Bois de Jasmin

Q&A with Neela Vermeire : On Perfume, Passion, and India

A couple of months ago at the Elements Showcase, I had a chance to sit down with Neela Vermeire of Neela Vermeire Créations to ask her a few questions about her trio of fragrances inspired by India. A native of Calcutta, Neela currently lives in Paris, where she launched a line of three fragrances: Trayee, Mohur and Bombay Bling. The perfumes were developed by Bertrand Duchaufour, who was moved by Indian scents and Neela’s stories. I thought that it would be interesting to share with you what motivated her to plunge into fragrance development, what it was like to work with Duchaufour and how her memories of India shaped the perfumes.

What motivated you to start your own fragrance line?

I have always been passionate about perfumes and wanted to create a few based on my past. It was more organic than simply wanting to start my own line. There was a part of me that wanted to pay homage to the country of my birthplace, India. Having very close ties to it yet living so far away, I wanted to revisit parts of my life whilst I lived there with my family and all my travels back. I wished to pay tribute and also, in a way, to reconnect with the India I had left behind. This had to be done with a highly skilled perfumer who appreciates nuances and gives the best effect without excess—sumptuous, but never smothering, since some natural raw materials can be quite heavy and rich.

I researched three broad periods for the first trio. These will be the guidelines for the future, though there are so many other periods from which to draw inspiration as well. I developed my concept and delved into the periods - not just through history books but using all that is India for me: my olfactory experiences and memories from my childhood to the present times. In a way I wanted to create three perfumes for myself but also to share with others. These perfumes are meaningful to me because it is a personal journey.

Catherine Deneuve on Her Favorite Perfume and Other Fragrance Topics

One of the best interviews I have read recently was posted on French blog Simon~says! (thank you for the link, Anissa.) François Simon, a food writer, talks with Catherine Deneuve in his article, Rencontre Avec Catherine Deneuve, about a dizzying range of perfume topics—her first perfume, her role as a fragrance muse, her favorite perfumes on men, the strange scents that she enjoys, etc. The original interview is in French, which I highly recommend reading. For those who do not speak French, I will post a few interesting excerpts. To round out the topic, I will also include mentions of Deneuve's other scented references from her previous interviews. The legendary movie star is an avid perfume lover, and she even wrote a preface to Frédéric Malle’s new book, On Perfume Making. 

Frédéric Malle Noir Epices

Deneuve mentions that she selected Noir Epices by Michel Roudnitska for the role of Princess Marie Bonaparte in the mini-series Princesse Marie (2004.) Noir Epices was a perfect way to slip into the character of a strong, bold, audacious woman.

Interview with Guerlain Perfumer Thierry Wasser on Basenotes

"Surprisingly enough, Jean-Paul and I rarely discuss fragrance. We are two creators and two different kinds of animals. I once asked him, “You were mentored by your grandfather; what did you learn from him when discussing fragrance?” and he replied, “Nothing much”. Jean-Paul then went on to say that the way he did learn a lot from his grandfather (Jacques) was by quietly observing everything he did, rather that speaking about it. So I did the same thing with Jean-Paul. Watching the way he creates has taught me much more than any discussion we could have."

From a terrific interview with Guerlain in-house perfumer Thierry Wasser, in which he discusses Guerlain legacy, material sourcing and many other interesting topics with Marian Bendeth.

Maurice Roucel Interview : Excerpt from "22 Perfumers" Book

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.

Interview with Perfumer Francois Demachy: On Miss Dior and IFRA

Sergey Borisov’s interview with François Demachy in the Russian edition of GQ is worth reading. The questions are blunt, and Demachy addresses each one of them. A translated excerpt is below.  The rest can be found at GQ.ru (use Google translator, if you do not read Russian). I only wish Sergey asked Mr. Demachy about Christian Dior J'Adore...

Sergey dips a blotter in the 1970s Miss Dior parfum for Demachy to smell. “Do you agree that this is completely different from what is sold in the stores today. Or Dioressence, which became completely different, having changed from an ambery composition to a green chypre.”

I completely understand you. However, we are following the IFRA recommendations, which regulate the fragrance organizations. For instance, in the new version of Miss Dior, the bergamot note is different. The furocoumarins have been removed from the essence, which are the natural stabilizers for the bergamot oil. They lend richness and fruity undertones. Without them, the note of bergamot became as if diluted. Moreover, oakmoss also had to be replaced. In general, the whole fragrance was changed. All of the animalic notes: castoreum, civet, musks—very important to the vintage fragrances—are gone. This is vandalism, but we cannot do anything about it. It started 15 years ago; I was then working at Chanel. With Chanel No 5 we faced the same problem. As for modern Dioressence, I do not like it either, and I am working on it right now.