Expressions Parfumées : Weaving Scents From Silk
Anne-Louise Gautier on Crafting the Silk Odyssey Collection for Expressions Parfumées
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.
Superessence of Olibanum adds a mystical, effervescent trail, paying homage to sacred traditions. When paired with aldehydes, it captures the iridescence of silk’s surface.
My passion for musk inspired the use of specific musks combined with Rice Bran Absolute to enhance the cocoon-like sensation, creating a rich, protective texture. Finally, the blend of incense and styrax introduces darker notes, reflecting the interplay of light and shadow on silk and serving as an olfactory bridge between Asia and the Middle East.
PP : Can you share your creative process behind the fragrance for Chinese Mulberry silk, and how you captured its delicacy and softness in scent?
ALG : When I touched the mulberry silk for the first time, I fell in love with its incredible delicacy. Its sweetness and brightness also
touched me a lot.
It is naturally white and this purity is the origin of my fragrance. A luminous fragrance is incredibly soft and textured.
I felt this softness that warms layer after layer. A feeling of “cocooning” that reassures. This particular silk, which is then dyed with vibrant colours, brings a subtle elegance to the outfit, so I gave priority to beautiful raw materials to have an olfactory rendering that stands out.
PP : The Silk Road is not only a historical network of trade but also a cultural bridge between Asia and Europe. What inspired you to transform this vast, intricate concept into fine fragrances for the Silk Odyssey collection?
ALG : Interactions are at the heart of my creative process, I like the idea of crossing views on a perfume, and understanding and appreciating differences, whether generational or cultural. Stepping aside often gives you a different perspective on the world.
The Silk Road is, above all, the meeting between different cultures, in a respectful approach. The inspiration comes from these exchanges, by sharing know-how. It is when we face the novelty, which shatters our convictions and preconceptions, that we succeed in truly innovating. Learning and curiosity are essential to the emergence of new ideas.
PP : How do you envision the Silk Odyssey collection resonating with Middle Eastern audiences, considering their love for opulent and intricate fragrances?
ALG : The Silk Odyssey collection was created for BWME 2024 as the centrepiece of our booth, representing a modern take on the ancient Silk Road. This collection is a sensory journey beginning in China, the birthplace of mulberry silk. I worked with contrasting textures to craft a captivating olfactory experience.
Designed to embody elegance and sophistication, Silk Odyssey allows our Middle Eastern customers to adopt its distinctive fragrance codes and use them as a bridge to the world. For my interpretation, I infused the scent of ink to echo the graceful movements of Chinese calligraphy, using Styrax oil for its smoky, leathery notes, which are emblematic of oriental perfumery.
To increase the silk-like softness, I chose luxurious musks with rich textures and lasting trails, reflecting the cultural history woven into the collection. I’m excited to gather customer feedback at the exhibition and welcome visitors to booth S2E18 to share my creative journey.
PP : Are there other historical or cultural themes you'd like to explore in future fragrance collections?
ALG : Olibanum is considered to be one of the first scents used by humans. It is still used through cultural or religious rites in many parts of the world. In perfumery, its power and character make it difficult to tame. The complexity of its peppery, aldehydic, and balsamic facets is unique. Shading it to extract its most sensual facets would be a great challenge!
