Tribute perfumes

Iconic places and a unique atmosphere

Numerous perfumes also extend an invitation to visit and explore the capital through their names. With Jardins de Bagatelle (1983), an expansive floral bouquet blending tuberose, orange blossom, violet and jasmine, Guerlain paid tribute to a fabulous estate in the Bois de Boulogne, to the west of Paris. The bucolic charm of the park gives rise to a feeling of calm and delight, far from the hectic pace of the city. A château arises in its centre, built in 1777 in less than 100 days by the Comte d’Artois, at the request of Marie-Antoinette, then queen of France. In 1996, Guerlain suggested a walk down the most beautiful avenue in the world, with Champs-Elysées, a perfume whose name also refers to the address of the house flagship, located at number 68. Major Parisian brands regularly evoke emblematic addresses linked to their history and heritage. As such, in 1995, Hermès dedicated its new perfume, 24 Faubourg, to its headquarters and historical boutique on rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, a prestigious street that houses many other luxury stores as well as the Elysée palace, where the President of the Republic resides. Over at Chanel, 31 rue Cambon in the “Les Exclusifs” collection evokes the famous street that leads north from rue de Rivoli, right next to Place de la Concorde, towards boulevard de la Madeleine. Number 31 symbolizes the place where Gabrielle Chanel established her couture house in 1918, and which notably combines a boutique, the designer’s apartment and the haute couture ateliers. The building, which became the foundation stone of Chanel in the heart of Paris, houses a majestic staircase, surrounded by mirrors. From the top of the stairs, concealed from onlookers, Gabrielle Chanel liked to observe every detail of her fashion shows, as well as the reactions of guests, clients, buyers and fashion editors. 31 rue Cambon reflects an iconic address that remains the symbol of timeless style. As for the Éditions Couture in the Yves Saint Laurent collection, Vestiaire des Parfums, they draw inspiration from the addresses that have punctuated the history of the house. 6 place Saint Sulpice evokes a large boutique opened in the 1960s; 37 rue de Bellechasse, the company headquarters, and 24 rue de l’Université is a reference to the site of the creative ateliers. Meanwhile other perfumes are inspired by the truly unique atmosphere of the capital. So for Parisian Musc, by Matière Première, the perfume house co-founded by Takasago Master Perfumer Aurélien Guichard, the latter drew on memories from his younger days and “the smell of the very chic concept stores of the 1990s, who scented their spaces with perfumes blending fig leaf and musk notes, which had universal appeal.” At Maison Francis Kurkdjian, the soft citrus, floral and musk nuances of Petit Matin evoke a dawn promenade through the still deserted streets of Paris as the city awakens. Similarly, Gris Charnel by BDK, with notes of iris and sandalwood, is an invitation to discover the beauty of the banks of the river Seine beneath a silvery moon.

A dreamlike décor

Paris also provides a continually changing backdrop for memorable advertising campaigns. Perfume houses embrace the essence of the city in their communications and convey its spirit through evocative visuals giving rise to dreams and desire. One of the first posters for Soir de Paris by Bourgeois, presented an illustration of a high-society woman attending an elegant dinner party on a riverboat, set against a starry sky, the Eiffel Tower and the bridges that span the Seine. In 1996, for Champs-Elysées (Guerlain), Peter Lindbergh photographed French actress Sophie Marceau in the centre of the illuminated avenue with, in the background, the impressive Arc de Triomphe. It was a flamboyant poster for a perfume that bore great ambitions, as it was the first launched by Guerlain following the purchase of the house by the LVMH group in 1994. In 2012, the brand rolled out La Petite Robe Noire internationally, with a unique campaign that didn’t feature a muse. Artists Olivier Kuntzel and Florence Deygas invented the legend of a dress that comes to life to become a character whose face remains hidden behind a wide-brimmed hat. Set to the beat of Nancy Sinatra’s hit, “These boots are made for walking”, this well-known Parisian took us to various spots and sites in the much dreamed-of city. The same year, Lancôme’s La Vie est Belle, one of the biggest successes in perfumery, gave us Julia Roberts, whose radiant face looked out over the capital and the Eiffel Tower. In a more disruptive, even underground style, L’Interdit by Givenchy (2018) presented American actress Rooney Mara on the platform of a Paris metro station. This multitude of highly immersive visuals gave the public the feeling of being able to capture and breath the atmosphere of the capital.
 

