A/W FRAGRANCES 2020


Now that we have arrived into the colder, Autumnal months, I have put together a guide to help assist you when it comes to selecting your A/W Fragrance for 2020! A few of these fragrances are newly released so if you’re after something that perhaps not many know about just yet, then stick around… After all, who wants to smell exactly the same as everybody else?

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AUTUMN/WINTER FRAGRANCES 2020

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ATELIER COLOGNE - LOVE OSMANTHUS

  • Top Notes: Italian Lemon

  • Middle Notes: Chinese Osmanthus

  • Base Notes: Cedar

Love Osmanthus opens with a bold, citrusy burst that makes me long for those warm, Summer days again which is why I wanted to include this particular scent in this Autumn/Winter Guide.

I also love that Love Osmanthus has been created using 94% natural ingredients which does away with those ‘synthetic, cheap’ vibes.

The dry-down then begins to feel slightly fruity, almost ‘peach-like’ with the Cedar note then balancing things out making the fragrance feel a little dense.

Admittedly, the silage and projection of Love Osmanthus lasted for around 3-4 hours on my skin which was a little disappointing however, if you’re somebody that enjoys a light, fruity fragrance that brings back Summer memories, this is one definitely worth checking out here!

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SALVATORE FERRAGAMO - FERRAGAMO

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Sage

  • Middle Notes: Violet Leaf, Leather, Cedar

  • Base Notes: Oakmoss, Vetiver, Musk

Ferragamo is perhaps the fragrance within this Autumn/Winter that feels the most safe, reliable and the go-to scent when you’re looking for something that can be worn every day which isn’t too overpowering yet still interesting enough to garner a compliment or two!

The fragrance opens initially feeling citrusy that then rather quickly dries-down into a much more woodier scent that feels rather creamy.

Perfect for an Autumnal day! The sillage of Ferragamo is medium-heavy and lasted for an impressive 7-8 hours on my skin.

Read more about Salvatore Ferragamo - Ferragamo here.

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JEAN PAUL GAULTIER - “LE MALE” LE PARFUM INTENSE

  • Top Notes: Cardamom

  • Middle Notes: Lavender, Iris

  • Base Notes: Vanilla, Oriental Notes, Woody Notes

Out of the fragrances within this Guide, Jean Paul Gaultier - Le Male Le Parfum is my own personal favourite… The reason for this is because of how addictive this fragrance is!

Compared against the classic ‘Le Male’ this particular take differs a lot in the sense that it’s much more refined, elegant and darker. The fragrance feels oriental and sweet yet done in a way that isn’t sickly or too dense! The warmth of the Vanilla note leaves this fragrance feeling sensual and dark, ideal for this time of year and is a definite head turner.

Le Male Le Parfum’s sillage is heavy and its longevity lasted an incredible 9-10 hours! I could still smell this faintly on my skin the morning after having sprayed it. Absolute winner for me and you can find out more details here!

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LACOSTE - MATCH POINT

  • Top Notes: Basil, Pink Pepper, Grapefruit

  • Middle Notes: Gentiana, Clary Sage, Geranium

  • Base Notes: Vetiver, Cashmeran

A fresh yet spicy, powdery opening that slowly dries down into a warmer, woodier kind of fragrance. I found Match Point to be better suited to being worn throughout the day and is similar to the ‘Ferragamo’ fragrance in that it is a ‘safe’ fragrance to wear!

If you’re after something that can be worn easily throughout the day then perhaps Match Point is one to check out, you can find out more details here.

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ESCENTRIC MOLECULES - 05

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Orange, Fig Leaf, Fig, Laurels, Juniper, Basil, Rosemary

  • Middle Notes: Cypress, Hedione, Freesia, Iris, Jasmine

  • Base Notes: Cashmeran, Labdanum, Musk, Ambroxan, Mastic or Lentisque, Iso E Super

As a fan of the Escentric Molecules brand and having reviewed their fragrance ‘03’ before, I was keen to try out their latest scent ‘05’ and it certainly didn’t disappoint!

