Define “1978 Les Bains Douches” in three words.
Deep, tawny, warm.
A quote that defines you?
No big deal.
What attracted you to Les Bains Guerbois and made you want to create for them?
The mythical place.
Lhe fact that I knew the place at its beginnings around 1978-1980.
The atmosphere as well as the current architecture very well restructured by the glance of Jean-Pierre
How was the creation of “1978 Les Bains Douches” different from the other houses you have worked with?
The subject of the brief, because I can’t say it’s the first time I’ve worked for a given location. On the other hand it is a unique place.
Did your stays at the Bains Douches have an importance in the creation process ?
Yes, especially since it has nothing to do with what I remembered. And I confess, I didn’t remember it at all, so the fact that I rediscovered it was important
What is your first olfactory memory?
The land in the little woods behind my house in Nancy.
Where does your passion come from?
I was fascinated by the world of French luxury. It is a very strongly nostalgic notion. But which unfortunately faded with time. The image of this France has disappeared.
What does your typical day look like?
I feel, I formulate, I feel, I formulate and… I modify the formulas…
Do you have any “fetish” raw materials?
Full! vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood when it is really quality, concrete iris, davana, some synthetic notes that will not tell you anything.
Do you use natural, synthetic or combination materials? Why?
A combination of the two, yes. The synthetics are essential for the effectiveness of an agreement, and its modernity and the naturals for the color (I would almost dare to say coloratura), the depth and the patina of the perfume.
Your favorite destination to find new olfactory inspiration?
the Himalayas, the Bandiagara cliff in Mali, Yemen, Ethiopia even if it is a country that made me suffer. Yes of course, they gave me a lot of inspiration of all kinds!
How do you train your nose on a daily basis?
Working, smelling constantly, and of course making little trips to the lab to get my hands on raw materials. We always have surprises…
How do you know when the fragrance has reached its peak?
This is a very uncertain notion. But experience allows us to objectively define the goal to be reached within the limits of what objectivity can be.
The song that stimulates your creativity?
Heroes by David Bowie. I think that’s what this song was created for: to galvanize.
Do you wear your own designs?
No, never. I haven’t worn perfume in a long time.
The future of perfumery. Do you think that algorithms will be able to complement your work as a nose?
???? What’s next?
Which characters inspire you on a daily basis?
Not geniuses. Plus those who transcend their nature of poor human, Guillaume Nery, or Jacques Mayol before him, a Patrick Edlinger, even if there was better after, opened free climbing routes, the great surfers, whatever the discipline, etc. ….
Those who have discovered things: the great explorers, the great archaeologists who have trodden virgin ground, or have unearthed buried knowledge, lost civilizations. They fascinate me. Discovery fascinates me in general; an Egon Musk fascinates me even if I don’t like the character at all and he is particularly megalomaniac.
Have you ever created a fragrance for a specific person (child, parents, friends, celebrities, etc.)?
Yes, a few, for friends, for clients who wanted a personalized perfume.
Are there big differences (method, approach, spirit) between the houses you have worked for? Which ones
Of course. Some clients give me words, concepts, images, make me visit places (the Guerbois baths), a country (the perfumer), a place in a particular country, I have worked in very specific synesthetic contexts. In relation to colors, shapes, textures, specific touches. I have made perfumes for particular exhibitions, to represent sculptures, paintings, a particular artist etc…
Define Les Bains Douches in three words:
Mythical, decadent ( transgressive? ), vintage ( at the moment ).