The Garden of Edmond and Michel Roudnitksa: A Living Legacy

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

PROLOGUE BY MICHELYN CAMEN, EDITOR-IN CHIEF: Born in 1948 in Seine-et-Marne, Michel Roudnitska has been immersed in  the ART of perfumery from his childhood, at the age of 10, through his relationship with his father Edmond Roudnitska’s (who many consider the  greatest perfumer of the 20st century). Edmond Roudnitska’s legacy in perfumery cannot be summarized briefly- his olfactive creations include such  ground breaking  classics—  Rochas Femme (1944 created in  Nazi occupied France with almost no raw materials available), Christian Dior Eau Sauvage, Christian Dior Diorissimo (1956 the scent of May Day), and Le  Parfum de Therese for Frederic Malle(developed in 1961 but released in 2001).

 

CR:Michel Roudnitska

Michel Roudnitska is his own person and came into his own perfumery late in life; 30 years to photography, especially to the techniques of “photomontage.”He thus created many covers and illustrations for magazines (3ème Millenaire, Vogue, Sciences et Avenir, Happy Few, etc), books (for Albin Michel, le Souffle d’Or, etc), and advertising brochures notably for Air France’s Concorde, Shell and IBM. Many articles in specialized picture magazines have been dedicated to his work : Le Photographe, Pixel, Creation numerique, Regard sur l’Image, 3ème Millenaire, Happy Few, Parfums et Senteurs (N°3) etc. in life”.

 

Like all original compositions, his fragrances bring to life memories, create dreams and spark yearnings, both of the past and of our fragrant future.  He is a staunch defender of the right of the perfumer as an artist, a topic we have covered when we learned that Dior has changed formulas and autuers for some of his father’s greatest works.

 

Paul Gaugin is Michel’s favorite painter

Having launched Noir Epices in 2001 for Frédéric Malle Editions de Parfums, he has also worked on Parfums DelRae fragrances, fragrances for Shiloh, and Ellie D:  Eau Illuminée (2002), Amoureuses (2002), Bois de Paradis (2002), Début (2004) Shiloh (2007) Ellie D (2007) Ellie D Nuit (2008), Emotionelle, (2008)

 

From Perfumes of the World, Michael Edwards CR M. Roudnitska

Michel has been a friend to Cafleurebon from the first day we posted; his view on ethical perfumery was our first post.  We think of Michel as a Contributor Emeritus for our site. In collaboration with Marlene Goldsmith,  CaFleurebon received a Fragrance Foundation Finalist acknowledgement, using his beautiful illustrations from Michael Edwards Perfumes of the World Book 2010. He now devotes much of his time to philanthropic and environmentalist causes. And you will see, perhaps new fragrances.

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CR:Michel Roudnitska

  Art &Parfum before building   

The Art & Parfum’s garden started to be created in 1947 from a stony, sloppy and arid land.This 11 hectares could be bought thanks to the royalties of “Femme” launched in 1944 by Marcel Rochas.On this picture my father and our architect are positioning the future laboratories.

 

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

Art &Parfum 1950_2010:

I was 2 years old playing all day long in the garden and looking at the new plantations.I have grown with the trees and 60 years after it has become a real botanic park.

 

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

Edmond Roudnitska:

I took this picture of my father among the Rhododendrons while he was doing his everyday 1 hour walk in the garden, in order to control the maintenance of each plants.

 

 

Rose pergola + Rose Centifolia + rose Etoile de Hollande

Many species of roses are growing in different parts of the garden but the Italian pergola is the main place to discover them.Naturally you can find the Centifolia rose but the most interesting for its fragrance is the “Etoile de Hollande” created by Meilland

 

My father was particularly obsessed by this powerful rose which has a unique plum liquor note. We have been working together for several years in reproducing this fragrance which was not available on the market.

The result was used in some of his composition and I created a special interpretation of this rose for my “Bois de Paradis” (Parfums DelRae).

 

 

Jasmine paradise + Star Jasmine:

 

My father and I were really mad  for jasmine. He has used this olfactive note in nearly all his perfumes but “Parfum de Thérèse” has the highest proportion. For me it represents the fragrance of the paradise.  It plays a rather important part in “Amoureuse”, Emotionnelle , Debut (Parfums DelRae) and Ellie (Ellie D. Perfume).Our laboratories are covered with a special kind of jasmine : the Star Jasmine which odor is much more spicy than the “Grandiflorum”, overwhelming all the scents coming from the labs.

