be at the pioneering levels of wine which was becoming a sommelier. When I switched from wine to perfumery, I knew immediately I wasn't gonna work as like a dupe perfumer and be making who knows what, because that wasn't going to be pioneering. That wasn't going to be anything that was producing new and creating opportunities for other people in the world.

I think that's what draws me to luxury. I love the finer things. Don't get me wrong. I love the enjoyment of just like being able to be taken care of. To relax, you know, indulgence. All of those things are beautiful to me, but I think the biggest part for me about luxury, even outside of perfumery ,is that it's a pioneering effort. It's about pushing culture forward.

BP: What about you, Joseph?

Joseph Solis: Well, I think I have to be honest. I think in talking about luxury there definitely is some triggers for me. Even in the name of Maison Solis, there's a story behind it, right? I chose to name it Maison Solis because it was aspirational and technically French. Since we're playing in French spaces---my whole career has been played in French spaces, right?

I'm often asked, why didn't you call it Casa Solis? I said, ‘That sounds like the restaurant down the street from my abuela's house.’ It's not luxury, right? It is what it is---and I'll eat at that restaurant---and I'll probably gain twenty pounds from that. It's all good.

But when I'm dealing with consumers that are luxury, there's certain things that people ask for. I often actually go through the imposter syndrome and the worth conversations in my head about, ‘Who are you---the poor Brown boy from the fields? Who are you to deserve? Who are you to determine yourself and deserve to be luxury?’ And, I battle with that a lot.

Lately, through prayer and meditation, I tell myself, ‘Who am I not?’

BP: That's right.

Joseph Solis: Who am I not, right? I was born blessed smart, you know, aspirational, and I want my lifestyle to be able to reflect that without guilt, if that makes any sense. Because there's a sense of guilt, you know?

All that stuff, I love it all, I mean, Ethan will tell you---I'm very much about that life, but at the same time I also know that luxury is one about quality. So, why would we not want quality things in our life? Right?

I don't---knock on wood—I don’t want to be a Walmart brand. Not that there's anything wrong with the Walmart brand in the price point for the people who actually shop there, for whatever reasons and situations in their life. My mom shops at Walmart like, let's be real, right?

I actually aspire to Bergdorf or Barney's. Why? Because one, I love beautiful things. It's that simple. I love quality. I love the artisanal part of luxury about being rare and limited edition. Look at the street brands from Black and Brown designers these days. I mean my friend Jerry Lorenzo and his Fear of God brand. I mean, we can go on and on and on. It's about access. It's about all those wonderful things that make luxury, luxury. And who in the heck are we not to be luxurious.

BP: Thanks for sharing that, and I know people can relate to feeling like they're not deserving of luxury things, and I really appreciate you both for being transparent with that.

Joseph Solis: And that's really one thing on Ethan's side, like for us, as people of color, wine is intimidating. I know wine. I've studied wine for 25 years. I consume wine, beautiful wine. You put me in a restaurant environment, and I suddenly become timid, like what? I don't know enough to talk to this sommelier? So that's just a perfect example. We are definitely blessed and great enough to enjoy the most beautiful things in life.

BP: So what advice, tips, or wisdom can you share with emerging lifestyle brands who are entering this luxury fragrance space?

Joseph Solis: Can we talk for a minute about what advice would I give young entrepreneurs of color in general?

BP: For sure!

Joseph Solis: Ah! There's quite a few. First and foremost: know your worth. Do whatever that you have to do for therapy. I don't care what it is---but get to a place of understanding that you deserve to play in this space. Be a sponge. Literally. I am up till three in the morning Googling, researching, talking. It doesn't matter. Like I learn, I learn, I learn, I learn. That's just part of the process, and I'll never stop learning.

Get your shit together. What I mean by that is--- get your finances together. Maison Solis, just like Ethan’s business---I'm a hundred percent self-funded. No one has given me investment money yet. Make sure that you have enough money to make the investment. Make sure you have enough money on reserve to be able to survive the year and plus what it's going to take.

But the other part of it is: protect yourself. Get yourself a trademark attorney. Get yourself an amazing attorney. Get your accountant. Get your financial advisor. Literally put down the foundation of concrete before you even attempt to create anything.

