a month after filing for divorce, she still saye she "shares a home" with Prince.

– Michelle Edgar
An Altruistic Spin On Home Scents
July 19, 2006 WWDWEDNESDAY

With the fall launch of a home fragrance brand called altru, Manuela Testolini Nelson, who is married to pop superstar Prince, will take her first steps into the beauty arena. "I wanted to bring back an appreciation for old world artisanal goods but present them in way that'd modern." said Testolini Nelson, who is found and chief executive officer of Gamillah Inc., a two-year old firm that's aligned with numerous social causes and based in Minneapolis, where she resides with her husband. Gamillah also markets Art of Life, a collection of media production projects, including DVDs.

Testolini Nelson, who divides her time between Minneapolis and her native Toronto, wanted to create a fragrance collectoni nspired by her travels and exposure to cultures around the world. The 16-item altru collection, whose name is intended to mean "unselfishly giving of one's self to others." contains six soy blended candles, four interior fragrance oils, four sets of incense sticks, a copper incense burner and an incense holder inspired by an Egyptian scroll case.

More than half of the proceeds from altru will go to a charity Testolini Nelson founded last year called the In A Perfect World Foundation. The non-profit organization's mission is to inspire and empower children to become compassionate, socially conscious and responsible leaders.

"I wanted to create something that I personally use and love." said Testolini Nelson. "Since I'm always traveling, I like to make hotel rooms feel like home, and two things I always bring along with me are teas and candles. At home something as simple as having wonderful bath products, a candle and some music is a safe haven and refuge for me."

The altru collection ranges in price from $15 for the Incense Star Burner to $65 for the Interior Fragrance Oil. It will be introduced in October exclusively at Nordstrom and at Manhattan's ABC Carpet & Home, or about 20 doors.

In January, Gamillah plans to expand distribution of altru to other speciality stores. Industry sources estimate altru could generate between $1 million and $ 2 million in first-year retail sales.

According to Testolini Nelson, altru products are named for core values one might find in a "perfect world." such as Harmony, Integrity, Artistry, Remembrance, Wellness and Appreciation. Each of the six products groupings is based on particular oil factory accords. For instance, Harmony is scented wtih tanenashi persimmon; Integrity with Persian lilac and bamboo; Artistry with masala chai; Remembrance with grapefruit and Italian rosemary; Wellness with white clove and wild ginger, and Appreciaton with tiare and white freesia.

The patterns used on altru's packaging are influenced by textiles Testolini Nelson discovered at market's in India, Egypt and Morocco. The soy wax candles are packaged in hammmered copper, while the fragrance oils are packaged in hand-blown glass bottles inspired by Merano glass. A highlight of the line is the Incense Scroll Holder, for $25. It was inspired by an item dating from 1382 that she found in a centuries-old Cairo marketplace. "The holder was used for special documents, like marriage certificates, "said Testolini Nelson. "I thought to myself 'What a wonderful way for me to travel wtih my incese.'"

Over the next two years, Testolini Nelson has plans to launch a bath and body collecton - as well as stationaary, journals and an assortment of teas - under altru.

OJ her P!

txladykat said:

So...she hasn't divorced. I knew it, CJ you skunky liar!

gyro34 said:

ahhh. this dates in July... the divorce has just been announced...so i am sorry to say they really are...plus it was on many news shows including entertainment tonight...
really dont know why some don't want to believe it .. they have not been together together in at least a year...for real !!!

hate to say it C.J. is not very nice but she does say the shit...it isn't the nicest stuff but she semi doesn't lie really.

http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/artslife/torontomag/story.html?id=4d3c573b-7963-4057-94a3-4c8582963a7d

SCENE

Sweet aroma of cash, popularity

Soon-to-be-ex-wife opens up Prince’s pad

S H I NA N G O VA N I

Fluffers! On the Bridle Path! Word has it that House & Garden magazine paid a rare and recent visit to Toronto.

Manuela Testolini Nelson — the soon-to-be-ex-Mrs. Prince — was what brought ’em here. The chi-chi nesting mag got unprecedented access to the uptown manor that she shared for some years with the pint-sized purple-bedecked pop star.

The hook for the article? Manuela — whose five-year union with the singer just went bust — has a home fragrance line that happens to be launching in the fall. (And as I zinged some columns back when I first brought this to your attention: first comes splitsville, then come the soy-based candles.)

But this ain’t all for the Mona Lisa-ish girl who grew up in a notvery-90210 apartment in Don Mills and later turned a job with Prince into a full-time position as spouse. She’s getting the Vogue treatment, too! Word has it that the Prince-ess was also photographed not long ago in New York’s Meatpacking District for Anna Wintour’s glossy.

The home line, called Altru — short for altruism, I think — will be made up of an initial 16 pieces, including fragrance oils, incense sticks and natural candles. But there’s no Little Red Corvette bath balm. And, yes, most of the proceeds go to charity.

Divided into six goodwill theme groups, the products are said to be based on themes such as Harmony (tanenashi persimmon), Integrity (Persian lilac and bamboo), Artistry (masala chai), Remembrance (grapefruit and Italian rosemary), Wellness (white clove and wild ginger) and Appreciation (tiare and white freesia).

What’s this other, sweet scent I smell? Oh, yeah, it’s the aroma of dough! For once the divorce is complete, Manuela is expected to get millions. And, of course, one very photo-ready house on the Bridle Path.

EROTICCITYNPG said:

gyro34 said:

ahhh. this dates in July... the divorce has just been announced...so i am sorry to say they really are...plus it was on many news shows including entertainment tonight...
really dont know why some don't want to believe it .. they have not been together together in at least a year...for real !!!

hate to say it C.J. is not very nice but she does say the shit...it isn't the nicest stuff but she semi doesn't lie really.

Reading this article, it seems to me that the gossip writer is just like CJ, the lady who writes about Prince in a negative way, Mani is promoting her products, which was already slated to come out this fall. Even the healine, seem so offensive. What is her problem. I wonder if she have problem because,, as she claimed Mani came from a modest family. All the magazines articles are for the new line of products that is coming out. The house belongs to both of them, has it even occured to the writer that Prince may have approved it. Because she filled for divorce, yet we do not know what goes on behind the scene. Now at least here is another Mani hater, I am sure some of you will agree with her.The divorce is not final yet, Let the writer wait and see.
It will be nice if some writers will be objective and not put their bias in their writing.

endeara said:

HI ENDEARA!! I REMEMBER WHEN SHE SAID SOME SHIT TO YOU WHEN U COMPLIMENTED HER HAIR ONE NIGHT..." OH ITS LIKE HAVING MY VERY OWN FAN " . THANK GOD SHE OUT OF THE PICTURE. NOW ALL PEEPS GOTTA DO IS STOP MAKIN POSTS ABOUT HER AND SHE GONE FER GOOD. LOVE N PEACE N ALL THAT. GOD BLESS ER. I HOPE SHE FINDS TRUTH

house and garden? Is that all the better she could do.

just cause you're italian ..doesn't mean you have style or class

Tommi2 said:

I'm Italian and I agree with u....
Mani is attracted by money like flies by shit.....

sacredwarrior said:

Don't forget Larry