Similar to the Love Osmanthus fragrance as previously mentioned in the sense that this also opens with a fruity, citrusy, fresh burst however, this differs as 05 dries-down into a much more spicy, warm fragrance which lingers around on a cool, autumnal day.

Throughout the journey of 05, the fragrance then starts to feel much more ‘green' with a touch of the floral notes underlying in the background. Overall, 05 is better suited to those who enjoy complex fragrances that have a few twists and turns along the way and in terms of its sillage I’d class this as medium with its longevity lasting around 6-7 hours when sprayed upon my skin.

Find out more about Escentric Molecules here!

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COACH NEW YORK - BLUE

  • Top Notes: Lime, Absinthe

  • Middle Notes: Ozonic Notes, Black Pepper

  • Base Notes: Amber, Cedar

An incredibly fresh, watery opening of the Lime note blended perfectly with the woody, warm notes of Amber and Cedar during the dry-down lends itself to an interesting fragrance. I wore this on both during the day and evening and found that its performance was better in the evening as the spicy kick of Black Pepper stood out more which felt warm and creamy for this time of year!

Its sillage is light-medium and lasted between 5-6 hours on my skin. If you’re looking for a scent this Autumn/Winter that is refreshing and creamy, then Blue is a good scent to start with! Find out more about the fragrance here.

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VIKTOR & ROLF - SPICEBOMB NIGHT VISION EAU DE PARFUM

  • Top Notes: Lemon, Grapefruit, Green Apple, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Chilli Pepper, Nutmeg, Cloves

  • Middle Notes: Rosemary, Clary Sage, Coriander, Mastic or Lentisque, Lavender, Mint

  • Base Notes: Nutty Notes, Pistachio, Patchouli, Cedar, Olibanum, Peru Balsam, Balsam Fir, Benzoin, Labdanum

The release of ‘Spicebomb Night Vision Eau De Toilette’ was panned by the fragrance world due to its disappointing performance so when the news of the Night Vision was to be re-released but as a Eau De Parfum, I was intrigued to see how this would differ to the Eau De Toilette version and see if this version would make up for the original and guess what? It did.

It’s a much richer, sensual version and the spiciness really kicks through! Performance wise, its sillage is undoubtedly heavy verging on a little overpowering at times so minimal sprays only with this scent is needed and its longevity lasted between 7-8 hours on my skin.

You can find out more about Spicebomb Night Vision - Eau De Parfum here!

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I hope that you have enjoyed this Autumn/Winter Fragrance guide and that you’re feeling more inspired when it comes to selecting your fragrance! Let me know which one is your favourite, or perhaps one that you’re not so keen on. Are there any you would recommend that you feel I should try? Follow me on Instagram and Twitter and let’s carry on the conversation!


YSL - Y EAU DE PARFUM FOR MEN


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(AD/Press Sample)

A delivery arrived a couple of weeks back and I remember thinking to myself ‘Ooo that smells rather sexy’ and that I could smell something really faintly and couldn’t quite work it out. I then ‘unboxed’ my parcel slightly nonchalant and to my surprise, there it was. A YSL delivery containing the fragrance; Y Eau De Parfum For Men.

Now, for those of you who don’t know me (hello!) it is no secret of mine that out of all the ‘luxury brands’ so to speak, YSL/Saint Laurent is my ultimate. The whole rocker aesthetic, the ultra chic silhouettes, the dark and too cool it hurts vibes is something I could only hope to emulate! Anyway, enough gushing and let’s get into this review.

YSL - Y

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Ginger, Apple

  • Middle Notes: Sage, Juniper Berries, Geranium

  • Base Notes: Vetiver, Cedar, Amberwood, Tonka Bean, Olibanum

The opening of Y begins with a sweet and tart kick of the Apple note that when blended with the note of Ginger, it feels quite rich and warm yet the Bergamot manages to keep things quite light and fresh. My first thought was that it would be better worn on an evening as night begins to settle however, I have worn this throughout the day and found that the versatility of the fragrance really doesn’t box itself into a specific time or season and could be worn at any point! Clean and fresh for the Summer heat and warm and spicy for the cold Winter months.