Sometimes we don't think about those things. My family never had an attorney. How would I know how to do business, right? I've had to learn the hard way. I've gotten screwed over so many times because I didn't have a signed contract or a vendor, or whatever the case may be. So literally---get all your ducks in a row. Build that foundation of concrete and expand from there. The same time that you're building your business, build your soul.

BP: I love it.

Joseph Solis: ‘Cause it's up and down. I'll call Ethan crying. Literally crying in the morning. Like you want to see a grown man in tears?

BP: (laughter)

Joseph Solis: Then, by two o'clock, I'm calling Ethan and happy. Oh, my God! We got a PR hit and I'm ecstatic. And then six o'clock, I'm crying again. Be prepared for the roller coaster.

BP: That's great advice, definitely some quotables in there. Thank you.

Ethan Turner: I would say, to kind of tack on to that, I'm coming up on 4 years in perfumery, but this is definitely not been the only business I've had.

The one thing that I've learned about---especially lifestyle brands---is patience. It takes time. And I think you have to be patient with yourself, that’s the first part.

But you also kind of have to be patient with society. When I started my first business, we built one of the first live streaming apps that ever existed. This is before Instagram Live, Facebook Live Streams, Snapchat had just come out, I want to say---and we rushed. And because we didn't take the time to put our ear to the ground and hear what people were actually looking for, we failed horribly, miserably.

So, I would say, when you're thinking about building anything that's going to be like a lifestyle brand, or almost any company--- and thinking a little even broader of---just what does it take to be a Black perfumer and starting a Black perfumery brand---is that you need to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Like insanely comfortable being uncomfortable. Whether it's from having to learn new skills and learn new traits, whether it's like Joseph mentioned, or serving wine in a room full of people who could tell the manager that you said something you didn't say, and your job is gone immediately.

You know, getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

Maneuvering through spaces that you're not used to, and learning in those spaces is the biggest thing. Keep your ear to the ground and listen for the tidbits of knowledge that come from people that are around you. Staying humble and being able to understand that what you think is right, might not be right in that situation. Understanding that, yeah, I may be right in theory, or in what I'm bringing to the table from expertise, but there's also many different ways of being right. There's being right through experience and, what you learned at Harvard may have taught you XY, and Z and you might be right from that perspective of what you learned during your MBA, but I've got 20 years in the game, and I know that what they taught us at Harvard doesn't actually always go right. And I think that's the level of humility that I'm trying to learn as a very young brand.

Still, in the perfume industry, it’s hearing from those people who have that experience. Because I might be technically correct in certain areas, but I'm not always experientally correct.

Joseph Solis: A couple more things that just came up for me, I think Ethan touched on it a little bit---if you can, and you should---find a mentor, find a coach. Super important. But there's two other things that I think for me are really important. The first one is energy match.

Surround yourself with the team that matches your energy. Ethan and I work extremely well together. He's taught me patience. Right? We're still learning. Like me--- everything is an emergency and he’s patience. Make sure that who you're working with, whether it's a partner or your team--- that you match energy. And that you have respect for each other, because otherwise it's not gonna work. Same thing with jealousy. It's not gonna work.

The last thing that I think for me is still hard, that I often still get very emotional about and hurt is support and what that looks like. When I launched the bar essentials line, and even in the fragrance space, the circle that I thought would support me didn't support me at all. Everyone wanted something free.

It really broke my heart, and it's been broken multiple times. It doesn't cost much to ‘like’ on Instagram. It doesn't cost much to, you know, re-post. There's zero dollars in what support looks like sometimes. So, support your friends that have small businesses. It doesn't really take much. I understand, for me putting out a bar essentials line, if an item was $265 my family could never afford that. And you know again, like going into the triggers. But it's not for them, and I had to realize that.

And I'm okay with that. Right? I'm okay. I can't put expectations on people. But it still hurts. It isn't always about the monetary support. It's literally picking up the phone and saying, ‘How are you? You alright?’ Or, ‘Hey, can I introduce you to my friend who's an investor? Can I literally like, just sit with you? And can we pray together?’

​

Support can look like so many other things. So for the new people in business, the advice is: support other people as well.

