Serge Lutens' Charming Art Deco Boutique in Paris
I read in Traveler the article on perfumer Thierry Wasser's travels in search of lost essences, and his talented nose takes us from the profusion of smells of a bustling Guatemalan market to the snowy peaks of Chamonix , where he enters an odorless world. A unique journey guided by his extraordinary development of smell, which in general is the least developed sense of the human being, but which still raise passions , like that of perfumes, that object of desire.
a passion that Ana Corsini , one of the most important perfumers and noses in Spain, she has promoted developing projects with the young designers of the IED Madrid, to whom she commented: “The aromas of perfumes accompany us, relieve us, give us pleasure, elevate us... Discovering them, experimenting with them and innovating is a great challenge that helps creators to delve into other more unknown meanings and to develop their creativity in other areas”.
To discover what are the innovations that this kaleidoscopic world , we approached three perfumeries in three different cities, but with common elements. The three look like sanctuaries: silence reigns in them, the light is dim and the exalted liquids are displayed as relics or religious icons.
Brussels At Senteurs D'ailleurs, tradition is the leitmotif that leads to its creators, Josiane and Pierre Donie , to treat the perfume rigorously. They consider perfume pure craftsmanship and their contact with the best 'noses' in the world is permanent in search of novelties. In 1997 they began their journey on Louise Avenue and, over the years, the small boutique has become a 'cathedral' , a grandiose space whose interior design focuses on basic colors, black and white, with natural wood floors and comfortable armchairs to be able to inhale your proposals with ease. In the corners or 'chapels' are well lit 'icons', bottles of the most varied essences. Among the brands they offer: Ormonde Jayne, L'Artisan Parfumeur, Heeley, Cire Trudon, Costs, Esteban and Nippon Kodo.
Wood and large armchairs in the Senteurs D´ailleurs perfumery in Brussels
Paris In contrast to the 'cathedral' of Senteurs D´ailleurs , in the undisputed capital of perfume we enter a small hermitage of essences. In the Palais Royale , on the Valois Gallery , with an inconspicuous exterior sign, is the Serge Lutens perfume salon, a dark magical cavern, with purple lighting, art deco decorations and a spiral staircase in the center that rises to mysterious rooms. Everything has been conceived to generate the maximum concentration possible in the aromas , in the sensations produced by smells and their spiritual compositions.
Serge Luten Apart from being a perfumer, he is a film director, photographer, make-up artist and fashion designer, and in each of his facets he brings a very personal mystical touch. At his Paris salon he has thirty-two exclusive fragrances, with suggestive names such as Mandarine-mandarin , Bois de violette, Ambre sultan, Un lys, Santal Blanc or Chypre rouge.
Saint Sebastian In the elegant city of San Sebastián we find Urbieta, which opened in 1954 and has been gradually renovated until today. Its name alludes to its location, and that detail exemplifies the simplicity of the concept of this perfumery. The space is white and bright, with some old, light-colored wooden shelves, and in the center there are slender, elliptical-shaped transparent cabinets. Everything is sober, with pure lines, to highlight the bottles and the different containers of the brands they offer. There are perfumes by Frederic Malle, which invites the best 'noses' in the world to make an essence, its minimalist packaging is accompanied by black and white photos of each perfumer, as if it were Movie stars : Sophia Grojsman, Maurice Roucel, Olivia Giacobetti, Pierre Bourdon…; of Kilian , who considers perfume an art; of Caron , that French classic… At the end of the visit we are surprised to also find the perfumes and cosmetics of Ladurée , the French manufacturers of sweets (such as the famous macarons), which are kept in their cute cardboard boxes with floral prints.
The luminous perfumery from San Sebastian Urbieta