  

   CR:Michel Roudnitska

  Citrus: 

In spite of the altitude (650m), we succeeded in acclimatizing citrus (lemon, tangerine,…) protecting them during the cold winters.This was the main inspiration for my father’s Eau Sauvage (Dior). He used to scratch regularly the skin of these fruits to remind him their genuine fragrance.

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

 Muguet:

Edmond Roudnitska specially settled this flowerbed of Lily of the Valley when he was working on Diorissimo (1956).55 years after it’s still there, delivering in May its timeless and refined fragrance.

  

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

    

 Blue Atlantic Cedar    

It’s the tallest tree of our park. Cedar is one of my favorite tree and also one of my favorite raw material.Several years ago we had to cut some big branches after a huge storm and I was amazed by the very strong olfactive appeal of the wood slices: they had an uncommon black prune jam note that I never smelt before in cedar oils.This was a great part of my inspiration for the woody note in “Bois de Paradis”.

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

 

 Garrigue: 

The natural vegetation of our land is composed of Cistus labdanum, broom, rosemary, thyme, lavender… The global scent of these plants is called “Garrigue”.

I tried to reconstitute this ambiance for an olfactive ballet in Avignon Festival in 1996 and then it was incorporated in “Eau Illuminée” (DelRae 2002). It is also used presently in the “olfactive airlock” of the International Museum of Perfumery in Grasse.

 

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

Magnolia Grandiflorum:

 

I have been working for several years on this flower which bewitches me each summer when we have lunch under the big tree planted beside the swimming pool. A nearly achieved original fragrance is born from this research. I am just waiting the good opportunity to launch it.

 

 

 

 Immortelle:

 

It’s growing naturally in our garden and I like particularly this hot and dry scent which reminds me the desert.

 

CR:Michel Roudnitska

I have used it in combination with other ingredients to odorize the Opera “Nabucco” of Verdi in Rotterdam.

 

 

 

Tropical veranda:

 

When I came back from Polynesia after 10 years working there, I wanted to reproduce the scent of the rainforest in my house in order to feel back again in this paradise.So I built a warm veranda with a lot of tropical species directly planted in the ground. I was quite happy with the result which inspired me an ambient fragrance for my last olfactive show (World Scent) and an exclusive men fragrance ready to be launched.

  

 

CR:Michel Roudnitska 

Tuberose:

Bring a sensual note in “Amoureuse”

 

 

 

Violet: A part of the accord in “Emotionnelle”

Pink Hyacinth + Pink Wisteria + Datura + Broom

 

 CR:Michel Roudnitska

 

Source of inspiration for future perfumes

 

–Contributor Emeritus, Michel Roudnitska

  These photos are the personal  property of Michel Roudnitska and are a gift to our readers. They are copyrighted and we use  them with M. Roudnitska’s permission.

 “Beauty has its own heavenly language, loftier than the voices of tongues and lips. It is a timeless language, common to all humanity, a calm lake that attracts the singing rivulets to its depth and makes them silent. Only our spirits can understand beauty, or live and grow with it. It puzzles our minds; we are unable to describe it in words; it is a sensation that our eyes cannot see, derived from both the one who observes and the one who is looked upon. Real beauty is a ray which emanates from the holy of holies of the spirit, and illuminates the body, as life comes from the depths of the earth and gives color and scent to a flower”-Kahlil Gibran
Broken Wings

 THIS IS A REPOST THERE IS NO DRAW MAY 1, 2015

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34 comments

  • cassandra franklin says:

    The pictures in the article almost tell the story..how I would love to frolic in a field of blooms such as those..Michel Roudnitska is to e admired for holding true to his pricipals..and for sharing so much with his followers…
    Cass

  • dissed says:

    Admire: he gives the past its due while moving ahead with his own life.

    Most striking: Garrigue? Yes, please.

