“The world was so recent that many things lacked names, and in order to indicate them it was necessary to point.”
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Bertrand Duchaufour is a perfumer who finds himself suddenly recognizable by perfumistas all over the world; lovers of fine fragrance who follow his every accord. For years, (since 1985) as a young trainee at Lautier Florasynth group in Grasse through is 23 year career that includes stints at Florasynth Paris and Créations Aromatiques, he created his fragrances in ‘anonymity’ for such companies as Comme des Garcons, Acqua di Parma (with Jean Claude Ellena), Eau d’Italie, Amouage and for L’Artisan Parfumeur (Timbuktu, Mechant Loup, Dzongkha, Ptchouli Patch and Poivre Piquant).
All are niche fragrance companies that allowed him to express his artistic vision while enhancing their brands’ core values. The brands all have very distinct identities but the common thread is that they all allow Duchaufour to push his creative limits, placing quality niche perfumerie over commercial success. Duchaufour would not work under any other condition.
L’Artisan Parfumeur has announced a new ‘arrangement’ with Duchaufour and with great anticipation Fleur de Liane, the first fragrance, (which is an exotic floral) under the new collaboration will be launching in September 2008. It is the fourth in the Company’s ‘travel series’, aka “Odeur volée par un parfumeur en voyage” by L’Artisan Parfumeur began in 2003 (which includes Bois Farine, created by Jean Claude Ellena, and Duchaufour’s Timbuktu and Dzongkha).
Last week meeting with journalists every half hour for two days, in New York City, some of us were privileged to meet this “niche navigator supreme”, who seemed to generally care about each interview. He is down to earth, self-confident, ironic, and without pretense; he is also a multi faceted artist whose photography and painting are his other great passions.
He was eager to show me his Ipod®, and talk about his favorite music; at a glance he is a fan of Depeche Mode, L’Cinametique Orchestra, and Radiohead. Oh yes; although his fragrances have been predominately unisex… it was a young woman—his first girlfriend who introduced him to fragrance when he was 17. Cherchez la femme…
M. Duchaufour, you have created some of the most memorable fragrances of the past decade, including Timbuktu and Dzongkha for L'Artisan Parfumeur. Are you going to collaborating with the Company's as its sole perfumer going forward? Will you be doing other projects as well?
BD: Please call me Bertrand, Michelyn. It is difficult to explain this unique relationship. I have an atelier in the L’Artisan Parfumeur office in Paris. It is my lab, (L'Atelier de L'Artisan Parfumeur) and I will have everything I need to create without limitation. I am free to work with a few other niche brands and L’Artisan may choose other perfumers as well. But we have a relationship, as you call it,” Perfumer in residence”. That is accurate.
What was the inspiration for your latest L’Artisan creation —Fleur de Liane. What was the vision for this feminine scent and and please share some highlights of your personal journey. Please tell us from start to finish.
BD: It is inspired by my journey to Panama, to an island called Bahia Honda which is owned by Jean Pigozzi. I spent ten days there, exploring the sights, sounds, smells of the jungle. I brought my nose and sketch book in order to capture this mysterious and primeval place. I created Fleur de Liane as the scent of an unknown species of flower that could grow there and no where else.
As you say it is an exotic floral but much more…there are many facets and layers. Fleur de Liane is aqueous, fruity; there is tree sap and the woody and mossy undertones.
As I explored the island, there were huge vines entangled everywhere and giant banana leaves. The sounds of toucans and birds were all around me. And iguanas. Everything was wet and lush.
L'Artisan is known for its materials and artistry and not hype and marketing. As a perfumer, how do some of the regulations on raw materials effect how you create a fragrance?
BD: Yes these rules change, I must always keep up, especially because I use many natural and raw materials. But I can always create with what is available…. I am not affected too much by these rules.
You told us you are devoted to the female world, yet most of your fragrances are non gender specific, please explain?
BD: My art is my art; I separate it from my personal life.
Who is THE woman you created Fleur de Liane for? What is she like?
BD: She is close to nature, no artifice or mask. Yet she is sophisticated.
Which fragrance, besides your own, do you wish you had created?
BD: There is only one; Dior Homme by Olivier Polgier
Why is their a lack of great masculines in the contemporary market?
BD: Nothing is new; everyone uses the same ingredients, over and over. There is no change
How do you feel about the state of contemporary 'commercial' fragrance? Will the rise of niche and boutique fragrance force change to the landscape?
BD: I ignore commercial fragrances. They have no interest to me. Already there is change, for example Chanel, Guerlain and others trying to catch up by offering new, but it is not so new. They need to go back to their roots —their original creations.
What do you think of the internet bloggers and the role of the "perfume critic" who do not declare their subjectivity? In what way do the same people help educate and champion fine fragrance?
BD: Mostly this has been very good, although some non-perfumers do get a little crazy and are too serious about it. It is important to understand there is a difference between opinion and expertise. But opinions are good if we all can learn.
What advice would you give new perfumers in terms of balancing their personal artistic integrity, especially if it doesn’t mesh with the client's desire for a commercial hit.
BD: Walk away. Never compromise your art.
Is their fragrance in your mind that you wrestle with, that you have not been able to create.
BD: No!
You are in the process of creating a new fragrance for L’Artisan. Can you please give us a little ‘hint’ of what to expect later this year.
BD: O.k. It will be inspired by Mure et Musc but it will be an interpretation, and very different.
Editor’s Note: The fragrance was Mure et Musc Extrait. I am not certain, but I believe this was his first interview for L’Artisan Parfumeur by a fragrance writer and it was my first meeting with the auteur.
Bertrand Duchaufour went on a year later to hit his stride; which continues to grow long; for L’Artisan Parfumeur, Havana Vanille was a watershed fragrance in 2009, and in 2010 with Nuits de Tuberouse. In addition, he delighted us with three fragrances work for Penhaligon in 2009 included Amaranthine, and in 2010 Penhaligon’s Anthology Orange Blossom. To find some of his other works that you may be unfamiliar with http://www.luckyscent.com/search.asp?showNotes=Y as well as Jo Malone’s Amber Lavender
We eagerly await Traversée du Bosphore… from Bertrand Duchaufour for L’Artisan Parfumeur due this Fall.
Please read a review of the sensual Amaranthine by Ida Meister https://cafleurebon.com//_scents-of-summer-swoon_-as-seen-through-the-works-of-maxfield-parrish/
Mark Behnke’s love affair with the “fragrance of the morning” Penhaligon’s Orange Blossom
https://cafleurebon.com//bertand-duchaufours-penhaligons-orange-blossom-here-comes-the-sun/
and the evening’s “ corrupted flower” Nuit de Tuberouse, https://cafleurebon.com//lartisan-parfumeur-nuit-de-tuberose-dizzy-for-duchaufour/
– Michelyn Camen, Editor-in Chief