REWIND: Behind the Perfumed Curtain: 2008 Interview with Chandler Burr (Afterward by Mr. Burr ) + 3rd Anniversary Draw

 

  

 Chandler Burr took the road less traveled and ended up on a scented path. Trained in international economics, Japanese political economy and language–he has a Masters from Johns Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies and began his journalism a stringer in The Christian Science Monitor’s Southeast Asia bureau. Somewhat by chance Burr became known for his science writing, first on sexual orientation, and then on smell, which led to  former position– The New York Times’s perfume critic. He is the author of three books, including the Emperor of Scent, and will be releasing his second (and perhaps his most provocative) book, The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris & New York on January 22, 2008.

 

I met Chandler Burr when I attended his famous ‘Six Course Scent Dinner’ at the Carlyle Hotel in NYC (I believe it was the second of quite a few). We were a group of twenty; perfumistos all, including Francois Duquesne, Ex- President of L’Artisan Parfumeur and entrepreneur, Karen Dubin, Co-Founder of Sniffapalooza, Kim Van Dang (now President of KVD NYC who works with Maison Francis Kurkdjian)  and perfumisto/blogger Christopher Voight.  

 

 

The dinner was a gourmand’s dream; food and scents. Every course was tied to culinary ingredients or materials used in creating fragrance, so we sniffed scented strips of white paper, trying to guess what we were smelling. We drank Dolce & Gabbana Light Blue Martinis and after an outstanding dinner prepared by Executive Chef Jimmy Sakatos, everyone indulged in confections based on the ingredients found in Tom Ford’s Black Orchid, Missoni’s Aqua  by Maurice Roucel and Thierry Mugler’s Angel. A f

ew months later, I was privileged to work with Chandler  to  co-ordinate his book signing event at Macy’s  Herald Square with Micheline Jordaan, Vice President at Macy's.     

We’ve heard of movie critics, restaurant critics, fashion critics, but are perfume critics something new?

CB: Actually they *are* new, but I only discovered the idea in writing my previous book, “The Emperor of Scent,” about smell researcher and perfume genius Luca Turin.

I’d met Luca by chance in a train station in Paris, become interested in his new biological theory of human smell, and he mentioned early on that he’d written a book called “Parfum: Le Guide,” but it actually took me a while to understand what it was: a critical guide that treated perfume as art. I thought: “Huh!…” I started reading it, and I was fascinated.

Emperor” led to my editor at The New Yorker, Daniel Zalewski, proposing that I watch from behind the scene the creation of a perfume—that perfume turned out to be Un Jardin sur le Nil from Hermès and that New Yorker article the basis of half my upcoming book—and that in turn led to Stefano Tonchi, style editor of The New York Times Sunday Magazine and T, suggesting I work for The Times. I said, “Great—I want to be your perfume critic.” He blinked once, grinned, and said, “I love it! We’ll do it!”

When my column, “Scent Notes” started, it was Stefano who stated publicly, “The Times will be the first to cover the fragrance industry and perfume in the way it does movies, books, and theater.” He’s been completely behind it from the start. Our belief is that the creation of fragrance is one of the highest art forms crafted for the senses, absolutely equal to painting, the art created for sight, and music for hearing, and we’re treating perfume as the art that it is. Every other true art has a serious criticism. Perfume should as well. Perfume as an aesthetically rich and complex art, deeply anchored in culture, with its own history and aesthetic schools.

 

  

You rate fragrances on a 1-5 scale. What elements are essential to award a scent a five star review? What are some fragrances that have earned five stars?

Objectively, diffusion—can the perfume can be smelled only by putting your nose on skin or does it lift off skin?—persistence—how long does it last on skin—and evolution—does you start in a field of flowers and decay in 30 minutes into a vat of chemicals or has the perfumer created a structure, using good materials in an expert manner, that is both stable and beautiful for 10 hours—are relatively objective. They’re pretty clear to everyone.

The subjective judgments are innovation and beauty, and that’s just me. I gave Comme de Garcons 2 Man (Mark Buxton) five stars because to me it simply hits every single point perfectly. You just can’t do better than this perfume. It’s like watching the Russian gymnast whose every move is flawless.

Rose Poivree from The Different Company (Jean Claude Ellena) is five, Light Blue by Dolce & Gabbana as well. All three are completely different, and all three perform perfectly and hit the subjective criteria with total precision.

