After the Christian Lacroix couture show (maybe his last because the house is bankrupt) the French minister of culture Frédéric Mitterrand said that the disappearance of this couture house would be a "cultural disaster". He also expressed his desire to contribute with solutions to this problem.
But, if the French Minister of Culture is interested in the Couture why shouldn't he be concerned by the fragrances, or … let's say some of them, still on the market and that are also an artistic heritage, though not recognized. In this case I speak of course about the reformulations that took place and that in some cases were for me a cultural genocide. The cultural disaster in the couture is also the cultural disaster that has happened in France in the past 10 years when some masterpieces were simply replaced with "replicas" - pale modern versions. It's like replacing some paintings in the Louvre with some copies (or digital images) and letting the people believe they were original. The irony, maybe unknonw to Mr. Mitterrand, is that while Couture brought the prestigious image to France, fragrances were bringing both prestige and money.
Following what was said during the fashion week interviews Dior house is maybe the unique case where what Dior says for the fashion is completely undermined by what Dior does in the fragrance division. Speaking about the tradition, savoir faire and all the precious words we like to hear I could not stop thinking that Bernard Arnault was acting more like a politician. Reading the interviews and the cultural ambitions, and knowing on the other hand how Dior has mutilated Diorissimo and Miss Dior I cannot stop wondering about the differences between words and facts.
The idea of cultural disaster expressed by Frédéric Mitterrand and his desire to find solution for couture that is seen as an important element to French culture could have more effects in the future for the fragrances. Or let us hope that the ecuation will change.
Fragrances are not part of the French culture in France, not officially. But a pressure to consider some houses or some XXth century fragrances as part of the cultural heritage would have an enormous impact.
In fact, as I expressed it already in some very old posts, the moment when some fragrances will be officially art, the face of the industry will change for ever. First, it is a new dimension for the luxury. You can sell some perfumes more expensive not because they have a golden bottle but because they are art. Then, some perfumes could enter in a new tax dimension - selling consumer goods and selling art is rather different in terms of taxes (including their production). With Tabac Blond as a "important cultural artifact" Caron can enter the universe of subventions like any other small company that produces important products for the culture and has support from the state. Maybe the last and more important for us is that you cannot alter a great fragrance under any pretext (I heard so many justifications for the reformulations and none as really true). Many brand owners think today that is very normal to change / twist a perfume to fit the new fashions or tastes of the public, to update things to the desires of the contemporary consumer. But, if you place that item in a cultural aura, everything will change. You do not redecorate Louvre, place HD everywhere and lower the intellectual level of the descriptions just to fit the public. For this reason, Tabac Blond should be what it was in the original formula and if this is not possible, as happens also with lost/destroyed works of art, you should be able to buy a reproduction or the closest restitution. There is now a huge Rembrandt retrospective with all his works and many lost/damaged works that were restored through digital technique. Many "inventions" in art could be brought into the fragrance universe.
There are many beautiful and good things that can be done in the fragrance world, but people should see beyond accounts and bureaucracy. I do hope that one day some perfumes like Tabac Blond would be considered "historic monuments" and they would be treated with the same care and devotion as a gothic cathedral. For the same reason I think that the first modern brand to enter that new cultural approach is Serge Lutens
But, if the French Minister of Culture is interested in the Couture why shouldn't he be concerned by the fragrances, or … let's say some of them, still on the market and that are also an artistic heritage, though not recognized. In this case I speak of course about the reformulations that took place and that in some cases were for me a cultural genocide. The cultural disaster in the couture is also the cultural disaster that has happened in France in the past 10 years when some masterpieces were simply replaced with "replicas" - pale modern versions. It's like replacing some paintings in the Louvre with some copies (or digital images) and letting the people believe they were original. The irony, maybe unknonw to Mr. Mitterrand, is that while Couture brought the prestigious image to France, fragrances were bringing both prestige and money.
Following what was said during the fashion week interviews Dior house is maybe the unique case where what Dior says for the fashion is completely undermined by what Dior does in the fragrance division. Speaking about the tradition, savoir faire and all the precious words we like to hear I could not stop thinking that Bernard Arnault was acting more like a politician. Reading the interviews and the cultural ambitions, and knowing on the other hand how Dior has mutilated Diorissimo and Miss Dior I cannot stop wondering about the differences between words and facts.
