Walnuts, hazelnuts, puffed rice and toasted granola are some of the all-new gourmand notes making their way into our bottles. Let’s take a look at their botany and history, as well as the latest releases featuring them, with Mane perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui and independent perfumer Anatole Lebreton.
Groupement de Recherche O3 (Odorant, Odeur, Olfaction) – otherwise known as GDR O3 – was created in 2015 with the aim of developing cross-disciplinary projects exploring odours in the broadest possible sense. To inaugurate the collaboration between GDR 03 and Nez, Nathalie Mandairon, director of neuroscience research for the CNRS (French National Centre for Scientific Research) and director of GDR O3, and Xavier Fernandez, chemistry professor at Côte d’Azur University and deputy director of GDR 03, talk to us about the past eight years in the life of the research group.
Although dsm-firmenich is best known for its expertise in synthetic molecules, the composition house has been present in Grasse since 2007. It has gradually put down roots in the town, culminating in 2020 with the acquisition of Villa Botanica, a nature-rich haven open to perfumers and clients the following year. It is now releasing a book that tells the story of this journey and reveals the four-season symphony at the heart of the world’s perfume capital.
Launched during the last edition of Exsence, the Milanese niche creation event, in April 2023, Niche by Nez is a free magazine aimed at showcasing the richness of the selective perfumery, published once a year, in both French and English. Daniel Nare, founder of Niche Parfumerie boutique in Romania with his wife Andreea Anca Nare, is among those who have chosen to distribute Niche by Nez. He shares with us his vision of olfactory culture.
In many ways, leather and perfumery have a similar history, always closely linked. Leather gloves have been perfumed since ancient times, although the profession of master glover-perfumer was not given formal status until much later. At the heart of the great perfumery classics, the leather accord is now making a strong comeback. Christine Nagel, in-house perfumer at Hermès, and Céline Perdriel, perfumer at Cosmo, take a closer look.
The mayor of Grasse, Jérôme Viaud, made an important announcement at the traditional cocktail party held at the International Exhibition of Raw Materials for Perfumery (SIMPPAR) on 31st May: next year the show will take place in the world’s perfume capital after sixteen years in Paris. Thierry Duclos, who has been running the event for over twenty years, talks about its journey so far and the choice to hold it in Grasse.
Behind the evident familiarity of food notes lies a creative challenge for perfumers. Providing them with innovative ingredients so they can reach beyond a literal interpretation and come up with inventive signature compositions is one of Mane’s core missions.
You smell them everywhere without knowing it, these mystery compounds. When, how and why did woody ambers invade perfumery? Here is our attempt at an answer for you: some facts, some history, and a healthy dose of subjectivity!
How do the different players contribute to the creation, publication and evolution of the press kit, a tool of the trade that conditions the discourse of journalists and, in turn, the image of perfumery?
To complete our series « Reinventing perfumery discourse », we offer you an article originally published in Nez, the Olfactory Magazine #12.
Myths, legends, misleading revelations, distorted reality: the perfumery industry has always tended to shroud itself in mystery, fostering a cult of secrecy and sometimes even disseminating lies. Has the time finally come to shift the dial?
Often used to conjure up an ocean feel, salty notes are primarily rooted in the sense of taste. An overview of how salt is interpreted in perfumery, as seen through the eyes of Aliénor Massenet (Symrise) and Cécile Matton (Mane).
Although this tropical plant has long been a classic in perfumery, it recently seems to be attracting renewed interest. An overview of its botanical roots and olfactory developments, as seen through the eyes of perfumers Marc-Antoine Corticchiato (Parfum d’empire) and Quentin Bisch (Givaudan).
As evocative as they are divisive, anise notes encompass a variety of ingredients. An overview of their olfactory interpretations, as seen through the eyes of Caroline Dumur (IFF) and Ilias Ermenidis (Firmenich).
The last few years have seen an increasing number of creations inspired by marijuana.
An overview of the olfactory interpretations of the plant, as seen through the eyes of perfumers Olivier Cresp (Firmenich) and Nicolas Beaulieu (IFF).
Autumn is here: what better time to take stock of perfume releases from the past so we can envision the artistic directions of the future? We have sniffed out and scrutinised today’s in-vogue notes, adding in the comments of perfumers we interviewed for the report.
Journalist Emmanuelle Dancourt suffers from congenital anosmia. But is also the source of inspiration for Umema, a fragrance composed by Mane perfumer Ugo Charron. They tell us how it came about, the result of a unique and synaesthetic experiment.
Quintis’s Sandalwood Reimagined competition awarded prizes to two winners chosen from around 300 entrants. We learn about this adventure from Vincent Kuczinski, a member of the judging panel who is a senior perfumer at Mane and president of the American Society of Perfumers.
The American Society of Perfumers and Quintis Sandalwood, a company that specializes in the sustainable production of Australian and Indian sandalwood varieties, sponsored a competition at the end of 2021. The two winners were announced at the World Perfumery Congress (WPC) in Miami at the beginning of July. Interview.
The loss of smell and national lockdowns were a blow to the perfume industry, but they also managed to initiate necessary rethinking in the sector. In order to respond to emerging societal challenges, Firmenich is laying the foundations for a new paradigm in perfumery.
A major world event for niche perfumery, the Milanese Esxence trade show was held under the shelter of the June sun, in a large hall transformed into a labyrinth of brands. Here’s an overview of the discoveries and upcoming launches.