Paris as seen by a perfumer

In the fashion of every city in the world, Paris gives off its own smells that permeate the mind and memories. Aurélien Guichard mentions the smoky smells of the metro and its air vents. “Also, in spring, the smell of blossoming chestnut trees that line the avenues and boulevards. There are the everyday smells of bistros and coffee grounds, as well as bakeries from which the smell of warm croissant emanates.” The city holds a special place in the perfumer’s heart. “I grew up between Paris and Grasse, with a perfumer for a father and a sculptor for a mother. I lived in a wonderful environment, a Paris of designers and artists, of museums and art galleries. Of fashion too, thanks to my father, who worked with major couturiers from abroad such as Issey Miyake and Kenzō Takada.” Today the perfumer still lives in the centre of the city. “I live on the left bank, a literary area, and I work on the right bank, which is more of a business sector. I love this complementary duality which, in fact, perfectly symbolises the world of perfumery: a world of creativity, supported by an economic, industrial and commercial tool”. Although he knows his city inside out, Aurélien Guichard continues to explore it, starting with his own area, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, a historical mecca of the literary and artistic scene, “a little area that was home to the greatest authors, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Françoise Sagan”. And then there is the Latin Quarter, with its bohemian spirit, home to the Sorbonne, the Pantheon and the Val-de-Grâce chapel. Across the Seine, the Marais contains a high concentration of independent designers, along with bars, restaurants and other meeting places. And lastly, there is Ternes, in the 17^th arrondissement, where Takasago resides. This dynamic and lively  area houses not only numerous companies and businesses, but also the Poncelet market and its fresh produce stalls. “This area embodies authentic, everyday Parisian life,” says the perfumer.

The daily life of a perfumer

While every day reveals new possibilities, Aurélien Guichard is a dawn creator. “I get up early to get a headstart on the day and to be able to set a certain creative pace. Paris is a city that I particularly love in the morning, when it is fresh and light, symbolising renewal, which is a key notion in my profession”. Every day, the perfumer crosses the Seine and then the majestic Place de la Concorde. Next he walks up the Champs-Elysées to the Takasago headquarters on rue Torricelli. No two days are alike, but generally, Aurélien Guichard will evaluate – nose rested – his tests from the previous day that have had time to macerate and express themselves olfactorily. These tests are then fine-tuned, with appropriate modifications. “In the afternoon, I discover and smell new materials and new molecules that are exclusive to Takasago”. These olfactory sessions constitute special moments of interaction with the house teams. There are also appointments and meetings with clients, “Key moments of sharing and listening, to hear their impressions of the latest tests, in terms of the aesthetic dimension, staying power, projection, harmony and development,” which are the many key criteria for evaluating a fragrance. Creating a perfume comes with its own set of rules. “Whenever I receive a new project, I have to start by formulating an idea and an intention, which is then meticulously fine-tuned”. Because a finished perfume is the product of meticulous, collaborative work requiring between 50 and 1,000 tests. “Being in Paris means that we are close to our clients and can meet those who live here or who come for fashion week for example, which stimulates creativity,” confirms the perfumer. Aurélien Guichard is very sensitive to the “Parisian way of life, based on aesthetics, the pleasure of the senses, gastronomy and a certain notion of freedom”. But what inspires the creator most of all, is people, “not only Parisians, but people who come from all over the world and find themselves in the capital – this diversity is what makes Paris rich”. 

Because Paris is diverse and complex, combining the personal and the universal, it seems that it will never cease to bring together and inspire all those who love the city.

The  historical heart of modern perfumery

Although the capital has been famous in the world of perfumery since the Renaissance, it was not until the 19th century that it became its epicentre, as the sector entered the modern era, transforming from a craft into an industry with global reach. The progress made in organic chemistry since the 1830s led to the discovery and gradual introduction of synthetic ingredients. Perfumery was completely changed, forever. These materials would increase the perfumer’s palette tenfold, leading to the appearance of new olfactory  forms, and greater production capacity.