The idea of cultural disaster expressed by Frédéric Mitterrand and his desire to find solution for couture that is seen as an important element to French culture could have more effects in the future for the fragrances. Or let us hope that the ecuation will change.
Fragrances are not part of the French culture in France, not officially. But a pressure to consider some houses or some XXth century fragrances as part of the cultural heritage would have an enormous impact.
In fact, as I expressed it already in some very old posts, the moment when some fragrances will be officially art, the face of the industry will change for ever. First, it is a new dimension for the luxury. You can sell some perfumes more expensive not because they have a golden bottle but because they are art. Then, some perfumes could enter in a new tax dimension - selling consumer goods and selling art is rather different in terms of taxes (including their production). With Tabac Blond as a "important cultural artifact" Caron can enter the universe of subventions like any other small company that produces important products for the culture and has support from the state. Maybe the last and more important for us is that you cannot alter a great fragrance under any pretext (I heard so many justifications for the reformulations and none as really true). Many brand owners think today that is very normal to change / twist a perfume to fit the new fashions or tastes of the public, to update things to the desires of the contemporary consumer. But, if you place that item in a cultural aura, everything will change. You do not redecorate Louvre, place HD everywhere and lower the intellectual level of the descriptions just to fit the public. For this reason, Tabac Blond should be what it was in the original formula and if this is not possible, as happens also with lost/destroyed works of art, you should be able to buy a reproduction or the closest restitution. There is now a huge Rembrandt retrospective with all his works and many lost/damaged works that were restored through digital technique. Many "inventions" in art could be brought into the fragrance universe.
There are many beautiful and good things that can be done in the fragrance world, but people should see beyond accounts and bureaucracy. I do hope that one day some perfumes like Tabac Blond would be considered "historic monuments" and they would be treated with the same care and devotion as a gothic cathedral. For the same reason I think that the first modern brand to enter that new cultural approach is Serge Lutens
(and maybe it could be a clever strategy than re formulating even under the guidance of the Master - for those who do not know Paris at Palais Royal, there are about 30 meters between SL and Le Ministère de la Culture).
Photo - Le Roi Soleil - Schiaparelli bottle after Salvador Dali, Life photo late 40's
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6 commentaires:
This is something I'd been giving some thought to shortly before Frédéric Mitterrand was nominated. If certain perfumes were classed as historical monuments, there would be several strong incentives (prestige, marketing, taxes) to produce the original formulas (or as close as you can get), even at a higher price point, even with a "do not apply on skin" warning...
When I arrived in France in the 80s, several "minor" arts, such as fashion, bande dessinée and pop music, were co-opted by the Ministry of Culture under Jack Lang. I would imagine that Frédéric Mitterrand envisions himself as the Jack Lang of the 21st century - and he should be made aware of fragrance as a part of the French cultural heritage. Are the SFP and the CFP up to the task?
Or shall we draft a letter?
Un diner dans le salon de Madame serait plus efficace car les parfums même s'ils sont un art c'est dans le boudoir que leur charme opère. Trianon, peut- être? :)
C'est plutôt CFP et non SFP, à mon avis.
Thank you for your wonderful insights!
You must draft a letter! And Octavian I have sent you an email about this -- do confirm it and I will share your splendid piece about this with someone who might be able to help in a direct way!
Your blog is such a source of inspiration, knowledge and cultural focus. Thank you...
Hi Octavian, what a great post and I agree that the enforced reformulations have put a serious dent in the overall quality and artistic history of many great fragrances. That certain fragrances should be deemed as art, especially those from your country, and be allowed to maintain their original formulas would be a great eventuality however I would be greatly dissapointed if the price points increased to a level that would become almost unaffordable. Personally, I see fragrances as a 'wearable' art that should be enjoyed by many, not just a select few. A painting for example can be appreciated and viewed in a museum, through reproductions/books/etc. by many. But a fragrance needs to be worn to be appreciated. It would be unfortunate if people were denied this pleasure because a fragrance would be deemed officially as art and the price increased to reflect this. Anyway, I've harped on long enough! Thank-you for your incredible and fascinating blog!
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