BeautyTalks with Beth Maloney, Founder of Summer Hours

What has been the most wonderful part about starting Summer Hours?

I loved the process of developing our four scents with Sarah Horowitz-Thran. Sarah is an artisan parfumeur based in California. She only creates clean, gorgeous fragrances. I think she is the most talented 'nose' in the entire country. Sarah took my ideas for our debut collection and translated them into reality.

”Realizing that I'd always used evocative scents as a quick way to transport my thoughts to a different time and place, I wondered if others might be interested in a line of clean fragrances that would offer the same thing.”

Tell us a bit about how Summer Hours came to be as a concept.  

In the summer of 2020, like everyone else, I found myself at home but I was really longing to travel. I love exploring new places and having new adventures. Realizing that I'd always used evocative scents as a quick way to transport my thoughts to a different time and place, I wondered if others might be interested in a line of clean fragrances that would offer the same thing. From that question came months of research and a detailed business plan.

How many fragrances are in the line currently? 

Summer Hours launched in July of 2021 with four distinct and evocative fragrances: 

• 80°| Orange, coconut, orange blossom, neroli, and jasmine.
• LE WEEK END | Cut grass, honeysuckle, peony, linden blossom, and verdant woods.
• ROMANESQUE | Fresh fig, bergamot, lemon, rose, and Mediterranean pine.
• NEW WAVE | Lemon, sea salt, neroli, jasmine, and white musk.

We love The Sample Set, tell us about it.

Thanks! It's our most popular product. At $40 it's a great purchase because in addition to receiving The Sample Set of four, 2 mL testers it also includes a $40 product credit toward the purchase of a classic-sized bottle. It gives our customers a chance to experience each of the scents in their own time before committing to a larger bottle.

”We believe our customers care most about what they do in the hours they're wearing our scents.” 

Do you see your brand expanding with different products?

Yes, definitely. Clean fragrances will always be at the heart of this brand. We believe our customers care most about what they do in the hours they're wearing our scents. We plan on offering them an inspiring, peripatetic mix of products. Our favorite travel magazine — YOLO Journal — is the first item (beyond our fragrances) to be stocked on our website.

Aside from Summer Hours, what are you passionate about?

I love to travel with my husband and our two sons. And I also love to travel by myself. This summer I flew to Rome, rented a Cinquecento, and drove across Italy to Apulia. I had read about the town of Grottaglie and its long history of ceramic-making and was eager to visit. Soon after arriving I met Giuseppe Fasano, a sixth-generation ceramicist whose studio is located in a thousand-year-old, deconsecrated church. Fortunately, Giuseppe's English was better than my Italian. We hit it off and decided to collaborate on an exciting project — which will be available from Summer Hours in time for the holidays. After making our plans, Giuseppe charmed me into joining him for a delicious lunch at a restaurant in Grottaglie owned by Luciano Pavarotti’s former chef. That day is such a great example of why I love solo travel. Random, wonderful things can happen if you follow your interests and are up for a little adventure!