Calvin Hill, Founder Of Nivlac The Brand Shares His Story On How He Launched His Fragrance Collections
Interviewed By Maryan Aiken
“After doing tons of research and using my own funding to start, I took a big chance. God gave me the idea to go ahead and create my own line. I invested all my savings and made it back in 2 months after introducing my first scent.”
Calvin Hill
Founder NIVLAC the Brand
Fragrances by NIVLAC
Instagram Nivlac_thebrand
BA Business
Charity Involvement Covenant House Georgia
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ABOUT CALVIN HILL
Nivlac the brand was founded by Calvin Hill in July of 2019. Mr. Hill decided he wanted the world to know that he was more than a fashion icon. He began his journey by becoming a book author by publishing Creating Your Own Strength. Creating Your Own Strength has touched & resonated with so many individuals with his life story & his readers began reaching out to him via text, phone call, and social media. After helping people cope with their life struggles, he decided to get his Life Coach certificate. Creating Your Own Strength was a testimony of Calvin’s life, and it has helped him to be from life’s trials and tribulations. You can find & order his book on his website Nivlac the brand, Amazon, and Kindle. The name Nivlac is Calvin spelled backwards, Nivlac was given to him at a young age by his cousin, Dr. Watson.
Calvin has been in the fragrance industry for over twenty years & has worked for all kinds of fragrance brands. His passion is to make people feel happy. To know you made someone smile when they smell good, they feel good. Fragrances by Nivlac launched in 2020, during the pandemic (Covid-19), Calvin had more time to focus on his brand and created his own luxury fragrance line. Nivlac has four fragrances & he is introducing his first unisex fragrance this fall.
Fragrances by Nivlac fragrances are Integrity, Intimacy, Heaven and Husband Material. The names are unique to match the personality of the person. Nivlac’s goal is to add more products and services to the brand and one day become a global name like Disney or Coca Cola. Calvin is passionate in bringing joy to everyone he encounters even if it’s just an informal greeting, collaboration, networking, or a simple social media following. Nivlac the brand is looking forward to creating jobs and giving back to the community.
Q: What inspired you & how did you get started with launching your fragrance collection?
I got my inspiration for my fragrance vision from working in the fragrances industry, not only is it a billion-dollar business, but fragrance is also an emotional purchase, it’s a mood changer. I have had clients come in from many different life situations good or bad. For example, some of my clients may have just gotten a divorce and looking to go on a date after many years. Fragrances sets the tone for how you feel and gives you the chance to receive compliments in the process. All fragrance has oil, water and alcohol, most scents start off with a body spray, then goes into toilet, Eau de Parfum, and perfume. The perfume is the definition of more essentials oils and is designed to last longer on the skin. All my fragrances are Eau de Parfum. Many men think perfume means it’s for women, but that’s not true. It just simply means higher oil content. Fragrances are made from all kinds of natural and artificial ingredients.
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Q: How do you come up with the names of your fragrances?
One of my favorite fragrances that was inspired by my departed grandmother, is Heaven. This scent, I personally put my all into making sure it still gave me a part of her. And for every person who experienced the loss of a loved one, this fragrance has a special note that gives you some sort of peace & joy. The collection of my fragrances gives temporary enjoyment for all humanity, even though I created them during the pandemic in 2020. I wanted the fragrance names to be memorable. Integrity is designed for the man that works hard and take care of himself, a confident man. Intimacy is for the everyday phenomenal woman that knows what she wants. Husband Material is for all the men who’s already a great husband or have the tools and foundation of becoming one.
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My new unisex scent is called Acrimony. I wanted to add a wicked scent that people deal with every day. When you love someone & get divorce because of infidelity came into play, I think of Acrimony & it was inspired by Tyler Perry movie. I wanted it to be unique & give it more of an edge, so I spelled it (Akri-Mony). This fragrance is for every man/woman who like a little excitement in their life, like to live on the edge. My fragrance collection names were all nice and sweet, but I wanted this one to be different. The definition of acrimony is bitterness or ill feeling towards someone you were involved with. This scent has an aphrodisiac that stimulates the sexual instinct of the human pheromones. This is a collector’s item and can be worn on any occasion.
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Q: What are the current challenges you face as a perfumer regarding manufacturing, distribution, and marketing your fragrance collections?
Being a perfumer/fragrance creator has its challenges, you must do a lot of research. I suggest anyone going into this business get assistance from someone in the fragrance industry. You must first know what notes blend well together. I tested over 70 different notes before blending them into a unique scent. I have them created in a lab through a perfume company out of the country. France and Italy make the best perfume houses. Creating a fragrance or fragrance line was an investment, it’s not as easy as making candles or scented oils. There are millions of notes you can use and find to make a fragrance. Mostly notes come from trees, flowers, and earthy items.