As Y begins to settle down after around 20 minutes or so, the fragrance then starts to feel warm and spicy which adds a bit of life to the scent making it feel exciting to see how the dry-down will take place! Throughout the performance of Y, it makes me feel rather sophisticated and dare I say it, a little sexy too… The longevity of Y lasted upon my skin/clothes for what felt like days afterwards so if you’re thinking of sampling this, be warned, a few drops only will still make an impact! The sillage is certainly leaning more towards the heavier side and overall, if you’re looking for a scent that is incredibly versatile with long lasting power, this is the one for you.

To find out more, click here and let’s keep the conversation going! Follow me on Instagram and Twitter and let me know if you’ve smelt Y before? What were your thoughts?


DEAF IDENTITY LOOKBOOK


On 27th September 2019 I launched my very own business/brand; DEAF IDENTITY to the world and as we approach the 1 year anniversary and birthday of my brand, I wanted to create something special.

One of the main questions I got asked over the past year was; ‘Why haven’t you modelled for your brand yet?’ and the reason for that is simple. I never wanted it to be about ‘me’. Yes, it’s my brand, yes it’s my message behind everything and yes I am the one in control however, I just didn’t want people to feel as though they were buying into one person. DEAF IDENTITY is a brand, it’s much bigger than just any one person and ultimately, it’s about putting deaf people into the limelight and raising deaf awareness through fashion in a fun, modern and relevant way!

With that being said, I thought now would be a good time to step in front of the camera wearing my own designs and who better to shoot me wearing DEAF IDENTITY than the amazing Sophia Carey! Within this lookbook I have worn every design and colour that I’ve released over the past first year since launching and I’m rather pleased with the results!

I hope you like this lookbook and I want to personally thank everybody for their love and support shown over this past year. I can’t begin to sum it up in words and I wouldn’t want to bore you but genuinely, thank you x

© Photography: Sophia Carey

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ALPHABET SIGN LANGUAGE

NAVY SWEATER

SIZE ‘L’

WHITE INK AND WITH TEXT SHOWING NEXT TO BSL LETTER

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CUSTOM SIGN LANGUAGE

WHITE T-SHIRT

SIZE ‘S’

WITH BLACK INK AND WITH TEXT SHOWING NEXT TO BSL LETTER

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DEAF IDENTITY LOGO

SAND SWEATER

SIZE ‘S’

WITH WHITE DEAF IDENTITY TEXT EMBROIDERY THREAD COLOUR

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‘WHY DOES AUTOCORRECT ALWAYS CHANGE DEAF TO DEAD? BEHAVE’ DEAF IDENTITY PHRASE

BLACK T-SHIRT

SIZE ‘M’

WITH ORANGE EMBROIDERY THREAD

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DEAF IDENTITY HEART LOGO

SKY BLUE SWEATER

SIZE ‘M’

WITH DEAF IDENTITY TEXT IN WHITE EMBROIDERY THREAD AND THE HEART IN BLUE EMBROIDERY THREAD

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DEAF IDENTITY PALM TREE LOGO (SUMMER 2020 EXCLUSIVE)

GREY T-SHIRT

SIZE ‘S’

WITH PALM TREE LOGO IN MAGENTA EMBROIDERY THREAD AND DEAF IDENTITY TEXT IN WHITE

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CUSTOM SIGN LANGUAGE

RED HOODIE (CHRISTMAS 2019 EXCLUSIVE)

SIZE ‘S’

WITH WHITE INK AND WITH TEXT SHOWING NEXT TO BSL LETTER

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I LOVE YOU HAND SIGN

YELLOW SWEATER (SUMMER 2020 EXCLUSIVE)

SIZE ‘L’

WITH BLACK EMBROIDERY THREAD COLOUR

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DEAF IDENTITY PRINTED LOGO

BOTTLE GREEN SWEATER

SIZE ‘M’