Now, for those fragrances that earn a 1…that can hurt their sales, at least with those who hold your criticism in high regard. To quote Shakespeare, how “…uneasy rests the head that wears a crown”?

CB: Honestly, I wonder how much influence I do (or don’t) have. I know that Scent Notes has an impact, in particular on niche perfumes, which is why, to be honest; I’m less likely to review niche perfumes if I know that I’m going to give it a one or a zero stars. Why destroy something like that? On the other hand, I just gave Elle by Yves Saint Laurent a one star because I consider it absolutely below Yves Saint Laurent to put out a hyper-commercial, soulless thing like that.

I was told that my five stars for Bois de Paradis by Parfums DelRae (Michel Roudnitska) hugely boosted sales, and so did my talking about Light Blue on The Today Show. Which is terrific. And yes, I sweat it when I give out a bad rating. I take those very, very seriously, never give them lightly, and always remind those who ask: It’s just one guy’s view.

    

You are a celebrated author and on January 22, you will be introducing your latest book “The Perfect Scent: A Year inside the Perfume Industry in Paris & New York.” Can you give us a preview?

CB:The Perfect Scent: A Year Inside the Perfume Industry in Paris & New York” will be published January 22 by Henry Holt, Inc. It’s two parallel, intertwined stories, the first about the year I spent for The New Yorker magazine in Paris behind the scenes at Hermes watching legendary perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena create the Hermes scent “Un Jardin sur le Nil“; and the second about a year (one that started with an article for The New York Times in this case) inside Coty with Sarah Jessica Parker, watching Sarah Jessica direct her perfumers in the making of “Lovely.”

 

Please contrast the experiences for our readers behind the scenes between working with two legends- one of fragrance and one of celebrity.

CB: They were completely different because, among other reasons—and this is what I, as the author, loved; the stories contrast beautifully—one is from the point of view of a perfumer, Jean-Claude Ellena at Hermès. The other is told from the point of view of the creative director, Sarah Jessica Parker, whose experience, approach, perspective, everything you can name is markedly different. The way the French approach perfume—I was in Paris and Grasse, sitting in on meetings in 15th century buildings and walking through fields that for centuries had been growing flowers to make perfume materials—differs from the way Americans do it (Sarah Jessica and Coty worked with IFF in its corporate headquarters on West 57th Street.) I’m absolutely not saying the French model is better. It’s not. It’s different, but at the end of the day both the French and the Americans produce brilliant successes and total disasters. I was just lucky enough that the two perfumes whose stories I tell are substantive, innovative, thoughtful
works of art.

Please share with our readers’ one of the most exciting things about watching a master like Jean Claude Ellena?

CB: I’ll tell you one that will surprise you: The amount of agony the guy goes through. I was astonished at the degree of second-guessing of himself (and third and fourth), at the worrying about whether this material was perfectly dosed or that one well-chosen or how to fine-tune the various technical aspects of the juice. He actually suffers through these things, but he’s a true perfectionist.

 

 How involved was Sarah Jessica Parker in developing Lovely?

CB: Completely. Which is, of course, the only reason Coty invited me inside to watch the process. In “The Perfect Scent,” I actually lay out Paris Hilton’s perfume licensing contract—someone sent it to me—and it is clear that Hilton had no more to do with her perfumes than cashing the checks. Sarah Jessica was so involved it actually surprised Coty. As you’ll see in the book.

Chandler, what is something very few people know about you…fess up!

CB: I wrote a dramatic play that premiered in Washington D.C. called Exquisite, that sold-out for the entire run of 16 weeks.

Ahhh, the road not taken…Thank you Chandler.

Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief 

 

 

 

 Afterward: “I suppose when one is hired as a perfume critic, the premise being that perfume is an artistic medium equal to painting, architecture, and music, one shouldn’t be surprised at winding up a museum curator of perfume. So I’m not. I’m pretty thrilled though. We’re planning our first exhibition for November 2011, our first artist retrospective for 2012 (one I consider to be hands down one of the most important artists of the late 20th and early 21st centuries).

