Retreat with R.
"Un grand parfum original n’est donc pas le résultat de „procédés industriels“, mais d’une recherche esthétique qui consiste à conjuguer avec art quelque dizaines de matériaux odorants (dont la source importe peu) en vue d’obtenir une forme olfactive belle et caractéristique."Edmond Roudnitska, le parfum
This weekend saw me again retreating and reconsidering my dear little leather trials. We are talking about version 18.6 which has matured for 3 weeks and will soon be ready for dilution. In light of my physical existence with pre-programmed cell death and limited ability of regeneration beyond, let’s say, 80 years, in light therefore of my nothingness in a cold universe I figured out that
a) I might try my leather before diluting it right now and
b) I might treat myself with a bath and Roudnitska.
Vero and I had a look at this version beforehand, before it was completely matured. Vero felt strongly that I should not change anything anymore. W. , my dear perfume tester and honest soul, also said that it is high ranking on his personal leather scale. Thus, yesterday’s impatient sniffing was somewhat biased beforehand…. Before going to bath I sat there, realized that the maturation really helped a lot, cutting off the edges, bringing out the vibrant smoky tunes. And it is a very powerful composition with high degree of individuality….too much eventually?….. another week to wait! Still digesting my memories of 18.6 and cross checking it again with Roudnitska’s 7 criteria (is it “delicate” enough….?) I came across his opinion, condensed in one sentence, of perfume creation in juxtaposition to industrial routines.
Two things are striking in this sentence: First “a grand perfume is not the result of an industrial process but an aesthetic research…Question: How much freedom is given to this aesthetic research in today’s industrial environment? I would guess that Roudnitska’s degree of freedom was much more extended than the creative playground of today’s perfumers, some niche players not included. In light of my worrying about the leather, isn’t this exactly the niche where we may thrive, allowing ourselves to create a perfume without being bound to an industrial process view?
The second striking issue: The source (of the fragrant materials) does not matter much….this remark of Roudnitska is a tough one. I think he refers to natural sources versus synthetic sources. It is, however, not entirely clear, even in the context. I do not want to start another natural versus synthetics discussion here, I think it is more important to finish reading Roudnitska’s sentence ….in order to reach a fragrant form, which is beautiful and characteristic. The key is the beauty of a composition, combined with its unique, characteristic, individual form. Mixing lavender, rose and some tonka beans, or linalool, rhodinol and cumarin, might be not enough to reach this characteristic form.
The result might be beautiful, but that’s not enough.
# posted by andy : 9:02 AM
4 Comments:
I becoming something of a Tauer groupie - but I am so curious as to how this turns out - if Vero says it needs not a jot more and your tester is happy - be kind to yourself and just think about basking in future glory.
Heather
I agree with Heather - if Vero say's it finished, then trust your mentor! If I had one, I would ;-)
I do look forward to sniff this leather miracle of yours - it does sound intriguing.
Ylva
“a grand perfume is not the result of an industrial process but an aesthetic research…
Yes, the artistic process. The desire and combined skill to create an artwork, unique and purely out of the creator's imagination. It is where we are thriving. And you, Andy, have a handle on the structure of the process.
Trained as an artist and designer, I, too, am experienced with brainstorming (often with a team) on urban and landscape design. Many, many designs are sketched out on paper, only to be discarded when the final evaluation occurs. Thus it is with perfume, where you must have a sensitive artistic temperment, and be able to toss the mix out if it does not meet your standards.
Your mentor's advice should be taken, and nagging neuroses not allowed to cause you hesitation at this point ;-) Otherwise, nothing would be built, or bottled, except that of egomaniacs, lol.
"The source (of the fragrant materials) does not matter much... I do not want to start another natural versus synthetics discussion here"
I take his remark in an entirely different light, Andy .... I believe he was speaking of nation of origin! The French, you know! Until a few years ago (my opinion) they disregarded the jasmines of Egypt and India as inferior, along with a lot of other raw materials.
As far as the n v. s discussion, don't worry, the natural perfumers I know, myself included, laughed off the meltdown of a certain now-defunct blogger in our private group. We keep a good humor about it all. Like true artists, we know that a new artform is often up for criticism by those who do not, or cannot, accept it. Like water off a ducks back, we just carry on, creating what we want to offer the world.....whether the source is Egypt, India, or our own tincture labs ;-) (tongue firmly planted in cheek on my take on R's "source" comment.)
Such anticipation over the leather -- let that baby be born!
Dear Ylva, dear Heather
I like the idea of having groupies... that's like a teenager dream come true when I imagined to become a pop star (blond Michal Jackson...)
Seriously: You are right!I will dilute it this weekend and then we will see soon.
Dear Anya
Thank you, too! Although I should have thought about it: I didn't! I guess you are right... Roudnitska probably thought about from which place.... I read his article once where he is warning about the French Jasmine from Grasse disapperaring. Right he was! But... back then the Moroccan Jasmin probably was not as good as it is today. Dream stuff!
I send you all fragrant wishes
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