As you all know by now, we’re fascinated by perfumers – an elite group of just a few hundred individuals in the world, who make their living via their nostrils… (There are fewer of them than astronauts!) Sidonie Lancesseur is one of the ‘noses’ for the Lalique Collection Noir Premier fragrances.
Here, the perfumer – who also worked on several of Frapin‘s fragrances, Olfactive Studio Lumière Blanche and Terry de Gunzburg Flagrant Délice, Ombre Mercure and Parti Pris, among others – shares her thoughts on smells, scents and memories…
What is your first ‘scent memory’?
Chimney fire smouldering in the country house of my grandfather.
When did you decide you wanted to be a perfumer/create your own perfume?
I’ve always been interested in smells. I remember a meeting when I was 12 years old with a friend of my parents who was in the perfume industry. She shared with me her passion and gave me the desire to express myself through scent.
What are your five favourite smells in the world?
• The smell of my children.
• Chimney fire.
• Books.
• Twilight in the heart of the countryside when there is deep moisture in the ground.
• The smell of the wind in the middle of ocean.
What’s the worst thing you ever smelled. (Honestly!)
Each smell could be interesting depending on the situation and the intensity!
What is the fragrance you wish you’d created?
Déclaration by Cartier.
If you could have created a fragrance for a historical figure, who would it be?
Freud, in order to create a universal fragrance which gives desire to people to confess.
What’s the first fragrance you bought?
Paloma Picasso Minotaure.
And the first bought for you…?
Thierry Mugler Angel.
Do you have a favourite bottle design, from those that have been used for your fragrance creations?
I love the bottle design of By Kilian L’Oeuvre Noire collection for its luxury approach while respecting the environment. Once the bottle is empty you can refill it.
How many perfumes might you be working on, at one time?
There is no rule; for example today I am working simultaneously on nine different briefs.
Does your nose ever ‘switch off’?
For me, it is instinctive to keep in olfactory contact with my environment. It is an endless source of inspiration and I’ll never cut the link.
How long, roughly, does it take you to create a fragrance? This is very variable. Sometimes the creative work is very fast, 2-3 days. Or inversely, many months or more may be needed to achieve the reached accord.
Is creating a fragrance ‘visual’ for you, as well as something that happens in the nose/brain? Is a mood-board helpful?
Absolutely; all external sources of inspirations are rewarding to create a new fragrance: images, colours, shapes, raw materials etc …
What can each of us do to enhance our appreciation of fragrance? Smell regularly and be curious about everything.
What is your best tip for improving a person’s sense of smell?
Take time to smell…
