In the never ending discussion about taste in perfumery (good taste/bad taste, etc) one comment was about a conversation with a famous perfumer:" perfumers should rather speak about their tastes". It was of course a reference to artistic, cultural tastes.
What about the taste itself, about what perfumers like to eat or to drink, do they make a good "chef" ? What would you prepare if you would have a perfumer invited at home? We know by now that Jacques Guerlain was mad about aromatic herbs, that Ernest Beaux liked very good red wines and that both used vanilla in a different way.
When modern perfumery is more tasty than ever (and not abstract as it used to be for decades) and the boundaries between the bottle and the plate are blurred, is personal taste more important than ever in the creation?
Are certain perfumers more Pastis, Cognac, Xerxes, schnapps or Rain water from New Zeeland?
Are they "nouvelle cuisine" or Brillat Savarin?
For some of them is obvious, or at least the fragrances might give you several clues.
For me Olivier Cresp is the exact representation of Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory - he is the "chef patissier" of perfumery and all his great creations are like a new forbidden fruit - tasty, delicious with subtle nuances and not just an "gourmand" perfume. Think Angel, Nina, Ange ou Démon, Kenzo Amour and even the previous Kenzo fragrances have a particular "flavor". Many of them express for me (and that's strange!) that sensation of "joy" after you eat a good sweet pastry (it could be from Pierre Hermé). More the feeling and less its literal transcription into scent.
Another example, brought to me by carmencanada is Aurélien Guichard. In another age he could have been a curly angel in a Rococo painting. All his perfumes are powdered with vanilla. It's like the fragrance is a "petit éclair" floating on a cloud of sugar and vanilla, no matter what the subject is. Baghari, China Town and even other give me the sensation of an angel eating macarons with one hand and with a finger testing a drop of perfume. In a boudoir, of course for a "confidence gourmande".
Many fragrances created before the 70's had a certain bitterness, as seen in several chypre (except the fruity). Crêpe de Chine, Ma Griffe, Cabochard, Diorling might give a similar sensation to some red wines rich in tanin. Often that bitter effect was given by some aromatic herbs, IBQ, gardenia notes, vetiver, aldehydes. Sweet notes were used in great amounts but the fragrance was not sweet. I imagine that the word tasty / gourmand had a different meaning 50 years ago.
What about the taste itself, about what perfumers like to eat or to drink, do they make a good "chef" ? What would you prepare if you would have a perfumer invited at home? We know by now that Jacques Guerlain was mad about aromatic herbs, that Ernest Beaux liked very good red wines and that both used vanilla in a different way.
When modern perfumery is more tasty than ever (and not abstract as it used to be for decades) and the boundaries between the bottle and the plate are blurred, is personal taste more important than ever in the creation?
Are certain perfumers more Pastis, Cognac, Xerxes, schnapps or Rain water from New Zeeland?
Are they "nouvelle cuisine" or Brillat Savarin?
For some of them is obvious, or at least the fragrances might give you several clues.
For me Olivier Cresp is the exact representation of Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory - he is the "chef patissier" of perfumery and all his great creations are like a new forbidden fruit - tasty, delicious with subtle nuances and not just an "gourmand" perfume. Think Angel, Nina, Ange ou Démon, Kenzo Amour and even the previous Kenzo fragrances have a particular "flavor". Many of them express for me (and that's strange!) that sensation of "joy" after you eat a good sweet pastry (it could be from Pierre Hermé). More the feeling and less its literal transcription into scent.
Another example, brought to me by carmencanada is Aurélien Guichard. In another age he could have been a curly angel in a Rococo painting. All his perfumes are powdered with vanilla. It's like the fragrance is a "petit éclair" floating on a cloud of sugar and vanilla, no matter what the subject is. Baghari, China Town and even other give me the sensation of an angel eating macarons with one hand and with a finger testing a drop of perfume. In a boudoir, of course for a "confidence gourmande".
Many fragrances created before the 70's had a certain bitterness, as seen in several chypre (except the fruity). Crêpe de Chine, Ma Griffe, Cabochard, Diorling might give a similar sensation to some red wines rich in tanin. Often that bitter effect was given by some aromatic herbs, IBQ, gardenia notes, vetiver, aldehydes. Sweet notes were used in great amounts but the fragrance was not sweet. I imagine that the word tasty / gourmand had a different meaning 50 years ago.
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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art