Fragrance’s categories are either, Fresh, Woodsy, Orientals, Spice, Sweet, Aromatic, Floral, Fruity and Citrus. These are the fragrance families every fragrance falls under and can be combined, for example (Spicy/Sweet). When it comes to manufacturing the bottles, labels, and packaging, I encountered some hiccups with the company I used. My second batch was misspelled on the box after I agreed to the production. You must make sure your name, scent, bottle, cap, sprayer, and overall inventory is correct.
Since I’m one or the only first African American fragrance creator, I want to one day become a fragrance Icon like Gucci, Prada, Creed, Bond #9, and Dolce& Gabbana. Trying to compete with these big names is harder than selling it but once people experience the Nivlac Fragrances they fall in love with them. To reach an audience that don’t know about your fragrances and that is has the equivalent quality as the other name brands is challenging. Since my fragrance inventory comes from another country it takes about 6-8 weeks from production to my door. The shipping cost is very high, but I look forward to receiving my fragrances that brings me joy & to know that I created them.
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NIVLAC
Heaven. Integrity. Intimacy. Husband Material A Collection of Fragrances by Calvin Hill
Q: What would you tell someone who is looking to purchase a fragrance?
Purchasing a fragrance is an emotional purchase whether you’re buying for yourself or as a gift to someone. Everyone loves a good smelling fragrance. During my twenty plus years in the business, I’ve picked out thousands of fragrances for people and they love it. Once applied to the skin, your body chemistry begins to work with your pheromones. I recommend when purchasing a fragrance for a man or a woman find something that matches their personality. Like for example Beyoncé would like Heaven, Brad Pitt is more of an Integrity kind of guy. Oprah would love Intimacy, and Will Smith is the true definition of Husband Material. Finally, the new fragrance Akri-Mony would fit the personality of Angelina Jolie or Tyler Perry.
Nivlac also recommends applying an unscented lotion on if you want the fragrance to last a little longer. Fragrance should be applied on the human pulse point’s wrist, neck and behind the ears. Say you’re the kind of person that don’t wear fragrances? I suggest just applying a few sprits on your sheets or clothes. Some are allergic to certain fragrances; I recommend finding something that don’t agitate your allergies. Ask for samples or simply just apply the tester or sample on your pinky finger. This way you can wash it off if you do not enjoy the smell or it’s not for you. I like to thank my dear friend William Britten who is a fragrance guru and has help educated me on my fragrance exploration.
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Q: Who are your favorite perfumers or perfume houses, and what do you like about their work?
One of my favorite perfume houses of course is Chanel, Dior, and Gucci. These fragrance houses have been carrying luxury items for decades. Their innovative technology and genius in-house perfumers are brilliant. Nivlac will one day become a famous name and branch off to fashion, accessories and use his creative side to become the next global name. I favor Dior because this house is of seventy years of Haute Couture. Gucci is one of the best also known for their fashion and iconic looks. Chanel is still reigning one of the #1 houses in the world. Chanel has signature collection that’s worth over billions of dollars.
A fragrance house is a collection of all their signature, limited and new fragrances. Some houses obtain different perfumers to produce a brilliant scent that represents their house. I have been to many trainings from all brands, each brand has their own unique identity. Some fragrance perfumers grow their own flowers and plants to have their own signature smells. At first most luxury lines catered to women, which changed years ago. Now they cater to all genders, and the LGBTQ clients. These fragrance houses design for very famous people, actors, singers, presidents, CEO and many more. They make their items affordable for everyone to enjoy. These fragrance houses are a few of Nivlac’s inspiration.
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Q: How do you pick the notes for each of your fragrances?
When it comes to notes, you must have a nose for a good quality ingredient. Since I been in the industry for years, I know what notes attract people. Some of Nivlac’s notes are vetiver, grapefruit, cedar, pine, lime, patchouli, sandalwood, and basil leaves. These are just some notes but most fragrances can have up to 13 notes in them. Fragrances notes are separated in three classes, top note, middle note, and base note. In the fragrance industry we tell our clients all the time NEVER rub in your fragrance in. You must just spray it and let it air dry. That way you keep all the essential notes without breaking them down, once rubbed in, it breaks down the molecules and this one of the reasons why they don’t last long on the skin.
Some fragrances can be combined, but only a few are meant to be work together. You can mix your own creation and hope it smells good. When I was choosing my notes it took me time after time, to make sure that I picked the right ones were compatible. Notes can play an important role in your wardrobe. Fragrance demands presence for each person, so the use of the notes is pleasing.
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Q: How do you come up with the idea for a new perfume? For example, do ideas come to you spontaneously, do you work conceptually, or do you try to fill gaps in your range?