We’re going to be doing public school olfactory education and artists in residence. It now seems to me like an inevitable outgrowth of my Times position. And frankly I can’t wait.”- CB 

 

 

 

  

 

   And neither can we…

  

 Thanks to Chandler, CaFleureBon has a 3rd Anniversary Draw for one copy of The Perfect Scent signed by Chandler Burr, who will personalize the message for our winner. Please leave a comment about Chandler’s new position as the Curator of Fragrance at the Museum of Art and Design or how his critiques of fragrances motivated you or “enabled you” onsite. Draw ends January 25, 2010.

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37 comments

  • I think Chandler Burr's fragrance reviews are the golden rule of fragrance buying to perfumistas all over the world as "Oprah's must have list" is to her followers. He has an amazing talent and the position as the Curator of Fragrance at the Museum of Art and Design is perfect for him and if he ever needs an assistant i would apply for the job 🙂

  • I have been enjoying Chandler Burr's writing ever since The New Yorker article about the the creation of Un Jardin sur le Nil came out. I don't always agree with him – I studiously avoid Light Blue – but I have the greatest respect for his critical sense and elegant powers of description that make the perfumes come to life right on the page. I can't think of a better person to curate the new fragrance museum, and I hope I can go there someday.

  • Mr. Burr's good review of Midnight Fantasy gave me reason to buy it unsniffed at discount, and I am not sorry. It is a delightful bedtime scent in particular.
    The idea of a scent in the context of an art museum is wonderful – would that San Francisco was not so anti-perfume – nothing fun ever happens here! Maybe someday I'll be able to go there…

  • So here is why I chose the vintage Madmen-like photo of the Carlyle Hotel .. with a well dressed woman 'flying'.  I was   quite tipsy after all those cocktails.. I think there were six   alchoholic beverages to  match  each course-, sake (Fresh sake  pefume),  various wines, tequila(on my own), champagne, and the famous D&G LT Blue martinis

  • Two years ago on the big german Sniffapalooza travel to Germany I gladly had the change to meet Chandler Burr in Düsseldorf… and he prooved what I always knew: Smelling a good perfume is like a magical ride on a flying capet. As a smal perfumer I try to create good perfumes which is a long hard work to do, Chandler Burr gives me instructions and visions how to process and find the line between art, tecnique and smell. Whenever the moment appears in which I will be able and have the value to present him one of my creations I will have to hold my little flying carpet under my arm just to sky up to scented heaven or fall down to stinking hell. And that´s all right because it will be just one guy´s opinion but the experience of years give this one statement the excelence of timeless impact

  • I congratulate Chandler for his position, I read about it and can say Congratulations, wishing him a great beautiful adventure in his endeavours. I have never assisted to a perfume scented cocktail but it must be exquisite. Then, although I don't really enjoy lately Light Blue I would have surely enjoyed Black Orchid. 

  • Thanks for reminding about the anniversary. I guess the value of Chandler's reviews to me are similar to those of Luca's. They explain you more about fragrance, so you can forget the whole marketing story, concentrate on the fragrance self and get a little push in understanding of what you actually smell. Helps a lot to develop a critical sense of smell.

  • Nice interview! I'm so happy to see fragrance being discussed and treated as art.  Its clear the creators of fragrance are artists and Mr. Burr helps tell those stories.  

  • Wonderful interview and congratulations to Mr. Burr. I have enjoyed his writing for several years and had the pleasure of meeting him at a fragrance event. I look forward to visiting the museum and celebrating olfaction and creativity!

  • I think this interview says a great deal about the Character and Integrity of Mr. Burr as a human being.  A person who understands that he indeed wields a huge amount of power with his pen, and uses it for positive.  That he realizes for the small niche perfume houses, a bad review from him would be annihilation, where as a large house can "afford" the bad review, and one hopes, try harder next time.  There are people who wouldn't care that they destroy a small house.  Congratulations Mr. Burr, and I will look forward to visiting your corner of the Museum of Art when I get to New York.

  • Wonderful interview Michelyn. I remember hearing a clip of an interview he did (can't remember with whom) a few years ago and found it very interesting. I had no knowledge of him before but after I went on the hunt for his books. Congratulations to Chandler Burr on his curator position.
     
    I have a copy of this book already so not entering the draw.

  • I love Mr. Burr's wit and honesty. He writes with authority and smarts…there is no better curator!

  • I'm beginning to think there's no one in the pefume world you guys don't know! Great interview, as always.
     