BP: Can you guys tell me a little bit more about where your cultural heritage expresses itself in your work? Do you see any shifts happening also around these issues in luxury branding, and if so, in what ways?

Ethan Turner: It's interesting, especially because of the reason that I got into perfumery, which is not probably the same route most people went.

I’m very technical. I’m a creative at the core, but I work in highly technical spaces. I’m a principal UX (user experience) researcher, so I’ve worked for some of the largest tech companies in the world doing a huge array of different things. I've worked on some of the AI devices that are on your phone today and it all comes from a place that's really, really grounded in that I want to innovate. So I think that dilemma for me has always been, whenever that question comes up, it’s like---how do I involve my culture or my heritage into what I do?

I think the biggest problem for me has been that my culture and heritage isn't even existent in the room most times in the places that I'm at.

Just by being the first Black person in the room usually is bringing that representation, and then turning around and opening the door, and the voice, the space for other voices to speak.

I don't often go out and try to be the champion of what it means to be a Black perfumer, so to speak, or to be a Black, you know, tech person, or to be, a Black soon to be hopefully politician or something along those lines.

I like to champion that I have a very strong viewpoint on opening doors for Black people and that actually comes from my father. My father was the first Black person to graduate from his high school. He was valedictorian. On top of all of that, he was the first Black person to serve in numerous roles throughout his career. On the way up to becoming a Head in the Department of Transportation. So, he kind of paved that path in that direction, and then turned around and gave space for other people. And I think that's my biggest goal.

I don't know if I'm the person to go out and champion you know, Black culture, so to speak. I grew up in a very, very diverse area. As a kid, I grew up around tons of people from different cultures and places and that's influenced me heavily, and I know that. And so, I feel like for me, there's a level of---there are better people to champion what it means to grow up in a non-diversified area. Especially to be rooted around nothing but Black culture. I'd rather open those doors for those people, since I've got the ability to maneuver in and out of other spaces and bring them into the room, and show that those opinions are just as important as everyone else's opinions, which is what I learned growing up.

So, it's worked its way into a lot of my work, though. Still, despite what it may sound like, is this a neutral approach to perfumery? I mean, my first brand ever that I worked with was Senti Designs, which is a great friend mine, Emeka Ukaga. He’s Nigerian and I’m Black. We grew up together. We've owned businesses together. We've been business partners and still are. We've got investment groups together and the biggest thing that I always used to, you know, poke at him about is that like there's this dichotomy. Still, I think, between Black American culture and African culture, and me and him used to always play in this field of like---I'm going to be frank---your people sold my people off, right? Like he's Nigerian royalty, and so you know, that's the joke we always make: like you're Nigerian royalty and I'm Black royalty, man. I've got five generations of Black people here. We’re amazing friends, I think, because we're able to have those joking and quite serious conversations too and the fragrance that we developed for his brand was about that connection to the diaspora. And why? It's important to understand all of the different stories that come out of the diaspora.

And so, we used ingredients that come from Nigeria, that come from Western Africa, that come from Virginia, and we looked at that and said, ‘What are those important ingredients and things that we can include?’ Anuri A La Plage was the name of the fragrance, which is a hybrid of Igbo, of French, of English and really telling that story of what it means to be part of the diaspora.

So that would be how I've seen culture trickle into the work that I do, and I say trickle because again, I think my biggest goal is to open doors.

Joseph Solis: I think it's important for me to put a context of what culture means to me. So I was born and raised in Northern California into the Chicano movement.

You know the United Farm Workers (UFW) Movement Bay Area. My family was diverse. My family was predominantly Mexican and Filipino, but we had Black family. We had White family. We had everything Northern California, you know the Bay area is unlike anything else in the world. So for me, I am pro-us. Capital U. Capital S. That includes Black. It includes Brown. It includes disenfranchised women. LGBTQ. I'm all about us and empowering our generation and making a path for the next generation. So, for me, diversity---you were at Tales of the Cocktail, and you saw the space---the sacred space that I was able to create there that didn't exist 5 years ago. There's a few of us who were the pioneers in the wine and spirit space. I like to call it being the only chocolate chip in the cookie, right? The milk chocolate chip in the cookie, in my case, and literally championing the industry without the token. I think the cost of entry is hard to begin with. But the cost of entry as people of color is even ten times harder.

