ParfumPlus

IN AN EXCLUSIVE interview with ParfumPlus, perfumer Anne-Louise Gautier reveals the artistic process behind the Silk Odyssey collection. PARFUMPLUS : HOW DOES THIS CREATIVE FREEDOM ENHANCE YOUR ABILITY TO TRANSLATE MATERIALS LIKE SILK INTO FRAGRANCE? Anne-Louise Gautier : At Expressions Parfumées, our creativity thrives on the freedom and autonomy we are given. This, combined with our commitment to using high-quality raw materials and constantly enhancing our palette with exclusive, original ingredients, fuels our innovation. Collaboration is key to our approach, ensuring that our clients’ unique identities are preserved through co-creation. I deeply value the team’s cohesion, mutual support, and intellectual energy, which nurture my creative process. It allows me to focus on the core of our craft—creation. During the brainstorming for the Silk Odyssey collection, our Marketing team provided an immersive experience, letting us feel the texture and hear the rustle of various silks. This sparked the inspiration behind Chinese Mulberry Silk’s fragrance. PP : EXPRESSIONS PARFUMÉES PRIDES ITSELF ON BALANCING TRADITION AND PERFUMERY TECHNIQUES. HOW DO YOU BLEND THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR OWN CREATIONS? ALG : At Expressions Parfumées we are lucky to be specialised by field of expertise. As dedicated olfactory experts, we pay special attention to sublimating our creativity with an impeccable technical mastery based on a perfect knowledge of geographical and cultural specificities, interactions between ingredients, the olfactive synergies produced, and the stability of our perfumes. The access we have to many captive molecules also guarantees our singularity, allowing us to create unique olfactory signatures. Our Research and Innovation department gives us access to cutting-edge technologies, challenging our creative spirit and adding obvious value to our fragrances. Agility and expertise are pillars of Expressions Parfumées. They are part of a daily process of permanent improvement such as access to ultra-modern robots guaranteeing reactivity and flawless precision. PP : WHAT KEY RAW MATERIALS DID YOU SELECT FOR THE COLLECTION, AND HOW DID THEY HELP YOU REFLECT THE LUXURY AND TEXTURES OF SILK? ALG : The choice and quality of raw materials, along with their skilful combination, enable us to highlight the brightness, depth, texture, and sensory experience of a fragrance. For the Chinese Mulberry Silk, I sought to recreate the sensation of silk's delicate drape and its shimmering hues. I began with Osmanthus absolute, a small flower from China with pristine white petals. Its fragility and brightness echoed my first touch of this precious silk. Indian sandalwood oil, with its creamy, milky, woody essence, evokes the soft, comforting feel of silk against the skin. P A R F U M P L U S 19