Part 1: Layering Fragrances : Perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena’s and French Elle Suggestions
Last winter French Elle has published an installment on layering perfumes, giving helpful tips and providing eleven different suggestions. I indicate with an asterisk (*) the combinations I particularly liked. The translation from French is my own.
Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
The first time I smelled Sweet Redemption, the newest fragrance from by Kilian, was on a hot August morning. It was a typical New York summer day, filled with the heavy smell of hot asphalt and roasted peanuts. As the fragrance was warming up on my skin, however, I found myself in an autumnal mood. Visions of burnished gold and crimson leaves, rain puddles and foggy afternoons swirled in my mind, somehow inspired by this wistful orange blossom composition. Sweet Redemption is warm and tender, serene and introspective. It has a wonderfully comforting aura, a perfect antidote to the cold reality of autumn which is soon to come.
Maurice Roucel is a perfumer whose work I admire for its originality, boldness and unapologetic sensuality, which are clear even in his “big brand” creations. He is the author of Hermès 24, Faubourg, Frédéric Malle Musc Ravageur and Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist, among many others. The following is an excerpt from a fantastic book by Clara Molloy called 22 Perfumers: A Creative Process. It features in-depth interviews with 22 perfumers such as Calice Becker, Dominique Ropion, Olivier Polge, Alberto Morillas, Annick Menardo and many others. The book is available in French and English editions and can be found on Clara Molloy’s website.
How did you enter the perfume industry?
At the time, when I started out in 1973, there were only people from Grasse in the perfume industry. I was born in Cherbourg. I arrived in Paris with my parents at the age of 5 and I stayed there. I was passionate about organic chemistry and theoretical physics. In 1973, Henri Robert, the creator of “No 19” by Chanel, hired me to develop a chromatography laboratory. I spent 6 years with Chanel. While I was there, I learned the profession of perfumer by myself; I was self-taught. But I still love organic chemistry, which I find extremely creative! For me, creation is everywhere. Anything can be creative. In my career, I’ve even found myself working on a shampoo. I find it refreshing to have a look elsewhere. There are also surprises in soaps and detergents. Today, it’s clear that in fine perfumery there are more resources, time–sometimes–and a broader scope.
“The best way to find a perfectly ripe tomato has little to do with its shape, color or size. It is the unmistakable scent of salty caramel that demonstrates a tomato is at its peak. While green tomatoes can be reddened with ethylene gas, furaneol, the compound that gives tomatoes their distinctive aroma, accumulates only when a fruit is allowed to fully mature on the vine. Strawberries and mangoes share the same compound, and other fruits contain analogous aromatic molecules when fully ripe…”
Zester Daily, a publication devoted to food and drink, has published my article Cooks, Follow Your Nose. In it, I share how understanding the role of aroma and the power of our nose is essential for eating well, despite the fact that most cookbooks and food shows rarely acknowledge this. Hope that you enjoy it!
Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.
Swan down puffs, white lace camisoles, candied violets, ivory fans, tulle skirts, satin shoes… If these words evoke a romantic vision for you, then Penhaligon’s Violetta will be a pleasing discovery. Although a modern fragrance, created in 1976 by Penhaligon’s perfumer Michael Pickthall, it aims to transport its wearer to the 19th century. Like the Fairy Godmother’s wand transforms Cinderella into a princess, complete with tiara and crystal slippers, a whiff of Violetta makes me forget my jeans and t-shirt. I might as well be sporting a crinoline, corset, bonnet, with the stiffness of tight “sugar” curls replacing my usual messy bun.
Recording of a seminar.
Luca and Victoria speak for 1.5h on topics included, but not limited to: vintage perfumes, our favorite fragrances, trends we hate, industry gossip. No one will be spared. All will be entertained. Funds will be used to support charity projects in Ukraine.
Recording of our session on the future of perfumery.
Price: €50
Class location: Brussels
Date: contact for availability
Class duration: 2.5 hours
200€/per person
Students of all levels of interest in perfumery will find much to learn in this series of lectures. The lecture is designed to sharpen your sense smell and improve your enjoyment and appreciation of scents. You will learn professional smelling techniques and receive personalized tips. You will learn how to smell complex aromas and about the main criteria of a well-made fragrance–and how to look for them.
Online and in-person classes are available.