At the same time, following the Industrial Revolution and the rise of new technologies, numerous brand new factories dedicated to manufacturing perfumes were established in the capital and its inner suburbs. In the late 19th century, Paris was the international centre of modernity, owing in particular to the gigantic projects undertaken by Baron Haussmann under Napoleon III, which gave the capital a new face. The city was at the peak of its cultural and artistic influence on the world. The World Fairs, which were held in Paris in 1889 and 1900, enabled more than one hundred perfumers to present their creations to international visitors and to reinforce their prestigious image. Along with the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens in 1886, these gatherings constituted the biggest planetary events of the era. And while Paris was the industrial centre of European perfume, it was also its commercial heart. All the more so as the development of a railway network and the shipping industry drew wealthy visitors to Paris from all over the world. Americans who had recently made their fortunes, as well as the European bourgeoisie and aristocrats, all walked the boulevards and avenues, dazzled by the beauty of the urban setting and its unique charm. They also flocked to increasingly sumptuous perfumeries, specially designed to welcome them, and returned home bearing precious bottles, thereby helping to promote Parisian perfumery’s image of excellence.

Triumphant perfumers

Among the great names of the era, that of Guerlain had a particular ring to it, as it still does today. In 1828, having just returned from England where he had brilliantly completed his studies as a doctor and a chemist, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain founded the perfumery that bears his name, in a small boutique on the ground floor of the Hotel Meurice on rue Rivoli. He also established a factory close to the Place de l’Étoile, on what is now avenue Kleber. Success came quickly, and Guerlain perfumed the major European royal courts. In 1853, thanks to his Eau de Cologne Impériale, he won the title of “His Majesty’s Official Perfumer”. More than a mere honour, it was a crowning glory. In 1865 he was succeeded by his son Aimé, who created a series of masterpieces including Jicky, a revolutionary perfume, and one of the first to incorporate the new synthetic components. It was launched in 1889, the same year that the Eiffel Tower was inaugurated! Meanwhile, Houbigant, L.T. Piver and Roger & Gallet, continued to feed into this incredible glory. They all made use of the high-end image of French perfumery and wagered on the name of Paris as a guarantee of authenticity, prestige and excellence. At the dawn of the 20th century, new creators, visionaries and adventurers would in turn participate in the fame and prosperity of French perfumery. Among them, was François Coty. Originally from the French Mediterranean island of Corsica, the young man was only 26 years old when he arrived in Paris to become the secretary of a parliamentary deputy. He discovered perfumery by chance, through a friend who was a pharmacist and a chemist, and soon developed a taste for scents. Having studied among professionals, he created his own laboratory and established factories in Suresnes, to the west of Paris. In 1904, his first perfume, La Rose Jacqueminot, cast its spell on society ladies. The following year, Ambre Antique and L’Origan constituted genuine revolutions and launched the olfactory families still in use today. A succession of triumphant  launches followed, and in 1917, Coty released Chypre, a fragrance that would singlehandedly define the  structure of modern chypre perfumes. François Coty believed that perfume, previously reserved for the elite, could become a product of mass consumption. He understood the importance of sales techniques and advertising. Following Guerlain’s example, he surrounded himself with the best artisans, such as Baccarat and Lalique, to design his bottles. This attention to packaging constituted a key feature of the Parisian perfumery industry. In 1904, the same year that Coty was established, Ernest Daltroff, a Frenchman of Russian origin, founded Caron perfumes. The 1900 World Fair had made him want to join this audacious entrepreneurial adventure. In contrast to Coty, Caron set his sights on high society in major European and North American cities. While his catalogue expanded rapidly, it was not until 1911 that the house established its reputation internationally, with the launch of a major perfume, Le Narcisse Noir. This opulent orange blossom fragrance on a base of sandalwood and musk notes met with immediate success, especially among Hollywood stars in the United States. The house enjoyed such fame overseas that in 1923, Ernest Daltroff founded the Caron Corporation, an American subsidiary located in New York, on 5^th Avenue, helping to export French expertise across the Atlantic.

