Following on the principles outlined in her book “The 7 Virtues of a Philosopher Queen,” Barb Stegemann set out to build an ethical, sustainably-sourced perfume company. Motivated by a vicious attack on her friend in Afghanistan, Barb realized Afghan farmers needed guaranteed markets for crops that weren’t heroin poppies.
Barb created that market. Grow fragrance flowers and she would guarantee the farmer she would buy them. Thus, 7 Virtues Perfume was born. She did the same for farmers in Haiti and Rwanda and built a company in Halifax, Nova Scotia that defied the odds.
Today, you can find 7 Virtues perfumes in her Perfume Atelier, an experimental shop that allows you to make your own perfume, and at Sephora stores throughout North America.