Today we’d like to introduce you to Kerry Thorpe.
Hi Kerry, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I didn’t start Couture Home & Body with a grand plan. It began with my husband, Pete, teaching me how to make candles. What started as a shared moment at the kitchen table quietly changed everything. I had always loved fragrance; how it lingers, how it marks time, how it can ground you without asking anything in return. He gave me a gift in a season when I was searching for solid ground, and that gift became a sense of purpose for me.
So what began as curiosity quickly became a main focus for me. I wanted to understand fragrance beyond preference, how it behaves, how it performs, how it lives in a space. Candle making stopped being a hobby and started feeling like something I could hold onto.
I’m wired to question why something smells the way it does, why it performs the way it does, and whether it actually deserves a place in someone’s home. That mindset led me from candle making, to formulation, then fragrance as a whole. Once I realized I cared more about the process than the outcome, Couture started to take shape.
There was no overnight moment. Just a series of decisions to slow down, refine, and raise the bar every time I learned something new. Where I am now is the result of repetition, curiosity, and refusing to compromise on quality, even when it would have been easier.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Hahaha omgosh definitely not! If it were easy, everyone would do it. It definitely hasn’t been smooth, but most of the challenges came from learning how to build with intention instead of urgency.
Early on, I was eager to get my products into people’s hands. I hadn’t fully defined who my customer was, so I tried to speak to everyone. And when you do that, you end up diluting both your message and your product. Not everyone is my customer and accepting that was a big turning point.
The harder work was slowing down. Refining the brand, clarifying the audience, and letting the products evolve alongside that clarity. There were missteps, recalibrations, and moments where growth felt slower than it could have been. But those decisions created alignment, and that alignment is what makes the brand sustainable.
Looking back, none of it was wasted. Those early lessons forced me to raise my standards and be more intentional not just in what I make, but in who I make it for.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I spend most of my time testing, not just how something smells, but how it performs, how it settles into a space, and whether it earns its place in someone’s home or in their everyday personal fragrance line. That attention to performance and longevity is central to how I work.
I approach fragrance both analytically and emotionally. I’m interested in how scent behaves, how small adjustments change the experience, and how to create something intentional without overworking it. Every product goes through rounds of refinement before it’s released, and I’m comfortable letting something take longer if it isn’t right yet.
A large part of my work is custom blending. I’m known for helping clients articulate what they’re trying to create, often before they have the language for it, and translating that vision into a finished fragrance. That process is collaborative and precise, rooted in listening as much as formulation. That same approach extends into the experiences I create, including mobile candle parties that invite people into the process and deepen their relationship with fragrance.
I think of my work as slow creative problem solving. Fragrance is the medium, but the work is in the refinement, asking why something smells the way it does, how it performs over time, and whether it truly belongs in someone’s everyday life. I value repetition, testing, and clarity over speed, and I’m willing to discard work that isn’t resolved yet, even if it’s technically finished.
What defines my professional life isn’t volume or scale, but consistency. Building a body of work grounded in restraint, quality, and intention has always mattered more to me than rapid growth.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the biggest shift in our industry over the next five to ten years will be a move toward intentionality over volume. People are becoming far more discerning about what they bring into their homes and put on their bodies. That goes beyond clean labels or attractive packaging. It means products that perform well, are made thoughtfully, and exist for a reason beyond novelty.
I expect to see a stronger focus on quality and longevity, with more respect for craft over constant churn. Customers are more informed than ever. They want to understand where products come from, how they work, and what they are actually buying. Brands that are willing to engage in those conversations honestly and meaningfully will be the ones that stand out.
Pricing:
- Candles $30-$38
- Perfume $25-$50
- Soothing Bath Salts $18
- Room & Linen Mists $20
- Lip Balm $8
Contact Info:
- Website: https://couturehomeandbody.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/couturehomeandbody
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoutureHomeAndBody
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@couturehomeandbody