Fashion and fragrance, an enduring, very Parisian bond

As these great perfumers enjoyed their success, a new element would further anchor the relationship between Paris and perfume, in the shape of fragrances by couturiers. This phenomenon came into being in the early 1910s, thanks to Paul Poiret, a visionary designer who presented his haute couture collections at spectacular runway shows. In 1911, he also became the first couturier to launch his own perfume house, Les Parfums de Rosine, named after one of his daughters. And, he was the first to launch such evocative and dreamlike fragrances as Nuit de Chine and Le Fruit Défendu. But while Poiret was a pioneer, it was Gabrielle Chanel who first gave her own name to a perfume brand when, in 1921, she launched the now incredibly famous N°5, with perfumer Ernest Beaux. For her, perfume was an indispensable element of Parisian women’s wardrobe, and for women in general. During the 20^th century, N°5 would become the best-selling perfume in the world, and the most famous. After the Liberation, American GIs rushed to the Chanel boutique on rue Cambon, eager to take a bottle home for their wives and fiancées, like a fragment of Paris. Other fashion designers followed in the footsteps of Gabrielle Chanel to launch their fragrances, such as Jeanne Lanvin with Arpège, and Jean Patou with Joy, “the most expensive perfume in the world”. The phenomenon grew to such a scale that from the 1950s, couturier perfumes tended to dominate the market. Christian Dior, Nina Ricci, Marcel Rochas, Hubert de Givenchy and Yves Saint Laurent saw perfume as an olfactory interpretation of their couture collections. A very Parisian touch of chic. Their most famous fragrances, such as Femme, L’air du temps and Miss Dior, then later Opium and Poison, were sold almost all over the world. In the 1990s, new Parisian designers launched innovative and revolutionary fragrances, such as Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Mâle, composed by Francis Kurkdjian, and Thierry Mugler’s Angel (Olivier Cresp), the first gourmand perfume. As for l’Eau d’Issey, a major, iconic aquatic floral, it built a bridge between Japan and France, bring together Issey Miyake, a designer from Hiroshima, and Jacques Cavallier, a perfumer from Grasse. “Perfumers conveyed brand DNA through fragrances, and worked hand-in-hand with licensing companies such as L’Oréal, Puig and Coty, or directly with the fashion houses. As the fashion capital, Paris was home to the biggest couture houses as well as the people who created and illustrated their identity. This extraordinary city brought together multiple forms of art, expertise and know-how, which all nourished each other,” is the analysis of Aurélien Guichard, Takasago Master Perfumer. Today, the majority of the big names in perfumery are still associated with the fashion world, reflecting a phenomenon that was born in the French capital over a hundred years ago.

A mecca for perfume creation and training

“Perfumers have always gone been drawn to places where culture and the arts, and then couture were present, “ notes Aurélien Guichard.

Indeed, stimulated by this creative effervescence, international perfume creation houses gradually formed a concentrated presence in Paris and its suburbs throughout the 20^th century, and up until today, including: Takasago, Givaudan, DSM-Firmenich and IFF, as well as Symrise, Mane and Robertet. Paris and its outskirts also attract future fragrance professionals, and remain a mecca for studying the perfumery professions. ISIPCA, founded in Versailles, south west of Paris, in 1970, remains the school of reference for perfumery, cosmetics and aromas professions. For over 50 years, it has been teaching students from all over the world, sharing unique French expertise in scientific, technical, marketing and commercial fields, and has trained almost 6,000 graduates, including the biggest names in international perfumery. Sharing the site of the ISIPCA campus is the Osmothèque, an international organisation dedicated to the conservation of perfumes. Founded in 1990, by perfumer Jean Kerléo, it contains the biggest olfactory archive in the world, storing over 5,000 perfumes, present and past, many of which are discontinued. They have been recomposed according to their original formulas by in-house perfumers. A place of openness and sharing, the Osmothèque holds conferences for professionals and the general public on a range of themes, in order to highlight and transmit this fabulous heritage. In terms of training, the centre of Paris is not to be outdone. Since 2011, the city has been home to the Ecole Supérieure du Parfum, which also provides multi-disciplinary training recognized within the profession, with courses on perfume creation, evaluation, marketing, management and communication. In 2018, the school also opened a campus in Grasse, which is a strategic location.

