After successful launches on St. Croix and St. Thomas in January 2025, St. Croix-born fashion designer Wayne James will debut his three new fragrances — Freedom, Rebellion, and Celebration — at Bamboula St. John, in time for July 3, Emancipation Day.
“The Emancipation Day fragrance launch on St. John is near and dear to me,” James said. “The unique history of our islands inspired the formulations and naming of the fragrances and to be able to bring my work to the people of St. John of this momentous occasion is a perfect alignment of forces.”
The gender-neutral scents were made in Grasse, France, with ingredients from around the world, James said. Rebellion uses the skin of green mango, ripe hog plums, tobacco and coffee to remind the wearer of a Caribbean countryside. Freedom is a fresh scent, with a base note of grapefruit and top notes of guavaberry and kumquat. According to James, Celebration is a “mystical fragrance” with aromas of frankincense, myrrh and notes of ginger, pineapple and a hint of nutmeg. The fragrances are packaged in a traditional “crocus bag,” a burlap sack.
The launch event at 4 p.m. Thursday (to coincide with the hour in 1848 when the enslaved population of the Virgin Islands was declared to be free) will feature Bamboula dancers and Baja El Sol, next door, will offer a complimentary rum drink or espresso coffee with proof of fragrance purchase.
In addition to the three fragrances, James is working to publish a lengthy book on the “History of the Cuisine of St. Croix: From the Middle Passage to Present Day” by December.
