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Scent of a Storyteller

A trip to any department store will present hundreds of fragrance options, most of which stink. They’re generic, recycled formulas that all tend to wear the same way. The best perfumes evoke a story or a feeling, real or imagined, but in most commercial scents, such things have been reduced to a day-old casserole of smells – cold, dry and unappetizing.

Amidst this dreary sludge, there’s a beam of light from a group of specialized fragrance creators like Histoires de Parfums, Frederic Malle, Creed and L’Artisan Perfumeur, who are introducing customers to the art of perfume. It’s a blend of old world, traditional processes, mixed with modern tastes and innovative packaging - half the fun of buying a new perfume.

As Gérald Ghislaine, founder of Histoires de Parfums, explained in New York on Dec. 10, these kinds of fragrances are more than just a last-minute afterthought, they’re “an accessory to the fashion.”

As Ghislaine and his partner Magali Sénéquier showed off their “library” of scents, a carefully developed series of perfumes, he noted that his concept is to impart each one with a narrative. For instance, “Personnages Principaux,” or main characters, are Ghislain’s odes to the male and female historical figures he admires or who fascinate him – George Sand for the scent “1804,” a spicy, amber-based perfume; a fresh citrus for the Colette-inspired “1873,” which alludes to the author who was “fresh in everything she did,” said Ghislaine. For men, there are scents like the oceanic “1828,” inspired by the work of Jules Verne, and the seductive “1725,” after Casanova, combining woody scents with citrus and lavender.

“I don’t have time to write, so I write books with fragrance,” said Ghislaine. “Fragrance is my ink.”

Part of the charm of Ghislaine’s collection is the in-store experience of testing the fragrances – a provocative display of conical glass “organs” that you lift and hold to your nose, as opposed to an unwieldy spray onto a card. The packaging, too, is unique, as though it’s designed for bibliophiles who appreciate the concept of books with secret compartments. In this case, the surprise inside is a book-shaped perfume bottle with a satisfying heft.

Prior to Histoires de Parfums, which Ghislain founded in 2000, he worked as a cook in Paris, also operating several bars and restaurants. He decided ten years ago that he wanted to trade in his knives for his nose, and set about learning the ins and outs of the haute perfume world.

“When you cook, you’re always thinking, ‘What about if I add this, or add that,’” said Ghislain. For him, it’s a similar process in composing his perfumes, where “flavors” evolve over time as new combinations are discovered and tested.

“Perfume changes like fashion,” he said. “It’s a question of feeling.”

But unlike cooking, where only a handful of people can sample your food at a time, Ghislaine likes creating fragrances because of the possibility of reaching more taste-testers for his new recipes.

“Perfume allows you to share something with more people,” he said.

Ghislaine’s collection of scents also includes “Soliloques,” his floral series. Like mini-poems, they associate a nontraditional color with the flower – Noir Patchouli, Blanc Violette. And of course, every library needs its share of special editions. “Livres Cultes,” or cult books, evoke particular story, like the peace and love era of 1969 or the ultimate heady scent experience of Amber 114, composed of 114 different elements.

For now, Histoires de Parfums is only sold in highly curated shops like 10 Corso Como in Milan and Takashimaya in New York – the exclusivity of the fragrances is part of the strategy. After all, the whole point is to give customers an exquisitely personal experience.

Next on Ghislaine’s agenda is a tuberose series, and he’d also like to do something around Baudelaire or Hemingway. “I also have one in mind for Las Vegas,” he said. “It’s easy – smoke and Long Island Iced Tea! Even the noise of the machine.”

That’s what a good perfume ultimately comes down to, this ever-evolving impressionistic story open to many different readings, depending on who is wearing it and their own histories. Ghislaine likens the experience of perfume to the opera, of which he is a fan.

“In opera, you understand the meaning of the music, and all the emotion behind it even if you don’t know the language they are singing in,” he said. “The perfume, too, is your own interpretation.”

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