State of Mind Founder and Creator
Catherine Laskine-Balandina
State of Mind Founder and Creator
Catherine Laskine-Balandina is the author of the whole State of Mind universe, a world where each fragrance is first met through a state of mind.
Two proverbs have stayed with her over the years. One, from China, describes tea as a fragrance to be drunk. The other, from Japan, links tea to Qi, the energy that runs through all living things.
Her outlook rests on confidence: she believes that faith in oneself and in one's work is what turns a task into the pleasure of doing it well. To bring her synesthetic project to life, she called on a tea taster, a perfumer and a group of illustrators.
Creators
Behind the Brand
Karine Dubreuil
Perfumer
Born and raised in Grasse, the worldwide capital of perfumery, Karine pays homage to her hometown by using the best perfumery ingredients. She's composed fragrances such as Eclat d'Arpège by Lanvin, l'Eau des 4 Reines by L'Occitane, Envy me by Gucci, Aqua Allegoria Pivoine Magique, and more.
Olivier Scala
Tea Master
Tea master Olivier Scala is the fifth generation of a family of tea importers. He started at 25, learning to taste and buy tea from his father, Raymond Scala, and in 1988 he took charge of George Cannon. He has chaired the Comité Français du Thé since 1988, launched the first Paris Tea Festival in 2005 and wrote “Thés”, now a reference book on tea.
Elena Mynenko
Illustrator
Elena Mynenko illustrates fashion and beauty. Her fine lines and soft watercolor portraits give every State of Mind fragrance a face of its own.
Kasiq Jungwoo
Illustrator
Kasiq Jungwoo Lee is a fashion illustrator based on Jeju Island, Korea. He has worked on international campaigns and media projects for names such as Nordstrom, La Rinascente, Samsung, Volkswagen, LVMH and Wallpaper*. He also created the artwork for Ed Sheeran's album Divide.
