Chana Goodman: A Chat with the Brooklyn Alchemist
A PROFILE ON PARFUMS OBIM
This interview is part of a new Perfumeverse NYC series called Beyond the Bottle. In these interviews, we explore the notes, noses, and narratives of the local fragrance world for your scented pleasure.
Chana (pronounced Hah-nah) Goodman, the visionary behind Parfums Obim, isn’t just creating perfumes—she’s crafting modern-day alchemy. With a background in mathematics, philosophy, and winery, Chana approaches life with a deeply metaphysical lens. For her, perfumery isn’t just an art form but a way to merge science, emotion, and storytelling into a sensory experience that transforms the intangible into something tangible.
Her appreciation for alchemy is woven into her love for fragrance, where she explores how elements—like burnt wires, dusty metal, or a whiff of wet pavement—can be blended into complex creations that evoke memory and emotion.
In today’s Beyond the Bottle, Chana shares how this philosophy shapes her work, how flamenco inspired her artistry, and what it’s like building a fragrance brand as a proud Brooklynite.
Chana is hard to miss when you meet her. Dressed almost exclusively in black, with her long, glossy black hair woven into a perfect braid and dark eyeliner framing her eyes, she carries a presence far beyond her petite frame. Though eclectic and creative at first glance, it’s her warmth and wit that stand out.
I first met Chana at her cozy boutique in Bushwick, tucked into the ground floor of her two-story home. She had invited me to explore her latest creation, Lestat’s Kiss — a “blood fragrance” inspired by the magnetism of a vampire’s bite, with notes of amber, red musk, and a dry down of metallic flowers and hemoglobin.
We hit it off instantly as she blended drinks in the café for a group of local fragheads. Fans of the brand describe the scents as “boundary-spanning” and “conceptual yet wearable.” Chana’s creations tell nostalgic, vivid stories, pairing notes like wet pavement and crayon wax with coffee, blue chamomile, and white oudh.
When asked about the name of the brand, she smiles softly. “It’s an ode to my love,” she says. In Igbo, “Obim” means “my love” or “my heart,” a term her husband frequently uses for her—though, as she jokes, nowadays its more like, “Babe…”
A multi-disciplinary designer with a background in philosophy, math, and graphic design, Chana spent years blending strategy with creativity. But, Chana’s journey into fragrance started long before Parfums Obim was even a dream. Her stepfather, a sommelier, introduced her to the world of winery and the olfactive arts. It was there that she began to refine her sense of smell, learning the craft of blending and the art of winemaking.
She began experimenting with aromatherapy blends nearly a decade ago, but a serendipitous encounter with perfumer Iris Parker at a department store a few years later changed everything. Parker became her mentor, guiding her in formulation and the art of world-building to create what is now Parfums Obim.
Her talents extend far beyond the boardroom—she’s also a trained flamenco dancer, having studied under original gypsy masters for twenty years. Now, Chana brings these experiences and design expertise into the world of fragrance, crafting bespoke scents with experimental packaging that invite you into a journey of self-expression.
Do you think there’s a fragrance revolution happening?
Absolutely. People are tired of predictable fragrances, “nice” smells for women and “strong” scents for men. They’re looking for movement, transformation, and inspiration. There’s a hunger for scents that evoke mystery and emotion. In that sense, perfumery is experiencing a renaissance—a return to alchemy and creativity.
I believe there’s real magic in art and fragrance—something witchy and deeply artisanal at its core. I think of the small, hidden perfumeries of the Middle Ages or the ancient, chaotic markets of Turkey. Back then, people had a more intuitive understanding of the universe's mysteries. After the industrial revolution, society started dismissing anything outside accepted scientific theories. Any scientist and mathematician knows there’s so much about reality that remains unexplained.
Alchemy—the attempt to harness the mysteries of matter and transformation—has never disappeared. Today, with breakthroughs in AI, materials science, and even dimensional theories, we’re moving out of the age of rigid, linear thinking. Alchemy is alive and thriving again, right in someone’s home. They want fragrances that are larger than life, and I’m here for it.