WITH WHITE DEAF IDENTITY TEXT

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ALPHABET SIGN LANGUAGE

BABY PINK SWEATER

SIZE ‘XXXL’

WITH BLACK INK AND WITH NO TEXT SHOWING NEXT TO BSL LETTER

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I LOVE YOU SKETCH

WHITE SWEATER

SIZE ‘S’

BLOSSOM INK WITH NO TEXT SHOWING UNDERNEATH


LE LABO - THE NOIR 29


Prior to the lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic here in the United Kingdom, I visited Selfridges whilst in London and made a quick pit stop at the Le Labo concession before heading to an event where ‘The Noir 29’ had caught my eye…

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LE LABO - THE NOIR 29

  • Top Notes: Bergamot, Fig, Bay Leaf

  • Middle Notes: Cedar, Vetiver, Musk

  • Base Notes: Hay, Tobacco

I sprayed this onto my hand before anywhere else as I didn’t want to be stuck with a scent that I didn’t particularly like, so when I went to smell this for the first time, I was transfixed. Obsessed even. There is something so sensual, seductive and mysterious about The Noir 29 that it kept pulling me in for more throughout the fragrance performance.

The opening of The Noir 29 began with what I would describe as a ‘muted’ kick of the fresh, spicy notes that almost felt soft initially that then quickly became darker, more woodier and the note of the fig really stood out to me. I’m not normally a fan of fig notes however, this has been crafted beautifully in a way that isn’t too overpowering. Its sillage I found was medium and its longevity was a little disappointing given that it lasted on my skin for up to 4/5 hours but as I’ve said, the scent is absolutely stunning and if you’re looking for a scent that’s a little dark and sensual, this is the one for you.

It’s also strangely become a little comfort for me too during lockdown as when I smell this, it gives me a sense of ‘normal life’, life before lockdown and I just can’t wait to go back out once lockdown has fully eased to wear The Noir 29 to its full potential!

For more details and where to purchase, you can find this online on many beauty sites and as far as I’m aware, Le Labo still have a few of their stores closed due to Covid-19 so please take caution before going to your local Le Labo boutique!

Have you smelt any Le Labo fragrances before? If so, which ones? Have you tried The Noir 29? What are your thoughts? Are you as drawn into it as I am? Let me know in the comments below as I would love to hear from you, or follow me on Instagram or Twitter to carry on the conversation!


SUMMER 2020 LOOKBOOK


I struggled to come up with a name for this blog post as here in the United Kingdom it’s felt the least like Summer ever! Anyway, for this lookbook I selected a few outfits I would have worn had the pandemic not hit us all. I met up with the ever-talented Sophia Carey for this and I am so pleased with the results! What do you think to this lookbook and the outfits I wore? Would you wear any of them or are they not for you? Let me know below or let’s continue the conversation over on my Instagram and Twitter!

© Photography: Sophia Carey

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  • SHIRT: ASOS

  • TROUSERS: ASOS

  • RING: SAINT LAURENT (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

  • BOOTS: JEFFERY WEST (CURRENTLY SOLD OUT)

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  • SHIRT: ASOS

  • TROUSERS: ASOS

  • RING: SAINT LAURENT (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

  • BOOTS: JEFFERY WEST (CURRENTLY SOLD OUT)

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  • HEARING AIDS: PHONAK

  • RING: ASOS (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

  • EARRING: VINTAGE STORE IN MANCHESTER, U.K.

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  • SHIRT: ASOS

  • TROUSERS: ASOS

  • RING: SAINT LAURENT (NO LONGER AVAILABLE)

  • BOOTS: JEFFERY WEST (CURRENTLY SOLD OUT)

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RESTARTING


Isn’t it strange how the universe works?

A week ago I shared on my social media platforms that I had been struggling with my mental health for the past month or so and that whilst I was so focused on my business (deafidentity.com), I no longer had the time to focus on my blog, social media and my ‘brand’ so to speak.