  • Francesca says:

    Michels sensory relationship to nature as an Artist is exciting. The sheer depth of Art that is life, that is love, has to come from a place that is capable of greatness, involving both pain, ecstacy, joy and creativity. The extremes, the Cedar and the Magnolia, Europe and Polynesia and perhaps India and the Americas, all encountered, all perceived through the senses and translated into tangible beauty that is shared to the world.In fact its inspiring in the way that makes you feel you don’t have to be great to obtain the same, its not just the domain of Michel, rather he has shared in a way that makes it feel accessible and its very humbling. Thanks Michel

  • Michelyn Camen says:

    Michel is a true friend and although we have never met in person I am grateful for this ongoing 5 year correspondance. I am the most intrigued by his activism and olfaction as a mult sensory experience. I am not eligible but bois de paradis and rochas femme break my heart with their beauty. Ellie Nuit and Shiloh with their composition…illuminee for its lightness of being. I am encouraged to learn that his labo is introducing new fragrances, an idea we discussed 3 yrs ago. Bois de paradis is consistently in my top five favorites, and Rochas femme is as well . I adore I adore parfum de therese as well and it brings me happiness that both noir epices and le parfum de therese could sit side by side..both names together

  • civava says:

    Well I just like to see him kneeing by his flowers in the garden. Adoring and respecting the nature and bringing out to us best of it. I admire his creativity. Bois de paradis is my choice. I really love to read articles where perfumers talk directly to us perfume freaks ;-), so we can see who is behind that precious work of art.

  • Naheed says:

    I admire his love for nature that speaks for itself in pictures.The most striking thing I find both him and his father’s love for star jasmine and the release of Le Parfum de Therese in 2001which was developed in 1961.

  • Sergey says:

    Garrigue!!! 🙂 I`d love to smell its smell one day, all day long! It`s pity there`s no possibility to grow those plants in Siberia…
    And let me say THANKISSIMO to Michel for all these pictures – they are marvellous. Tuberose is so wonderful!

  • Jane says:

    I am amazed at the atmospheric/environmental scenting of the opera. How I would love to experience this treat for the senses!

    And, Garrigue! I love the idea of a global scent- simple yet complex…

  • RusticDove says:

    Beuatiful photos – esprcially the one of Michel kneeling amongst his LOTV. *Sigh* I love Eau Illuminee & Debut. I’ve never tried Ellie D fragrances and would be happy to try either one!

  • Cynthia says:

    I admire his life lived in devotion to the arts, and I am especially impressed with the tropical garden he managed to create in France. These photos make me wish I could visit! I would love to try Eau Illuminee, Debut, and Ellie D. Thank you.

  • chayaruchama says:

    I am so grateful for all of Michel’s support-
    And those magnificent photographs, they take my very breath away.
    The scent of garrigue is very dear to my heart, I remember it so fondly from younger, wanderlust-filled days in in Provence.

    ER has been an inspiration to me , as well as to his amazing son…
    I can’t think of any one of his fragrances I haven’t worn, with ardor !

    Amoureuses and Emotionelleis are favorites; I don’t know if I qualify or not, but I’d adore Eau Illuminee, Shiloh, or Ellie D…
    [Just sayin’ ]

  • Kathryn says:

    What I admire most about Michel Roudnitska is how well he integrates all the senses and distills them into perfumes that are brimming with life. What strikes me most is the directness of the connection between his life experiences and his art. Marvelous photographs!

  • Kathryn says:

    Oh–should have said–no need to enter me in the draw. I’ve smelled and loved them all. The sample I am waiting for is his new release. Quite excited about that!

  • DelRae Roth says:

    Michel is indeed an exceptional artist and a very unusual personality in the world of perfumery. His motivations are truly unique and inspired.

    I am so very appreciative for our ongoing collaborations.

    His garden, which I have visited is stunning and spectacular, with vistas to the Mediterranean. A wooded, floral paradise.

    DelRae Roth
    Creative Director
    Parfums DelRae

  • thescentinel says:

    I admire his relationship with his father. And instead of being intimidated by a great man, he became one in his own right.
    I would be curious and grateful to smell
    Amoureuse, Bois de Paradis, Shiloh and Emotionelle!

  • Anna in Edinburgh says:

    Delightful to see M. Roudnitska making so clear the inspiration gained by close, intimate contact and familiarity with growing plants. Such wonderful photographs too. I especially appreciate seeing the usually elusive violets.

    Eau Illuminée, Emotionelle, Bois de Paradis have chimed for me from reading this account.