How do you approach creating a fragrance story?
CG: I always start with a concept, a memory or a story, like a movie. Something that is very pressing in my mind and waiting to be brought to life.
The Stoop feels like a love letter to Brooklyn. How does the city continue to inspire your work?
CG: Brooklyn is in my blood. My mother was from Brooklyn, my grandparents lived here, and I visited often. I’ve been here for eighteen years now. The Stoop comes from a childhood memory—the first time I understood Brooklyn had a unique smell, different from my home when I was growing up in Seattle. I was five, and that moment has stayed crystal clear in my mind ever since.
Owning anything in Brooklyn or NYC is a chaotic freak show. If you want to own a part of NYC—you will pay a price. But, the energy here is unmatched, with so many people ready to collaborate and experiment. Honestly, our world here in this borough is bigger than in most places. Brooklyn literally has it all. No one is cooler, more beautiful, more innovative, and more free than a Brooklynite. Basically you can do whatever the f—k you wanna do here. The only limitations here are the ones you set for yourself. (Minus the rent costs and garbage problems).
Is there a pattern to the current collection of perfumes?
I wanted to offer a wide range of my fragrances so people would understand my breadth and flexibility as a perfumer, while still being approachable. I chose ideas and concepts that people are thinking about currently—colors and textures, AI, and the 4th/5th dimension, but also I wanted to make a nod toward the classics like with Attila and The Dark and their uses of Arabic Ambers and Oudhs.
You’ve got such a unique background with math, philosophy, wine making, and flamenco—how do you think all of that has translated in the world of perfumery?
CG: It’s helped me classify, break things into logical steps, and understand proportions. But I think that need for structure has always been in me. Even as a child, I remember my thoughts being very ontological. My formal training in math built on that, giving me the tools to create and quantify my ideas in perfumery.
Any serious artistic practice will widen your scope of the world. Flamenco very much opened my eyes to the idea that time is elastic. The more you practice, the more time and space feel fluid. It’s a sacred experience—musicians and dancers trust and support each other to create something timeless. That ability to stretch and bend time inspires how I approach fragrance composition.
Wine and perfume are almost the same, though wine takes longer because vintners grow their own botanicals. Both require respect for nature’s gifts and the ability to perceive their stories through aromatic clues. My Italian stepdad, who was a sommelier and wine importer, taught me that beauty comes first, not profit. He was a legend, bringing brands like Ruffino, La Spinetta and San Pellegrino to the U.S. long before they were known. That training instilled in me the value of artistry.
What notes have been fun to play with? What are you currently working on?
CG: I love the wet stone accord in The Stoop. It captures Brooklyn’s dusty, mineralized vibe. I’m also obsessed with Juniper and Taos Sage, which I’ve featured in other perfumes. Both are magical ingredients that make you high—quite literally—they lift you. But I love all my molecules. They are like little creatures waiting to shine. RV_Wax was inspired by the Crayola Red-Violet crayon—a childhood muse. I wanted to bring its cellophane, fuchsia-magenta deliciousness world to life. I’m working on something with Barbaresco wine; I want to explore things like caterpillars, Asian 10 cent stores from the 70s and 80s, the flowers from the privet bush during spring time.
How do you want people to feel when they wear your fragrances?
CG: I want them to travel back to their childhoods and rediscover moments buried in their memories. I also want them to fantasize and move closer to their dreams.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a fragrance brand?
CG: Take a leap of faith and invest in your art. I sold my home to start this business, but it took years of planning. See your future and be very stubborn about the decisions needed to get there. There are many ways of going about it though. I wish I had known this was a profession to actually consider when I was younger but I was on another bender back then. I was obsessed with academics, mathematics and the technological sciences. So I’d say just f—king do what you gotta do. Trust yourself and the universe to guide you. Save money and build your resources so that when the time comes to invest in yourself—you’re ready to go bananas.
DON’T MISS: Parfums Obim currently offers a discovery set for their five perfumes online, or you can visit their Brooklyn shop to experience them firsthand. Chana is also hosting a festive party on Dec. 13 to debut a new holiday fragrance.