INDIANAPOLIS — Phillip Prime began working as a chemist within Eli Lilly’s cosmetics division to pay his way through medical school, but the smell of success would eventually permeate Prime’s plans for the future.
Prime worked at Elizabeth Arden, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly, developing cosmetic lines for men and women. The Trinidad native quickly became known for his superior sniffing abilities.
“Smelling is being able to concentrate, to be able to relax one’s mind,” Prime told WRTV reporter Greg Todd. “You cannot smell if you’re disturbed in mind. It’s difficult to put one’s self into experiencing one’s environment if your mind is otherwise occupied.”
It was a state of mind for Prime in all aspects of life.
“I like going into the woods, walking in nature [and] taking a walk in my block. Even long after the flowers are gone, I can continue to enjoy the beauty of spring.”
Prime was integral in the development of fragrances within Elizabeth Arden.
According to Todd’s report, the marketing department would develop fragrance concepts for perfumers to research. Their work was then sent to Prime for further evaluation.
Prime had what was called the perfumer’s organ at his disposal. It was a collection of scents each with different notes, similar to that of a musical organ. A small bottle of jasmine was valued at $400.
Prime also studied how environmental changes could impact a product’s scent. For example, how extreme temperature swings would impact the smell of Lagerfeld shaving cream.
Eli Lilly exited the cosmetics industry when it sold Elizabeth Arden for $700 million in 1987.
Prime eventually created his own perfume company, Parfums Llewelyn. The company debuted its fragrance called Stardust in 1999. The name was a nod to Hoosier musician Hoagy Carmichael who penned the song by the same name.
