Serge Lutens Interview : Stakes & Professions in Perfumery

Below are a couple of excerpts from an interview with Serge Lutens published in Stakes & Professions in Perfumery, a compilations of essays from perfume industry professionals published by Éditions d'Assalit in 2007. For those interested in the professions available in the perfume industry, this book would prove to be useful. More than a few dozen of essays in the volume were written by various industry journalists, researchers, creative directors and perfumers like Jean-Luc Ansel, Jean-Pierre Subrenat, Frédéric Malle, Christophe Laudamiel, Patricia de Nicolai and Thierry Wasser. The introduction is written by Michael Edwards. More information about the book is available from The Fragrance Foundation. ...

Jean Claude Ellena Interview in LA Times

"I have no interest in trying to reproduce nature ... I want to transform it, create olfactory illusions. Perfume isn't only about the scent of flowers. I can add molecules to make a fragrance harsh, soft, dry, fresh, bubbly, light, cool and warm," says perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena in the LA Times article Perfume's Master of Minimalism. The article notes various inspirations for some of Ellena's famous creations, such as a glass of champagne served on a platter lined with fig leaves (Jardin en Mediterranée) or floral tonalities of Hermès leather (Kelly Calèche). The piece also quotes Jean Kerléo, the former head perfumer for Jean Patou and the founding president of the Osmothèque. Highly recommended reading!

Photo of Jean-Claude Ellena from Wikipedia.

From Rallet No1 to Chanel No5 ... : Perfumer & Flavorist Article

“The story of Chanel No 5 begins in Moscow in 1912 with perfumer Ernest Beaux’s studies of the aldehyde used in Houbigant’s Quelques Fleurs. It continues in La Bocca and Cannes, France, and then is almost derailed by competition from an unlikely source,” begins the article From Rallet No1 to Chanel No5 versus Mademoiselle Chanel No1 by Philip Kraft, Christine Ledard and Philip Goutell.

Published in October issue of Perfumer & Flavorist, it presents a fascinating account of the birth of Chanel No5. One can learn why Beaux was interested in aldehydes and how Coco Chanel decided to launch her own line of fragrances (breaking the agreement with Pierre Wertheimer of Parfums Chanel) during the WWII. Moreover, the piece offers the reconstituted formulas for Rallet No1 parfum and eau de toilette as well as mysterious Mademoiselle Chanel No1. Available for purchase from the Perfumer & Flavorist website.

I have to mention my own small involvement in this piece, which was consisted of providing some historical materials as well as a sample of Rallet No1 from my personal bottle. I have long treasured this gem, and I was glad to finally break open the seal for the purposes of analysis. It is certainly great to see it on the P&F pages.

Paul Poiret and his Rosine Perfumes : New Perfume Book

I already visited the Paul Poiret exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum twice. It made quite an impression on me, especially since I have had a chance to smell a number of Paul Poiret's fragrances such as Nuit de Chine and Le Fruit Défendu. Moreover, I recently found out that there is a book on Poiret fragrances published by Christie Mayer Lefkowith, an art historian and a mastermind behind some of the most renowned perfume bottle auctions which are held annually in Geneva. Her "The Art of Perfume" and "Masterpieces of the Perfume Industry" books are the information rich sources that have long been praised by perfume lovers and particularly bottle collectors. Therefore, I was anticipating having another perfume book to read.

I browsed "Paul Poiret and his Rosine Perfumes" during a recent visit to the museum and bought it on the spot. It is packed not only with the fantastic photographs of Poiret, his fashions and fragrance bottles, but also very interesting and illuminating information about the creator himself and his philosophy. Ms. Mayer Lefkowith also loaned 40 Rosine items from her personal collection, which must be incredible! Mayer Lefkowith's website provides a glimpse inside the book.

Time Magazine Article about Fragrance Industry

"Call it the Davos of nose, the olfactory Olympics, the Sundance of Scent. On June 5, representatives of more than 50 top fragrance-and-flavor companies will converge at the World Perfumery Congress in Cannes, France, to charm potential customers and herald their latest innovations. Gilles Andrier, CEO of Givaudan, the industry leader, will speak on "The Noses of Tomorrow." The latest robotic smell mixers will be on display. International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF), Givaudan's closest rival, will fly in most of its 96 top scent developers separately to the June congress; their noses are so precious that IFF prohibits more than two from ever traveling on the same plane. In addition to trading tips on new smell-rendering techniques and technologies, these wizards of whiff will toss around novel scent combinations employing hydroponic vegetables, Chinese herbs, Indian spices and other recent additions to their olfactory palettes."

Read the rest of the article in Time Magazine.