What you saw in New Orleans on our launch we had two parallel paths. Two targets, if you would. My background in wine and spirits. Obviously, Maison Solis is rooted in cocktail culture with the fragrance that pays homage to Agave, and expressions of tequila, technically under the umbrella of wine and spirits. The other side of it is fragrance. Okay. So, luckily for me, I have leaned heavily on my community. A predominantly community of color in wine and spirits, and people in the tequila space.

On the fragrance side, not so much. All those PR hits that I've told you about have predominantly come from wine and spirit outlets. VinePair, Robb Report, you know, really great spaces. You know, when you open a trade or lifestyle magazine for fragrance, you don't open it up to a mixed Mexican Filipino and Black guy creating a fragrance about tequila. Let's just keep it one-thousand, right? So, we have our challenges. We have our roadblocks. But it's never stopped anything, it makes me work harder. But you know, in terms of talking about diversity. One of the things that I deal with or the industry deals with a lot is cultural appropriation.

It's okay to use global ingredients. It's okay to eat Birria Ramen. It's okay to eat soul food. But when you don't pay homage and list the source that it came from appropriately it's called cultural appropriation. It costs nothing to say, ‘Hey, I'm showing respect to the source where it came from'. Not, ‘It's mine. I did this.’ It's such a simple solve.

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I see it all the time, which is why I've been on my soapbox in the wine and spirits industry fighting for diversity, which is why you saw a huge representation of Black and Brown people at Tales of the Cocktail this year.

BP: It's beautiful work that you’re both doing, and with that being said, where do you envision Maison Solis in the next 5 years?

Joseph Solis: Hmm, good question. I mean, Ethan, is part of the question as well.

Maison Solis again is rooted in cocktail culture, not just fragrance. It's a huge part of the brand as I mentioned. We launched with artisanal cocktail bar essentials made from a fourth-generation cooperage family in the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico, literally handmade from a piece of copper hand-pounded and hand-painted. It takes up to two weeks to make one piece. Which is why we're playing in luxury spaces. It's perfect for the home bar in your mansion. Right? Bartenders can use it, but it's really intended for collectors, art collectors, cocktail enthusiasts.

So, with that, we're building every year on the radar for next year. We're toying with apparel.

We are going to be launching a glassware line. If you can imagine that you have made it, whatever that means to you, and you're in your living room of the mansion and the home of your dreams, and in that room with a curated group of people that you absolutely love and adore---and that adore you---we are literally the brand that powers that experience in all aspects.

So, we're shaking the cocktails with our shaker. It's coming from our bar cart. You're pouring our spirits. You're using our glassware. We're putting out music for the environment. We are doing everything, you know. Some of the investors that have said no to me was because they think that I'm doing too many things at once and I fight that with---well, somebody else taught me that a millionaire-mindset is that you have seven streams of income. So, who the hell knows? All I know is that I'm doing what feels right to me.

Innovation is going to be key to us. Understanding and connecting and creating consumer experiences. You can drink a glass of wine or a margarita anywhere. But what is the experience around that, right? And that's what fuels us into Maison Solis with scent stories. The idea is that we're putting something out every year. Ethan and I are working on one last offering in the agave collection which will come out next summer.

BP: Nice!

Joseph Solis: I have a theme for 2025 into ‘26 that Ethan and I haven't even spoke about. But as long as Ethan and I can work together, I think it's a wonderful match, like I said. We're grounded in social responsibility, we're grounded in cultural heritage. We're grounded in the trends. So why not.

BP: On that note, I do want to talk a little bit about that sensory experience that you all created at the launch. It was so deeply satisfying and something I'm looking forward to enjoying again at some point. You know, the pairing of the tequilas and these fragrances was like perfection. An out of body experience, yet grounding. And you know, I wasn't drinking--I was just sniffing the drinks and sniffing the fragrances! How did this presentation come about? What kind of planning did it take to make such a memorable event happen?