    I haven't read this book yet, so please enter me in the draw. I so loved his first book, "The Emperor of Scent," that when I couldn't find it on my bookshelf, I hastened to re-order it from Amazon. Naturally, I came across my first copy again within a day or two of the second copy being delivered.

  • Reading an article by Chander Burr in the New Yorker five years ago was my first inkling that perfume could be seen as art, not just fashion.  He opened a whole new world for me that has given me a great deal of pleasure since.  I am very much looking forward to seeing his work at the Museum of Art and Design in the fall.  I would love to have an autographed copy of the Perfect Scent. It's a book that I have not only read several times but given as a gift to a number of  friends, saying "You must read this!"

  • Scentabulous says:

    Thank you for another wonderful interview, Michelyn.  I often wonder about the astounding beauty of fragrance; why some become immortal and iconic and others fall.  It is most possibly Mr. Burr and Mr. Turin who have helped me most to truly understand.  I eagerly await more writing and collaboration by both.  It is with an olfactory grin, that I realize most of my five's, of those CB has written about, are also his.  I often ponder the question "why so many fragrances" as I did yesterday when I opened and tried Frederic Malle's Edition de Parfum's, Ropion masterpiece Portrait of a Lady.  The continuous stream of new compositions and the perfumers' world … it is so perfectly translated by Chandler Burr.  We are all quite fortunate … quite fortunate, indeed.

  • Thanks for the great interview (and the draw opportunity).  What I have most enjoyed about Mr Burr's reviews is the way he combines an introduction to the business aspects of a perfume house with an appreciation of the perfumer and then clear and evocative descriptions of the perfume including how their style is similar to or different from perfume concepts of the past. I think this kind of approach is perfect for a Curator of Fragrance. I also appreciate his willingness to make judgements and still be sensitive to his impact on niche houses. I enjoyed the New Yorker article very much and look forward to reading his new book.

  • The Perfumista world will be waiting on the edge of our seats for Chandler Burr to take his place as Curator of Fragrance. Rather exciting to have perfume recognized as a legitimate and true form of art, and he is just the right person to mediate.

  • I jumped on The Perfect Scent when it first came out and it was the most fascinating book I have read in years – I was desolate when I got to the end and made myself read very slowly for the last 50 pages!
    So pleased to hear about CB's upcoming Curator post – the Perfume Diaries exhibition at Harrods made me think there should be more installations on the theme of fragrance.

  • Wow! Such a great article. I agree with Claudia regarding the correlation of CB is to perfume what Oprah is to TV. I am so excited about the forward movement of perfume…..it's about time=) I love this blog, it's like an education. Thanks again=)

  • Congratulations to Chandler! 🙂 And to Michelyn for the interview.
    I have read some of Chandler reviews. I will never forget his words about Lorenzo Villoresi Teint de Neige. He put my thoughs into words when he said that it was like a sepia photo. I was very happy to see that Teint de Neige received some love, because I know that it's not an easy fragrance and many people disliked it, but Chandler seems to love it as much as I do.
    I would love to be entered in the draw.

  • Loved the article! Great interview Michelyn. Loved the comment  made about the interview with Jean- Claude Ellena, Are there any Perfumers out there that don't go through the agony? Second and third questioning I consider to be the norm. His reviews do make a powerful statement. Good luck on the New position Chandler we all wish you the best. Would love the book:)

  • No need to include me in this draw as I have a copy of CB's book – LOVED IT!  Also loved his The Emperor of Scent.  I've wanted to attend Mr. Burr's perfume talks at Natalie's in Camden Harbor, Maine, but haven't been able to make it up there.  They sound like so much fun!

  • I find it fascinating that museums are moving into the history of scent. It's always been acknowledged as one of the five senses, but it hasn't really been treated as being as important, in terms of culture, as it is beginning to be now.

    I would like to be included in the draw for the book.

  • Mr. Burr inspires me to think about perfume with my mind, rather than just loving perfume with my heart.  This elevates it for me from sentiment (which is oh so easy) to art (which requires something a bit deeper).  I'd just like to take the opportunity to thank CB, and all perfume lovers/writers/critics/bloggers/educators.

  • The reviews Chandler Burr is able to give are delving deeper into the meaning of scent. Finally we see fragrance having a solid place in the Art and Design world. Would love to visit one of his exhibitions.