Natasha Garbawi © Josh Gould

We're delighted to introduce you to Natasha Garbawi, the founder (and nose!) of Sun.day of London, a bespoke candle brand. We discussed Natasha's background in the arts, influences on her brand, challenges of entrepreneurship, and much more!

1. Hello Natasha, we are delighted to speak with you today! Can you tell us about yourself and Sun.day of London? How did your journey as an entrepreneur begin?

Hello and thank you so much for having me! I'm besotted with Artsper and the many artists you represent. A bit about myself: I'm London based, a fine artist and also the nose (scent formulator) and founder of Sun.day of London. I was raised within quite a mixed background and exposed to a series of varying cultures. I think that may be where my creative and entrepreneurial spirit emerged from. My journey with the brand evolved naturally from formulating and making skincare and traditional soap from a young age, seeing serums and creams being made at my grandparent's house. The endless botanicals and herbs became part of my everyday life. So the business side developed when friends and family were interested in purchasing my homemade products at larger quantities than the ones I was naturally passing around and gifting them.  

2. As an art director, fine artist and business owner, how do you balance your creative expression with the demands of running a fragrance business?

Honestly, I'm not sure! It's very easy to get hyper focused in one direction and have it become your whole world. This year has been all about stepping away from the day to day and really having a vision for the future. What is the imprint I want to leave behind? It's inevitable to try and grow and progress in one direction but also vital to really stay attuned to your own vision and try not to let company growth dictate how you live and breathe. It's not an easy feat in today's society, but art and creativity are immeasurably important and shouldn't be for the privileged few. We can create as a form of defiance.

Left: Herbs and botanicals scent research © Josh Gould / Right: Candle production © Natasha Garbawi 

3. Where do you draw inspiration from?

I would say my biggest inspirations are the natural world, female power, mother nature, strong women and matriarchs in my family and throughout history.  

4. What forms of art do you focus on? Who are your favorite artists?

Painting has always been my true love, however, since owning a fragrance brand - the art of olfaction has brought a new dimension to what I do. Creating scent is an art and a science, and most artists work across mediums naturally. We recently created a unique sculptural candle and made the figure from clay and soap in order to cast the mold. So 3D also plays a big part in my life, because my products live in the material world. I'm always looking at shapes around me and how they fit together. 

Favorite artists: when we were in Mexico earlier this year we fell in love with Ángela Leyva Gómex. I also love Hayv Kahraman, Marlene Dumas, Lubaina Himid. Probably too many to mention.

Left: Sun.day of London candles © Chi Levy / Right: Sun.day of London candles © Chi Levy  

5. Can you tell us more about your commitment to being eco-friendly and your suggestions for how other creatives can do the same?

Sustainability is somewhat of an obsession but a challenge when you are manufacturing and even in the arts. Natural materials is what I gravitate to, so using glass, metal, clay, stone and this even extends into fabrics. It's common knowledge that using found objects and reclaimed pieces is more sustainable, but when that's not possible I always try to opt for natural fibres, fabrics and metals that can be infinitely recycled. As a small business or creative we don't always have access to the most innovative solutions but we can always think out of the box and try to create our own.

6. As your business grows, how do you envision maintaining the delicate balance between your artistic passions and the demands of scaling a successful enterprise? How do you see the synergy between your aromatherapy business and your artistry evolving in the future?

That's such a good question and the endless conundrum of my very existence. Sun.day started as a creative passion but the business side of things seems to easily overtake this. Creating fragrances and telling stories through scent is the foundation of the business that I really enjoy. Creating new and exciting concepts and bringing them to our community is something that enables me to use my artistic background, such as our recently created 3D printed sculptural lids for our new fragrance, and of course all of our collaborations with female artists and sculptors infuses the brand with the arts. Perhaps my strong focus on this is why Sun.day isn't a huge commercial enterprise, but I'm happy to take it slow and still maintain this element throughout.

Left: Sun.day of London sculptural candles © Josh Gould / Right: Natasha Garbawi © Josh Gould 

7. What advice would you give to young individuals looking to combine their creative talents with entrepreneurial endeavors, based on your experiences?   

I would probably share all the clichés - stay aligned with your true self, your ideas and vision even if that isn't popular or the aesthetic of the moment. Ensure your endeavour is something you really, genuinely believe in as the road is definitely not an easy one in the sense of growing a brand or business.

I would encourage people to find a little crew. I have been beyond lucky to be part of a mix of stunning female founders, creatives and artists. To have the support of so many small brands across beauty, fragrance and the arts that are so generous. We share ideas, suppliers, contacts, retailers and help each other. Collaboration in its true sense is a beautiful and joyous thing and there is room for everyone at the table.