Lisa Hoffman loves beautiful things, places, people and, most of all, scents. The award-winning perfumer and founder of Lisa Hoffman Beauty (who happens to be married to two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman) has a love affair with fragrance that began as a child, with some of her earliest childhood memories rooted in scent. The inspiration for Lisa’s collections begins with memories of her many world travels. The fragrances can be literal interpretations, like the scent of Clary Sage in the French countryside, or more emotional, like the feeling of utter serenity in Kyoto with Japanese Agarwood. Whenever Lisa works on a new scent, the goal is to truly recreate a scent experience that can be worn every day. We couldn’t wait to see her desk, because any true aesthete just has to work in an environment of utter beauty. Here is a look at Lisa Hoffman’s desktop essentials.
- I’m inspired by my family, travel, and nature, so it’s important that my workspace is filled with plenty of natural light and organic elements. Framed pictures of my family and friends line the ledge in front of my desk, reminding me of my purpose, intention, and the support I have in my life.
- I often use my laptop, but there’s something about putting pen to paper that can’t compete with typing out notes. I jot down and save all my ideas inGraphic Image Datebooks, and have been doing so religiously since beginning my business. They’re a great reference so I keep them very close at hand.
- I love paper, and have always collected beautiful and unique pieces. This desk paper was purchased the last time I was in Japan. I save it for writing those special letters and to-do lists, like when I’m planning a dinner or event.
- I drink hot lemon water throughout the day. A few sprigs of mint from my garden is an added bonus. As you can see, I keep my old Datebooks nearby. They’re wedged between a sculpture given to me by my husband, and a hand-painted ceramic bowl made by my daughter.
- I always keep art books in my creative space. Secrets of Aromatic Jewelry is a wonderful book that gives me a historical point of reference with our fragrance jewelry collections. The antique silver business card holder given to me by my daughter. I take it with me when I’m traveling—I think it’s so elegant and love that it reminds me of her.
- I often find color palettes for jewelry collections in great works of art. Cubism and Miró are both books I’ve referenced recently. The magical photographs in Botanica Magnifica: Portraits of the World’s Most Extraordinary Flowers and Plants gave me a visual representation for the gorgeous smell of the Madagascar Orchid as I was working on creating my fragrance of the same name. I love this book so much, I reached out to the photographer, Jonathan Singer, and now have one of his photos blown up in my office.
- I remove my jewelry before getting to work and place it in a bowl. The rose quartz is said to have loving and healing properties, and can also be found in my collection. I’m constantly working on new fragrances, both in beads and traditional perfume form. Getting the scent just right can be time-consuming—it can take a year to finish a fragrance. I keep materials for research and development nearby so I can revisit and re-experience fragrances at different times in the day and under changing circumstances.
- I love Acco Regal Clips. They’re inexpensive and you can find them at Staples. They’re a great example of an everyday, functional item that has a reimagined design and an elevated aesthetic.
