Telling Women’s Stories Through Scent: A Look at Main Character With Steven Gavrielatos

Written by Ally Santos

It’s early morning in New York, and Steven Gavrielatos, best known to fragrance lovers as Redolessence, sits in front of a table covered in scent strips and lab bottles. You can tell he’s in his element: speaking passionately about raw materials, creative storytelling, and the power of scent to shape identity.

Steven Gavrielatos / Images from personal album

As Creative Director of Navitus Parfums and now collaborator for Vivamor Parfums, Steven has come a long way from his YouTube beginnings. What started as reviewing fragrances for fun evolved into guiding the creative vision.

Vivamor Parfums, a sister brand of Navitus, was founded in 2018 with one clear mission: to deliver high-quality, niche-style compositions at an approachable price point. “I’ve been creative director since 2019,” Steven shares. “Vivamor means life and love ‘Viva’ and ‘Amor.’ It’s always been about capturing the beauty of living passionately, but in a way that doesn’t feel exclusive.” Each bottle represents that ethos: luxury made personal, attainable, and deeply emotional.

A Vision in Pink

His latest creation, Main Character, is the culmination of ten months of focused collaboration and late-night testing sessions. Developed with CPL Aromas and perfumer Cristian Provenzano, the fragrance embodies the idea of being the hero of your own story; radiant, magnetic, unapologetically confident.

“When I create something new, I always listen,” Steven says. “Eighty percent of my audience is female, and I take what they say seriously. I read comments, pay attention to trends, and balance what I personally love with what resonates with them. Main Character needed to feel feminine, sparkling, and uplifting, but also elegant and creamy, never too sweet.”

Steven Gavrielatos and Cristian Provenzano

The result is a unique fruity-floral composition anchored by a sensual base of creamy sandalwood and gourmand touches that never overpower. With 30% oil concentration, it’s rich and lasting; “a clean floral presence with a raspberry brightness,” Steven explains, “but done in a way that feels natural, sophisticated, and empowering.”

From the start, Steven knew the story had to be more than just another launch. “It’s been almost a year since our last release,” he says. “We really took our time with this one. Every part of Main Character, from the scent to the pink bottle, was designed with care. I wanted it to be something women would love seeing on their dresser. Something that feels like them.”

The name itself captures the zeitgeist. “It’s a trending term right now, but it also carries a message,” he adds. “Fragrance is a form of augmentation, it makes you feel more confident, radiant, sensual. I wanted this perfume to remind every woman that she already is the main character in her story.”

The creation process wasn’t without its challenges. From manufacturing setbacks to perfecting the cap, the journey was emotional as much as technical. But the payoff was extraordinary: Main Character sold out in just two hours.

If Main Character were a scene, Steven paints it vividly: “She’s the woman who wakes up in the morning, speaks her affirmations, feels gratitude for her life, and approaches the day with zest. She knows her worth. The perfume is just the cherry on top, a little reminder of her power.”

A Fresh Take on Affordable Niche

It’s the sixteenth fragrance under Steven’s creative direction, yet one of his most personal. “It’s inclusive, universally appealing,” he says. “I want women to feel amazing when they wear it, to let it become a part of them.”

In a market where niche perfumery often means high prices, Vivamor Parfums has carved its space with an accessible model. “So many niche brands are beyond reach for most people,” Steven explains. “Our approach was to offer niche quality at a $95 price tag, with free shipping.

Steven’s collaborations are just as intentional as his compositions. “We work with perfumers who are talented, accommodating, and passionate. And when I see content creators wanting to collaborate on fragrance, I always tell them, don’t compromise. Be assertive. Be creative. Take your time and pour your heart into it. If you love it, it’ll show.”

With Main Character, Steven isn’t just launching another perfume; he’s creating a reminder of empowerment. His background as a YouTuber gives him an edge – he understands how scent lives in the real world, how it connects with people beyond marketing language.

As our conversation winds down, he smiles. “I hope people fall in love with this perfume the way I did. Thank you for believing and supporting Vivamor. You are the main character in our story, don’t let anyone else write your narrative.”