    Thank you very much.

  • ayotunde adekaiyero says:

    Ingenious work of a great family who infuses the world with sweet fragrance to soothes us all. Thanks for sharing this Michelyn.

  • Holly F. says:

    I admire how he integrates creativity within every level of his life, and how well his artist’s soul and connection with nature is shown in this article. I would love to try Amoureuses, Bois de Paradis, and Début. Thanks for the draw.

  • JoAnne Bassett says:

    I love the wonderful photographs. I admire his connection with nature…plants and flowers and partnering that connection with his art..perfume and photography.

    I look forward to more of his sharing of his life and art.

  • Anya says:

    There’s just so much to swoon over in this article, I must prop myself up to write 😉 As a landscape architect who specializes in subtropical and tropical landscapes, from inital design to final plantings, I was immersed in the process and plants Michel wrote about, and as a perfumer, well, no words can express the gratitude of what he and his father created.

    I am delighted to see he has joined the CaFleureBon team as a a Contributor Emeritus. This blog is just amazing!

  • Michellle Hunt says:

    I admire Michel Roudnitska’s devotion to perfumery as an art form, it is very important, long with his delight with nature! Most striking are the wonderful photographs, which again underline the parallel between olfactive and visual art.

    Oh my, I love imagining I could win some of these samples, and I am having fun on Luckyscent looking at the reviews. I would love to win the Ellie Nuit, Amoureuse, and Bois de Paradis Thanks for the opportunity.

  • Jessica Dunne says:

    I will never forget my visits to Michel’s stunning garden. It served as an amazing inspiration. It’s incredible to see it’s transformation from a rocky piece of land to a breathtakingly beautiful, lush garden.

  • Sigrun says:

    I’m always touched by reading about artists that follow their hearts as Michel must to have done, first going into photography, taking those stunning pictures, then returning to his perfumer roots, to create fantastic scents. If i’m to win i’d love emotionelle, amoreuse and debut. Thank you very much for hosting this draw!

  • Felicia G says:

    I am a self proclaimed garden failure. I admire those who have the patience for the toiling and tending that is required. You have to ignore the compulsion for immediate gratification. Blooms are seasonal and although you may make that long journey through your garden as he does every day for an hour it may take awhile for your sucess to be visable in a bud. I really see that as charecter. You have that ability whithin yourself or like me…you cant settle down.
    I think a garden that majestic shows not only commitment, ability and patience but respect for nature. Those are not traits easily found in people and not easily cultivated. I have respect for that garden. I respect the follow through. Carrying tradition in his family and translating passion from plants. Extraordinary.
    You kow me and my Tuberose I would very much enjoy smelling his Amoureuse 🙂
    Very nice piece a pleasure to read and to have read through photos as well.

  • Hernando says:

    Love the article , Ms. M or should I say Mrs. M.!

    As they say,like father ( I adore Christian Dior Eau Sauvage) like son. Your bring him to life. Exquisite photos! Well done.

    Amoureuses it is!

  • Warum says:

    I admire the fact that Michel Roudnitska’s scents are unique and different. I smelled many scents that just smell the same, similar to the other ones, but his are all unique and unforgettable. I tried Amoureusses and Eau Illuminee and they are unique, like nothing else!

    In this article the most striking part was how much time he devotes to various things in life — activism, garden, ethic side of perfumery, not just making scents.

    What would I like to try? Debut!! Debut!! And Bois de Paradise and Emotionelle if I am lucky. Thanks!

  • Natalia says:

    i admire Michel’s ability to become a great perfumer, not staying in the shadow of his great father. his creations are unique and beautiful. i’d love to try Shiloh, Amoureuses and Bois Paradise.

  • Paul Kiler says:

    I admire his commitment to the arts, to exploration and refinement, for his desire to express Beauty with a capital B, when much of perfumery is about marketing and sameness. I’d like something without Jasmine in it, since it gives me a headache.

  • saran says:

    I admire his understanding of nature and how he so masterfully capsules it’s molecules and gives us thoose lovely perfumes. I would really like a bottle of Ellie D.

  • David Koh says:

    I greatly admire and appreciate the idea of scenting a performance of Nabucco or any show for that matter with a fragrance. To add another layer of sensory experience to a show as powerful as Nabucco is absolutely genius!