I try to be innovative; the names of my fragrances are created by me. I ponder on names that would fit the scent. Not only does it have to fit the scent but have a catch to it. Most of my fragrances have a story behind it. Integrity was inspired by me, the confident very vocal man. This scent makes a man feel good about himself and have self-love and honesty. Intimacy was inspired by all the females in my life that have impacted my life in one way or another. This fragrance is to give women the inspiration in becoming Queens, CEOs, and entrepreneurs.
Husband Material was inspired by someone I was involved with who had all the potential in becoming a good husband. Husband material was created to celebrate all the good husbands and give them token from Nivlac in feeling good and smelling better. Heaven, this fragrance’s name was going to be Isaline, but I wanted something that gave me and others a smile when they encounter this scent. Heaven was created and named in memory of my late Grandmother (Rosa Cox). When people smell Heaven, their eyes roll behind their head & saying oh my God this is amazing. My fifth fragrance Akri-Mony was designed for men and women. Fragrances have no gender it does not know if a man or a woman is wearing it. This is a non-judgment fragrance this scent is going to set the world on fire. Akri-Mony is being revealed in September 2021 at Nivlac’s first fragrance launch in Atlanta, GA. Akri-Mony is an everyday fresh scent that goes a long way.
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Q: How were you introduced to designing your own fragrance collection?
I was introduced to fragrances back in 2000, my stepmom was a fragrance model for a fragrance company working in the retail stores. She said to me, would you like to be a vendor for a luxury fragrance line, I said yes, and I was compensated well. I was making more doing this part-time than my full-time job, I learned a lot from going to trainings and studying fragrances. The definition of a vendor or fragrance model is their job is to introduce you to these amazing fragrances. Each fragrance brand has vendors, their job is to sell. When I was a vendor, I took the #1 spot for launching Juicy Couture and Flower Bomb. I was intrigued by the numbers being made; this is a very lucrative business this is a world I never really thought about. Several years passed by and I started researching on how to create my own fragrance but at that time it was very expensive. I said to myself, one day I will have the chance to create my own fragrances.
I moved to Atlanta and crossed over from my full-time job and my vending to retail. Selling luxury fragrances, I love introducing people to new scents & to see them smile and feel good. I started researching fragrance companies that will produce and manufacture your own brand. After doing tons of research and using my own funding to start it, I took a big chance. God gave me the idea to go ahead and create your own and pay for it yourself. I invested all my savings and made it back in 2 months after introducing my first scent. I was very pleased to know all my hard had work paid off, not only did people love the first men’s fragrance Integrity it sold out twice in 6 months. I’m proud to announce I’m on my 5th fragrance and will be designing bottles for people. I decided to share my success by designing fragrances for companies, individuals, weddings, birthdays, or any occasion.
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Q: Where can we find your collection?
Fragrances by Nivlac can be found on my website www.fragrancesbynivlac.com or Google. My social media on Instagram Nivlac the Brand, luxury Fragrances by Nivlac, and facebook Nivlac the brand. Nivlac appreciate all the support from social media, pop –up shops, City Box Media, friends, family, and all new clients. I am proud to announce that Fragrances by Nivlac have been approved to be on Amazon, this was a long process and should be available winter 2021. Not only does this set my brand on a whole new platform, but it also provides global service to reach all new customers.
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“Most of my fragrances have a story behind it. Integrity was inspired by me, the confident very vocal man. This scent makes a man feel good about himself and have self-love and honesty. Intimacy was inspired by all the females in my life that have impacted my life in one way or another. This fragrance is to give women the inspiration in becoming Queens, CEOs, and entrepreneurs.”
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What’s next for you?
I have officially passed the one-year mark of a challenging and uncertain year. However, my book Creating Your Own Strength was the door opener for Nivlac the Brand. Reflecting on this milestone, I have embraced working towards taking chances and making things people enjoy. Nivlac is big on the community and is dedicated to creating jobs. To all small business owners ask yourself this question, what would you do differently? My answer to this question is just focus. Research, study, and give your business your all. If you know you’re living life right and giving glory to God everything else will fall in place. Don’t ever be hard on yourself because other businesses are taking off faster than yours. This gives you time to put more energy into your products and services. Make time to perfect anything that needs perfection, have a private setting and get feedback. Nivlac’s future is retiring before the age of fifty and leave a legacy for my family to carry on.
Nivlac is continuing to build more fragrances and other products. I am looking forward to hosting big events in educating people on entrepreneurship. In the meantime, I offer my support to the world and prepare for a big & bright future. And lastly, love your brand and create amazing memories.
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“I took a big chance. God gave me the idea to go ahead and create your own and pay for it yourself. I invested all my savings and made it back in 2 months after introducing my first scent. I was very pleased to know all my hard had work paid off, not only did people love the first men’s fragrance Integrity it sold out twice in 6 months.”
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