OLFACTORY DIARY

L'INVENTAIRE

THE SPIRIT OF MY APARTMENT IN SAINT-GERMAIN-DES-PRÉS. THE VERSAILLES PARQUET LIT BY PARCHMENT LAMPSHADES AND GOLDEN WOOD CHANDELIERS, THE STREAMLINED WOOD ON THE EYRE DE LANUX CHAIRS, THE PILES OF BOOKS ON MODERNIST TABLES. THE WARMTH OF AN INHERENTLY PARISIAN PLACE.

ACCORD OF OAK, CEDAR AND ROCKROSE, AMBERGRIS ACCORD.

PALIMPSESTE

“HE WANTED NATURAL FLOWERS IMITATING ARTIFICIAL ONES;”
DES ESSEINTES, À REBOURS, JORIS-KARL HUYSMANS, 1884.

I LIKE THE SCENT OF OLD ROSES, IN A POISONOUS BLACK ROSE SPIRIT, LIKE A WILTING ROSE. IT MIGHT BE EMILY’S ROSE, THE ONE FROM ODESSEY AND ORACLE, THE ZOMBIES’ LEGENDARY PSYCHEDELIC ALBUM.

ACCORD OF GALLICA ROSE, PEAR, IVY AND MOSS.

PAPIERS FROISSés

“THE UNHAPPINESS OF LOVE MUST BE REPLACED BY THE HAPPINESS OF WRITING.”
JEAN COCTEAU, LETTRES À PIERRE BOREL, 1951.

I WANTED A PERFUME ABOUT WRITING, ABOUT FRAGILE AND UNCERTAIN WORDS. A CANDLE EVOKING THE ALMOST LOST RITUAL OF CORRESPONDENCE, THE DELICATE LUXURY OF WRITING PAPER WITH A SUBTLE WEAVE.

CEDAR, ABSOLUTE OF EVERLASTING FLOWER, FIR BALSAM, BLACKCURRANT BUD AND CYPRUS.

TAMBOUR NOIR

THE BAR OF MY HOUSE IN BEVERLY HILLS. CRYSTAL ART DECO CARAFES, THE AROMA OF BOURBON IN THE AIR.
THE BLACK VINYL RECORD TURNING TO THE SOUND OF A 60’S FOLK GUITAR.

SMOKY BOURBON ACCORD, ACCORD OF LEATHER, PATCHOULI, COFFEE ABSOLUTE AND VANILLA.

GRANDS LYS

“ON A CALM BLACK WAVE WHERE SLEEP THE STARS
WHITE OPHELIA FLOATS LIKE A GREAT LILY.”
OPHÉLIA, ARTHUR RIMBAUD, 1870.

I REMEMBER THE OBSESSIVE AND SUAVE FRAGRANCE OF WHITE LILIES DURING MY BEGINNINGS AS A COUTURIER, AND MY INTERIORS AND CREATION STUDIOS IN A 70’S PARISIAN MOOD.

PIMENTO, YLANG-YLANG, GALBANUM, VANILLA AND HELIOTROPE.

NIGHTCLUBBING

THE REMEMBRANCE OF MY YEARS OF PARISIAN NIGHTS, WHEN I WENT FROM THE BAINS DOUCHES TO THE PALACE EVERY NIGHT OF MY LIFE. THE SMELL OF SUEDE, OF THE NICOTINE ON A DECADENT AND AMBER PATINA, HAIR ON THE NAPE OF THE NECK PERFUMED WITH VANILLA SCENTS. THE ENDLESSLY REFLECTED IMAGE OF A BOY AND A GIRL ON A CRIMSON VELVET BANQUETTE, DESCENDING INTO AN UNFATHOMABLE ABYSS.
IN THE STREETS OF PARIS, WANDERING AROUND UNTIL DAWN.

GALBANUM, WHITE ORRIS BUTTER, PATCHOULI, TREE MOSS, VANILLA AND MUSK.