Joseph Solis: Well, thank you so much. Thank you for acknowledging it. I have to say it was a beautiful, beautiful experience. So in my career in wine and spirits, I've been an ambassador and I've trained ambassadors. I have about seven global brand ambassador programs under my belt. And part of that experience is always tastings with proper tasting mats, with proper presentations, and what I like to call edutainment. So understanding that we were playing in the wine and spirit space, specifically tequila, why not adapt fragrance, and vice versa?

I think the crowd that we had in that room for both sessions are literally like liquor snobs, so they wouldn't have like anything less than that. Obviously, it was Tales of the Cocktail, so we had to break through the clutter with an experience that just made sense. For the future, I'm working with tons of people right now. Clubs, organizations, you know, private social clubs. Millionaires with mansions. Hint hint---if anybody out there wants to do one of these things, like restaurants. We're working with an actual Michelin Star restaurant as we speak for an event with a tequila company that they're bringing in.

BP: Oh, wow! Congratulations.

Joseph Solis: We will be doing fragrance, tequila and food, culinary. First time ever. So, we're super excited about that. They're an amazing restaurant. I can't talk about it yet, because the ink hasn't dried, but adding a third sense through food, I think is going to be off the hook, a completely new experience.

BP: Yeah, the event you all did was amazing. Energy was amazing and beautiful to see, and in New Orleans as well.

Joseph Solis: And having Ethan there by my side, it wouldn't have been the same without him. It's true. I don't know how I'm gonna get through these next ones without you, but I'll figure it out.

Ethan Turner: For me it was very nostalgic. Actually, the big nostalgia brought me back to my launch party. Actually, Joseph, I probably never mentioned this when I did my launch party, I worked with the restaurant that I previously worked at. And you know they opened their doors to me and you know the chef used to work for like Russian oligarchs and stuff like that. I told him, I was like, ‘Hey, I want to do a launch party. I can't find a venue.’ And he was like, ‘Just do it here---like, why not?’ So you know the beverage director that worked there was like it'd be cool if we pair, you know, some different floral fragrance with like floral wines. And I was like, I mean I'm building custom. This is back during the days when I was building bespoke for people. So there's not really a particular wine that's going to match any of the fragrances that I build, because everyone's going to be building something different if they sit down with me.

He was like, ‘That's okay. We'll just, you know, we'll pick out some wines.’

And then he turned around, and he told the chef what wines he was going to pick out,  I agreed to the wines, and they turned around and the chef was like, ‘Well, we'll pair to the wines.’ To sum it all up, it was very nostalgic to see that done at a much higher level. To

to see it laid out in a way that was educational, like you said. Educate and entertainment. Edutainment, was the word to use. I love that word.

It not only incorporated an experience that was fun and enjoyable, but it was done in way where people could leave learning about two different worlds that are coming together, which I thought was just beautiful in its own self.

BP: So you both have created the world's first Agave inspired niche fragrance line bringing something new and exciting to the luxury fragrance space. Can we expect to see more fragrance collections for Maison Solis, inspired by cocktail themes? And more sensorial experiences in the future?  Also, before we wrap, where can we find Maison Solis and the fragrances? Any upcoming events that we should know about?

Joseph Solis: Sure. Absolutely so. We are predominantly a D to C consumer, which means like most niche brands we are direct sale from our website, www.maisonsolis.com.

We are building multi-partnerships with retailers right now in about five different cities. The idea is that those will act as our flagship stores that we will send folks to play with the scent. From fragrance stores to fine wine and spirit locations, and we're actually launching with a gallery in New York, so we have the ability to play in multiple spaces--- which is a beautiful, beautiful thing. You can also follow us on Instagram at Maison Solis. I'm @jdsolis.

Ethan Turner: If you're looking for me just in general, feel free to follow me @emajec. If you want to learn more about the different brands that we've helped tell stories and share stories---that's the way I like to interpret it---you can follow me @moifragrances.

We're constantly sharing things about Maison Solis, so there's more stuff to come. I'm excited. There's stuff that is going to help continue to push the different stories that we're telling.

BP: Well, thank you both so much for giving your time to Conversations. Again, I was honored and thankful for being invited to the launch party. I've never experienced anything like that, and it was just such a blessing to see all of that beautiful energy and the work and discipline that I know you all put into making that come to life. So, thank you.

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Joseph Solis and Ethan Turner: Thank you.

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