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Yet, here I am. On my blog, writing this new post to be shared across my social media platforms.

2020 has undoubtedly been the year that has shaken everything up and if we classed life prior to lockdown as ‘normal’, then I’m glad we’ll never go back to that ‘normal’ again. Life I think for everyone was becoming too fast-paced, we’d lost sight of what was actually important, what we truly value in life and what we hold dear to us. I’m glad that that ‘normal’ is now becoming a thing of the past and that as we begin to navigate through these tricky times, a different way of life is coming. It’s needed.

I had an email come through to me a couple of days ago asking for my ‘Media Kit’ and when I saw that phrase it took me back to the old days of blogging, when blogging was good, when it was real and when people didn’t care about Instagram followers and how their feed looked.

But it was a little bittersweet, because whilst I reminisced about the early days when I had just started, I’d basically announced that I was taking a step back and that the transition from being a blogger to becoming a businessman was now underway. I no longer felt connected to my blog however, it made me curious to see just what my July 2020 Media Kit actually looked like given that the last time I’d updated it was January 2019… I was shocked.

It made me realise how far I had come both in 1 year and since September 2015 when I started. It kick-started something within me again. I don’t want to feel pressured or like I have to put something out there just for the sake of it. I want to feel inspired. I want to write as if nobody reads blogs anymore, the way I used to so that if people did and do read it, it’s a bonus.

So, I’m restarting again from scratch and reconnecting with things that (to quote Marie Kondo) spark joy.


BBC RADIO 4 INTERVIEW


I had been approached by BBC Radio 4 earlier today (Wednesday 15th July), to give my opinion on what it’s like for deaf people and the difficulties we face now that face masks are becoming mandatory.

Below is the transcript of my interview, and you can also click here to listen to the interview in full. My segment starts at 24:30 and I would love to know your thoughts on this incredibly important issue? Let’s carry on the conversation over on my Twitter or Instagram.

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TRANSCRIPT FOR MY INTERVIEW WITH BBC RADIO 4 REGARDING THE DIFFICULTIES OF FACE MASKS FOR DEAF PEOPLE

“Since people now have to start wearing masks it’s made me feel a lot more anxious about going and about in public, especially into shops because I just don’t know how I’m as deaf person going to be able to understand people.

Because I do rely on lip-reading, and facial expressions/facial movements play a big part in this as well. So if there’s big face masks covering half of people’s faces, then that is something that me personally, and lots of other deaf people, are really going to struggle with.

I recently went into a shop and one of the store assistants was wearing a face mask. So I went to the till and I was just buying like groceries, food shopping or whatever - because they were wearing a face mask I didn’t really understand what they were saying so I was sort of you know, looking a bit confused and a bit puzzled but then I started to notice that the cashier store assistant was getting quite annoyed and irritated by the fact that I kept saying “pardon”, sorry” , “what” , but because it was embarrassing for me – and I wish I hadn’t done this – but I just didn’t really say anything and I just paid for my things and then I just walked away, where really I wish that I would’ve had the confidence to be able to speak up and say ‘you know what, I am deaf, and it’s hard for me to be able to understand what you’re saying because you are wearing a face mask’, but in a public setting it’s just a very difficult situation to be in.

During this pandemic, one hundred percent in my opinion deaf people have been completely forgotten about. When all of the daily briefings were being held on the TV, all across the world there were all these sign language interpreters, however here in the United Kingdom, that was not the case. It was only because there was relentless campaigning from deaf people, deaf organisations, petitions being signed, that the government sort of sat up and realised, ‘oh, oops,' we have forgotten about deaf people, maybe we do need to have a sign language interpreter for the daily briefings?’ But this was months later and I do feel now with the face masks and face coverings as well, why hasn’t the government stepped in and made it a regulation for clear masks to be invented and given out?”

Huge thank you to the team at BBC Radio 4 and Evan Davis for approaching me to give my opinion on this and for accommodating to my needs by allowing me to record my answers via Voicenote so that I didn’t have to struggle via the phone or ‘Zoom’!