How To Get A Date With Evan Mock
There are certain smells that are superior to others. Hot chippies, the ocean, and the scent of someone you want to take home.
Probably can’t forget the certain scents that can bring you back to a fond memory, place or a loved one too. Scents are actually crazy when you think about how they can do that. I’d imagine capturing the scent and feeling of one of the world’s most beautiful places on earth, being Hawai’i, in a bottle is a pretty hard feat but the Orb Oils and Wahine have done it. Created with Evan Mock, this latest collab from Melbourne-born and based fragrance brand hand-blending unisex oils known as Orb Oils is an ode to Evan’s island home. A love letter in a bottle. What does that love letter smell like exactly? Well we asked Evan. He looks like he smells pretty good.
Okay so first question is how did this collab come about? A brand from Melbourne and one from Hawai’i?
My team reached out and said there was this brand out of Australia that wanted to do a fragrance with you. And I kind of was instantly attracted to it because it's I mean I feel like Australians and Hawaiians kind of get it. They have similar values and lifestyles near the beach growing up. I had some friends that were involved with the brand too. And I just saw it as a nice opportunity to go back home to Hawai’i and figure out how to make a fragrance that actually mimics how we live. I think that it's kind of nuts how the smell is three or four different smells in one. You smell it when you open the box, there’s the smell in the bottle and then you put it on your skin and it’s a different smell. Smells are so subjective; it’s really hard to nail a smell that everyone likes but so far we haven’t got anyone that doesn’t. I think it’s really hard to nail a unisex smell in particular too but we really want people to make it their own, mix it in with their everyday or make it their primary scent.
I like that. And you’re based in New York still right?
Yeah I’ve been here since 2019.
It’s cool you have made this thing that you can carry around with you to remind you of home.
Totally. It’s super special.
When I was younger I had a golden retriever dog called Monty and there was a jasmine bush out the front of my house so whenever I’d take Monty for a walk, that was the smell associated with doing that. Now every time I smell jasmine, I think of my old dog. Is there a scent other than the one you’ve created that brings you back to a certain time or place or memory in your life?
I think one that stands out that is the same every time kind of no matter what kind of weather, is when you land in Hawai’i and take the first couple of steps off the plane. I don't really even know how to describe what that smells like, but it is the same every time. Tarmac, humidity and flowers? I think it also has to do with the music that plays at the airport and, you know, always just happy to be back in Hawai’i. A nice feeling all around.
What was it like growing up in Hawai’i?
I think it's the best. Honestly, I've always said so butI mean, for me personally, I think it's the best place you could possibly grow up, but it's also the best place you could possibly leave as soon as possible.
I feel a lot of people from Hawai’i say the same thing.
I think we always will return back.My family's all there. It's home. It's like a place that I can go to recharge and so I can face the rest of the world. But growing up was awesome. We grew up on the beach, you know. In New York kids grow up going to playgrounds but back home the beach was our playground. That was where we were all day everyday. It was like our PE, just learning how to reach the waves and the currents. But as soon as I could financially afford to pay rent I was out of there. I knew I had to leave to expand my horizons.
You have to do it. I did the same thing. I’m from the bottom of the world so you really have to leave if you want to see anywhere else.
I think it’s good to leave wherever you are from.
I agree. Talking about expanding your world, you are obviously quite massive now in terms of modelling and acting but do you ever consider how skateboarding and surfing and even Hawai’i are small compared to say other sports in the world, but that these were the things that sort of propelled you to your big life?
Yeah I mean surfing originally and then skateboarding - I kind of owe everything to those two things. It’s how I was raised, it’s how I act and the decisions I’ve made is because of those things. It’s grounding but it’s also my DNA, it’s a lifestyle. I think because skateboarding is the unbeatable game, if something was scary or if I was nervous about about something then I found myself always going towards the challenge, you know, because that’s what skateboarding has taught me. Like doing things that make me uncomfortable constantly. There’s so much repetition with skateboarding. I’d try something a million times to land it and now I’ve applied that same work ethic to starting a brand or acting or whatever it is. I know I’d eventually be able to figure it out. Everything now just feels a lot more possible because of skateboarding, because you never master skating. There’s no final boss. And just like skateboarding, a lot of things seem super easy but a lot of people don’t see the work to get there.
For sure, speaking of work, how is Wahine going? It’s been a few years now.
Yeah it’s great. Honestly, it's a learning experience as well. It takes a lot of work and we're a team here. It’s interesting to see what works and what doesn’t and it's always surprising usually. But it's growing. It's awesome. Things take a lot longer than I would like them too because I usually want things done the next day so I’m trying to learn patience with making stuff and working with the factories but aside from all the boring backend stuff it’s sick because we are our own bosses and we can make whatever we want. It’s cool to have freedoom and creativity to say that and even just be able to work with friends. Even for this latest shoot it was like a big hangout. It feels natural when we’re all together. We’re in our backyard you know.
For sure, and you can see that in the little clip. What do you think the scent of a skater is?
Body odour. Usually weed or beer.
I was going to say lots of tears.
Yeah tears from their girlfriend.
(Laughs) And do you believe in the saying, well not saying, but the belief that smelling good lands you more dates?
I think it's like one of the first things that people notice to be honest.It's almost like if you smell good or you smell bad, it almost hits you in the face before you even see what the person looks like. So I think it's very important. Hopefully this fragrance gets some dates for people. I’ll put it to the test this week.
