Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Interview with french perfumer Blaise Mautin/Entrevista com o perfumista Blaise Mautin

Breve em Português/soon in Portuguese

Blaise Mautin is one of France’s up-and-coming “noses” that has already been honoured with the prestigious “Lys d’Or” award. This energy and talent is being discovered by a limited number of companies in the luxury sector with whom Blaise Mautin shares the pursuit of excellence and exclusivity. This personalised service includes creating a range of guest supplies and scents with a difference, and his personal supervision of every aspect from design to production. In order to become a “nose” and master the techniques and know-how to be able to perfect the art, Blaise Mautin spent several years at the “ISIPCA” and the “ Osmothèque de Versailles.” He has travelled far to select special fragrances to compose his marvellous perfumes. These journeys have given him the ability to create unique atmospheres and sensations presented in his high quality fragrances. His refined taste and the quality of his work can be experienced, all over the world in some of the luxurious Park Hyatt Hotels, in the fragrances and perfumed candles created for the Japanese, super cool brand Visvim, and in a more personal relationship with the perfumer, designing your very own personal fragrance! A tailor made perfume in a diamond shaped flacon that is absolutely divine!

Visvim candles - a joint project with Blaise Mautin

I had the opportunity to get to know him and a little bit more about his life and work. I hope you will enjoy reading as much as I have by interviewing him!

+ Q Perfume: Do you recall what was the first and most pleasant experience you had in your life with fragrances, scents, smells or even odors?

B.M.:I can recall exactly when I received my calling to become a “perfumeur.” It was while working at the “Nain Bleu” the famous Paris toy shop founded by my great great grandmother in 1836, when one afternoon a kind and indulgent grandfather sought to enchant his small grand-daughter and to enjoy the moment of immense pleasure, gained from her expression of joy at receiving such a collection of toys and gifts….How would it be possible, to capture the magic of such a moment and to make it last?

+ Q Perfume: How did you start in the art of creating fragrances? Most interviewers want to know what inspires or influences the work of a perfumer. I myself have already asked these questions more than once. Today I would like to explore a different angle: How does fragrances influence you life? Or your way of relating to others?

B.M.: Fragrances are to me a symbol of comfort, security and identity. You give a memory to others by the perfume that you are wearing. Fragrances are to me so important, because every thing to me is to transform into fragrance. For example, if a person spend too much time in a smoking room, or eat pasta Bolognese, it is a fragrance to me, and I will know where this person was before coming to see me, and I think is always a good exercise to try to understand what the person in front of you like.

+ Q Perfume: In my opinion fragrances can enhance, change and inspire different moods, different auras. They also reflect unconsciously a moment or feeling I am living right now, or emotions I wish to feel. Therefore, the perfume is not what I am or an interpretation of my personality, but something I wish to feel. This is also the reason I cannot wear only one fragrance and be loyal to one perfume only. In your point of view, how would you describe fragrances? And how is the process of creation according to this concept?

B.M.: I am very, very faithful to the perfume I wear. I have two and I never change. I like people to remember me with the fragrance I wear. Many of my customers have also this approach. What is really great in perfumes is that every one is different and like different things, and that is why we all are so unique.

+ Q Perfume: You have developed exclusive fragrances for the Park Hyatt Hotels of many cities. Does the location influence in the way you design them?

B.M.: Surely the location, the culture, the team, the architecture, the colors, the materials and all kind of information are really important to me for designing a scent.

+ Q Perfume: I learned that the hotel’s motto is that Luxury is personal. Is this the reason why they looked for developing their own fragrances?

B.M.: I believe hotels want to give to their guests a unique and exclusive experience. Each branch is different; especially in the luxurious world, they have to offer a unique service to their guests. Perfume is surely part of this exclusive and unique experience.

+ Q Perfume: I have already published about your work with the Japanese brand Visvim. How did a French perfumer started to work with a Japanese designer? What brought you two together to create a line of fragrances? When I saw the lab containers I was astonished (in a positive sense). I had seen the glorious diamond shaped flacon in your site, a piece of art keeping a fluid prestigious juice, and than, I see a project that is technological, modern and very urban. There I understood how versatile and unlimited the process of creating can be! Was that a challenge to you?

B.M.: I have met Monsieur Hiroki Nakamura, founder of the Visvim brand, because he came across of my work in several Park Hyatt Hotels world wide, and he really appreciated the perfume I have exclusively created for them. Then he asked his London branch to contact me. After little time I had the great honor to meet this incredible high talented man in Tokyo – Japan. We never stopped working together since then. 5 years now.

+ Q Perfume: Do you have a signature for your fragrances? Can someone recognize your work or the perfume is one hundred percent devoted to the client?

B.M.: Most of my work is signed Blaise Mautin. It means that the perfume that you have in your hand is a self-measured perfume and unique You cannot find any of my work in any perfumery shop in the all world.

+ Q Perfume: I propose a game to you. I will give you unfinished sentences and I would love you to finish them spontaneously. Some of them will be completed with only one word; some can be filled with as many as you wish. The only rule is not to think twice to answer!

(find in bold letters what the perfumers completed in the sentences)

I would rather smell like ROSE than DIHYDROMYRCENOL.

Perfume etiquette means ELEGANCE AND MEMORY IT MAKES YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU ARE WEARING IN A POSITIVE OR NON POSITIVE WAY.

I love the smell of MY PERFUME.

I cannot live without PERFUME, MUSIC, FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.

The most odd smell, scent or odors I have ever known is THE OCEAN.

The smell of ABSOLUE DE TIARE FROM TAHITI AROME FRENCH POLYNESIA is simply JUST DIVINE.

I would love to be remembered as someone who IS GENEROUS AND TRY TO ALWAYS GIVE IS BEST FOR ALL OF MY CUSTOMERS.

Someone who doesn’t wear perfumes TAKES A RISK TO SMELLSOME PEOPLE LOVE IT AND SOME DON’T AT ALL!

I would never create PERFUME I AM NOT CONVINCE IS GREAT.

In my SUITCASE you will always find A BLAISE MAUTIN PERFUME.

+ Q Perfume: And to finish this interview, I would love to hear from you what is your advice to new perfumers or someone who wishes to start this profession. To be inspired by someone who is highly considered in the Niche perfumery is in my opinion, a good start!!!

B.M.: I would love to say to anyone who would love to do what I do, to work very hard, to listen a lot and to believe so hard into their work, and never despair. Continue your effort always. At the beginning is very hard because if you want to be independent like me, you have to learn alone, and this is probably the most difficult part.

The beautiful diamond shaped flacon

To learn more about Blaise Mautin parfums please click here.

Photo Credits: Blaise Mautin

If you wish to use these pictures please kindly contact Mr. Mautin for authorization.

No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...