The alchemy of Paris and Grasse

900 km south-east of Paris, on the hills looking towards the Mediterranean, the small town of Grasse enjoys a worldwide reputation for its time-honoured cultivation of fragrance plants. Following a period of decline that began in the 1960s, linked in part to real estate pressure and to competition from international agriculture, the city is flourishing once again, having drawn the major fragrance houses into its orbit. Chanel established a presence there in the late 1980s, and currently cultivates five types of perfume plant on 30 hectares of land, carrying out extractions on-site. Parfums Christian Dior have also formed exclusive partnerships with young local producers, while Louis Vuitton set up its creative laboratory at the Fontaines Parfumées, an estate dating back to the 17^th century. Grasse was, conversely, the starting point for Matière Première, the perfume house co-founded by Aurélien Guichard in 2016. “From the outset of this adventure, I decided to become a producer and a grower, and to be in touch with the land and the natural ingredients myself, by planting 10,000 bushes of Centifolia rose, as well as tuberoses, and, more recently, lavandin – all grown organically,” the perfumer explained.

Coming from a long line of perfumers, he is thereby continuing the tradition of the six generations that preceded him. Today, he is the only perfumer in the world to benefit from natural ingredients he has cultivated himself, in the Grasse area. These exceptional raw materials are present in the compositions of the house creations such as Radical Rose and French Flower. The perfumer wanted to create “perfumery of the highest quality, focussing on the ingredient and its authenticity, but with a modern, urban element that is  both very Parisian and outward looking.” The house, whose headquarters are in Paris, therefore perfectly embodies this powerful and complementary link between the two perfume capitals.

A creative and commercial energy

There are multiple ways to designate the fragrance houses positioned beyond selective distribution circuits. Whether Haute parfumerie, parfumerie d’auteur, exclusive or niche, these brands convey the values of an artistic, creative style of perfumery that Paris has been home to for decades. Among the historical actors, Diptyque, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Annick Goutal and Serge Lutens have gradually raised their profile internationally. Others, more recently, have launched fragrances that have grown into global success stories, and watched as they have become market leaders, such as  Maison Francis Kurkdjian and its now cult fragrance, Baccarat Rouge 540. 

Matière Première, BDK and Maison Crivelli in turn represent the new generation of visionary houses that are seducing fragrance lovers. In parallel to this creative energy, sales premises dedicated to perfume have continued to develop in the capital. Department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, Le Bon Marché, Samaritaine or BHV Marais dedicate increasingly large spaces to luxury perfumery. As for the Champs-Elysées, it is home to the biggest Sephora in Europe, as well as the Guerlain flagship, which sits close by. In the area surrounding this famous avenue there is a concentration of major fashion brands that offer exclusive perfume collections in their boutiques. Rue Saint-Honoré brings together names such as Le Labo, Jo Malone, Ex Nihilo, Nishane and Byredo. Maison Francis Kurkdjian is nearby, as is Jovoy, a major multi-brand boutique that offers a myriad of rare perfumes. 

To the north of Les Halles lies Nose, an avant-garde olfactory concept store. Meanwhile the historical Marais area has also become a mecca for perfumery. Rue des Francs Bourgeois is lined with boutiques such as Juliet has a Gun, Fragonard, Diptyque, Frédéric Malle, Bon Parfumeur and Penhaligon’s. The heart of Paris therefore continues to beat to the rhythm of perfume and to charm visitors from all over the world, as it did over a hundred years ago. However, while Paris constitutes a fabulous, unique heritage, the City of Lights has not remained in the past. “It is interconnected and has links with other cities. Reinvention arises from collaboration. Paris constitutes a laboratory that looks out at the world, the present day and the future,” concludes Aurélien Guichard. No doubt this welcoming and dynamic city will continue to cultivate its creative spirit, in order to convey its dream-like essence and invent the perfumery of tomorrow.