Prediction of Perception : Fragrance Chemistry

Over the past few years, I have found myself reading more and more of Angewandte Chemie, a weekly peer-reviewed journal. Besides its interesting editorial content, covering all fields of chemistry, it tends to publish very interesting findings in the area of chemistry as it relates to the fragrance and flavour industry. The issue 18 is devoted to such a topic—the scent prediction. The cover of the magazine is scented with the lily of the valley fragrance. The choice is appropriate, since the interdisciplinary team headed by Reinhold Tacke of University of Würzburg, Philip Kraft of Givaudan Schweiz Inc., and Hanns Hatt of University of Bochum demonstrates in the article the ability to predict the odor intensties of molecules Bourgeonal and Lilial (which tend to be used for as part of the lily of the valley accords in perfumery) and their silicon analogues on the basis of their stereoelectronic properties. As the researchers note, “Our computer calculations are exclusively based on the surface shape of the scent molecules, which is defined by their electrons… These results thus unambiguously prove that it is this electronic surface structure of a molecule that determines the interaction between a scent molecule and its olfactory receptors—and thus defines its fragrance.”

Although the article requires some knowledge of chemistry in order to follow the argument, it is nevertheless a fascinating and highly recommended read. See the feature about it on Leffingwell as well as a detailed overview published in Innovations Report. The full text can be acquired from Interscience.

Citation: Leszek Doszczak, Philip Kraft, Hans-Peter Weber, Rüdiger Bertermann, Annika Triller, Hanns Hatt, Reinhold Tacke. Prediction of Perception: Probing the hOR17-4 Olfactory Receptor Model with Silicon Analogues of Bourgeonal and Lilial, Angewandte Chemie International Edition. Volume 46, Issue 18 , Pages 3367 - 3371.

Guerlain, Jean Patou and Joan of Arc : Intriguing Article

"Perfume experts have helped prove that relics thought to have been those of Joan of Arc are forgeries made from an Egyptian mummy - by sniffing them. ... when Sylvaine Delacourte from Guerlain and Jean-Michel Duriez from perfume maker Jean Patou sniffed the charred relics, they smelt hints of vanilla and burnt plaster, according to Nature, which published the study today. The plaster smell was expected, because the 19 year-old was burnt as a witch on a plaster stake to prolong the spectacle for the audience, but vanilla smells are not created by cremation. Philippe Charlier, a forensic scientist who led the study, said: 'Vanillin is produced during decomposition of a body. You would find it in a mummy but not in someone who was burnt.' " Read the rest of this fascinating article in LifeStyleExtra UK News. Thanks to Karen for the link.

Exposing the Perfumer : Michelle Krell Kydd in Perfumer & Flavorist

"Curiosity regarding the perfumer is a natural extension of perfume’s DNA—it is an intimate product that literally touches the wearer. People don’t let strangers get that close, so why wouldn’t one want to know more about a person who is touching their heart with something beautiful?" Says Michelle Krell Kydd in an interview she has given to the Perfumer & Flavorist Magazine about the definition of perfumer, the "impostor syndrome" and other related topics. Her insights are very candid and refreshing. Please read the rest of the article in the Perfumer & Flavorist Newsletter.

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Chanel Les Exclusifs Article in Canadian Living

"All are distinctive, complex and unlike most of the popular scents today. So we asked an expert for her input: Marian Bendeth of Sixth Scents specializes in creating fragrance wardrobes for her clients based on personality, body chemistry and lifestyle. Here's her insight into each fragrance's inspiration and which personality will be drawn to what.... Chanel No 22: Created in 1922. Features notes of citrus, orange blossom, orchid, sandalwood and vanilla. “For me this is Chanel,” says Bendeth. “Austere, analytical, powerful, yet highly feminine and devastatingly sensual. The woman who wears this has exquisite taste.”" From Which Chanel perfume should you wear?, see the rest in Canadian Living.

Thierry Mugler Le Parfum Coffret : Perfume Review

Although the end of 2006 is still 2 months away, I anticipate Thierry Mugler’s Le Parfum coffret being the highlight of this perfume year for me. Fragrance exerts its power when it inspires dreams, stretches reality and allows one a glimpse into a world of fantasy. Ultimately, it is the easiest way to add beauty to the everyday routine. In this regard, fragrance does not have to be narrowly defined as liquid in a bottle, but can also include the aromas experienced when making a cup of coffee in the morning, walking past a freshly mown lawn, biting into a hot pastry, or enjoying a glass of wine with friends.

Le Parfum coffret offers artistic interpretations of scenes from the bestseller by Patrick Süskind, “Perfume: The Story of A Murderer”, the story of genius perfumer Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who seeks to create the ultimate perfume amid the malodourous streets of France in the 18th century. However, Thierry Mugler’s coffret is even more than this—it is a reflection upon the history of perfumery, the essence of art in perfumery and the perfumer’s role. It offers a fascinating journey, the magic of which does not fade even after repeated exploration. ...