Posted by So I was at a bike night one evening and got chatting, as I do, to this chap, Dave, about bikes (that surprised you didn’t it!) and he said he knew a lady who was a petrolhead like me that I would get on well with and put me in touch with Katie Forman.
Katie, is the founder of a company called ByKathryn which is a fairly new perfume brand with fragrances Petrolhead and Padstow Rocks.
We met up at a local pub late one afternoon and ended up spending the entire evening chatting. Katie, like me, is indeed a petrolhead and an avid F1 fan and follower.
Katie has been an international event rider, a groundsman for a tree surgeon and a business woman but also has a love of perfume and in whatever she has been doing, either professionally or personally, perfume has played a prominent part in her life.
The idea of creating her own perfume came about when she was laid up after a hip operation due to a sporting related accident, when Katie had time on her hands to think about things.
So a lot of research later, Katie found a company in the Cotswolds, The Cotswold Perfumery and visited the company. There Katie met the chief perfumer, John Stephen, and after learning about creating perfumes and scents, Katie decided that she didn’t just want to create her own perfume but that she wanted to start her own perfume company!
Like me, Katie found many perfumes are too floral or too sweet and wanted a perfume that was designed for women but that a man could wear too and two perfumes were created called Petrolhead and Padstow Rocks.
I’m not into girly scents either (I bet that surprised you) and when I tried the perfumes I found they really suited me and I liked the way they made me feel when I was wearing them. I will definitely be getting some more. In the bumpf that comes with the perfume, Petrolhead is described as 1) a car fanatic and 2) a woman who writes her own rules. That sums the perfume and me up perfectly.
What Katie is trying to say with her perfumes is that you can have fun and be feminine too and I firmly believe that that is true.
As an avid motorsport fan, Katie hopes that her perfume will be the go to perfume for motorsport enthusiasts and has created a perfume brand that has fun, adventure and real life to it. Sports is an indication of what Katie loves doing and sees her perfume that way, Petrolhead and Padstow Rocks describe a vibe but you don’t have to be a petrolhead or surfer to wear them.
Katie has found two great women who epitomise her perfumes’ vibes. Lucie Rose Donlan, is the face of Padstow Rocks.
Lucie is a professional surfer, coach, judge and a model. Lucie has been free surfing since the age of 13 years and as well as being an ISA Surf Coach, is now one of the few females in the industry qualified as an ISA Level 2 Surf Judge having worked with Surfing England and the UK Pro Surf Tour.
Jo Polley, racing driver, is the Petrolhead ambassador.
Jo, the daughter of double Hot Rot World Champion, George Polley, started racing at 15 years old in full contact Junior stock cars and quickly progressed entering the world of circuit racing and qualified 4th on the grid in her circuit debut.
As a member of the British Women Racing Drivers Club, Jo sees herself as a role model to other women to encourage them into motorsport.
This year Katie’s company sponsors Jo in competing in the Mini 7 Racing Championships.
It was absolute pleasure to meet and chat with Katie, thank you for your time, I really appreciated the opportunity to write about you and your company.
BK