Culture: 426 posts

“I’ve not even told anyone in the company this but somebody at our factory at Pantin was going to throw away a lot of old papers. We have a conservatoire, a private museum where we keep lots of Mademoiselle’s possessions and archives, and the person responsible for that went to see what they were going to throw away. Included in the papers were old formulas that Mademoiselle Chanel created, like Une Idée and 1940 – very old fragrances that nobody remembers and I have to see what can be done with those in the future,” says Jacques Polge, the in-house Chanel nose, in an interview to Alison Kerr.

Doesn’t that sound exciting! Read the rest of the article. Thank you to Tammy for the link.

To say that Sophia Grojsman is responsible for a revolution in perfumery is an understatement. Her unique vision ushered in a new style of fragrances that broke with the traditional classical forms. Indeed, she is a Picasso of perfumery, with her fragrances unfolding into visions that were as progressive as they were breathtaking. Just like Cubism fragmented three-dimensional forms, intertwining the elements in such a way as to present multiple views of the same subject, Sophia Grojsman’s fragrances changed one’s perspective by allowing the base notes to be visible from the top.
At the time, when fragrances were created using several hundred components, she started composing scents, the main accord of which weaved only four to seven ingredients. And in those few masterfully selected strokes she was able to conjure images and sensations that were previously rarely experienced. From Yves Saint Laurent Paris to S-Perfume 100% Love, Sophia Grojsman’s creations are marked by a sensual silkiness recalling flower petals and a luscious softness that does not compromise the strong and confident character of her fragrances. After all, they are created by a woman whose strength and dedication to her work are not in conflict with her warmth and generosity.

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I would like to share a very interesting interview with Serge Lutens I discovered via Barney’s catalogue. After reading it, I feel inspired to wear Ambre Sultan today.

Why fragrance? After years as a make-up artist and photographer, what attracted you to this world?
I don’t think that I’ve switched from one world to another. I believe that it is an extension of myself in other realms of creativity. In that sense I can say that my fragrances make me grow creatively. As for my choices, things are not always what they seem. For instance, in the first part of my life, make-up for me was not really about make-up. Images were what it was all about. For me, perfume making is a language. Essences for me are what words could be for a writer. They are tools of expression. …

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What are the seven places to shop for perfume in London? The article in The Guardian tells it all.

Update: the link is no longer working, but you can read about perfume shopping in London on NST Perfume.

Entering the gilded interior of the Guerlain flagship boutique at 68, Avenue des Champs-Elysées one already feels the vivid contrast between the cold, grey Paris in winter and the sparkling Second Empire décor of the ground level. Yet, it is only by ascending the stairs that the contrast is brought to a climax. Spiral staircase, its dark wood sprinkled with golden squares, opens into a cavernous hall with rounded walls covered with spectacular gold mosaic. Unlike the more traditionally decorated ground level, it is at once retro and baroque, modern and futuristic—a luxurious setting befitting the fragrances and a self-help venue for a no-nonsense shopper, a rather curious juxtaposition. Created by a famous interior designer Andrée Putnam who is responsible for some of the most prominent fashion boutiques, La Maison Guerlain can rightly be listed among the haute perfumeries of Paris. If there ever existed the Guerlain perfume museum, 68, Champs-Elysées is the one.

Large room with a chandelier which opens up into the boutique downstairs contains a circular table where most of Guerlain classics and moderns are arranged in three rows, the highest for the extraits de parfum and the lowest for the EdTs. Moreover, the mirrored wall contains shelves filled with the bestselling Guerlain fragrances, which include Vetiver, L’Instant and Mitsouko, among others. All aspects of the layout ensure easy and unassisted sampling, which one can do for hours. …

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