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In doubt for the doubt
What do Roja Dove, Sylvaine Delacourte and Gilles Thévenin have in common? Who knows the answer? That's right, Guerlain. The traditional house employs the most talented perfumers and merchants, some of whom later take the path to independence. Roja Dove and Sylvaine Delacourte put perfume on the market under their own names today, not so Gilles Thévenin. To him, however, more in a moment, let's first take a little trip back in time.
We are in the 18th century in France. Pierre-François Lubin is only 10 years old and lives with his parents not far from the Parisian studio of Jean-Louis Fargeon, with whom he is just beginning an apprenticeship. The famous perfumer awakens Pierre-François' love for fragrance essences at an early age. The boy Lubin is 18 when he leaves his patron and with him the capital, which is troubled by the revolution. He continued his education in Grasse, where he learned the "Italian method" from Tombarelli. When the political dust slowly settled, he returned to Paris and completed his knowledge with his old patron. Lubin becomes not only an excellent perfumer, but also an extremely skillful businessman. He opens his first Maison called "Au Bouquet de Roses" in Paris. Lubin expands and exports his creations - the first fragrance house ever to do so - to America. His clientele included Empress Joséphine, Napoleon's wife, the English King George IV and Tsar Alexander I. Fame, honor and fortune paved his path through life. Only one thing is not granted to him, there is no male heir, no one to take over his manufactory from the family.
Felix Prot, his former apprentice and loyal employee, continues the business. Lubin becomes a successful and professionally managed under several generations of family Plot. What then follows in the mid-twentieth century sounds extremely promising at first. Large corporations buy the fragrance manufactory, but Lubin becomes a hit neither with Henkel, nor with the 4711 manufacturer Muehlens, nor with Wella. The brand leads a shadowy existence, goes down miserably among the many beauty products.
Salvation comes in 2004, when Gilles Thévenin, who until then was the creative director at Guerlain and head of marketing at Rochas, makes a momentous decision. He literally goes to the extreme limits of his comfort zone and even beyond. He sells all his belongings. His prestigious house, his cars and his antiques soon find new owners. In his own words, he describes this time as follows: "My grandmother was crying. Then, at 45, I was alone in a room, a former servant's quarters. But I was happy. It was almost like getting married. I knew I was going to dedicate myself to this company. I want to keep the quality perfumery alive."
At the beginning, he works mainly with two well-known "noses", with Delphine Thierry and with Thomas Fontaine. Thomas is the architect and also the Indiana Jones of fragrances. He systematically assembles his creations, fragrance brick by fragrance brick, building "cathedrals". He is also the master of reformulations. Delphine Thierry takes a completely different approach, she is the poet among perfumers, conveying feelings, moods, telling stories. She is also the creator of Akkad.
Many comments and Lubin's website say that Akkad was created in reference to the Mesopotamian ruler of Akkad - Sargon. "The essence of Akkad is the gift of the beautiful Ishtar, who loved and protected me. It contains the most precious ointments of Pound and the islands of the great sea and those much farther away. This ambergris is like the light that illuminates my kingdom, the most precious treasure of my kingdom." (Quote www.lubin.eu). But this is only half the truth. The first inspiration for Akkad comes from Provance, where Delphine Thierry has lived with her family for a few years. From her house in a small village, a stone path leads to the river. As she walked along this very path one summer day, she reflected on the fact that stones do have a subtle scent. She enjoyed the scent of spices such as thyme, oregano and also that of rock roses. This "luminous area", the sweaty skin, a bath in the river at the end of a hot August day, the exuberant and happy feeling, sensuality, the sun going down were the real emotional sources for Akkad. Gilles Thévenin allowed the fantasy worlds around the later fragrance to emerge. He accompanies each fragrance development, which takes well over a year, until the creation is balanced and harmonizes with the name, bottle and story.
Please forgive me the long introduction. I am often as fascinated by the people behind the scenes as their compositions and I find their inspirations stimulating.
Thévenin already liked the first fragrance creation of Delphine Thierry very much. The link between sun, nature, stone and sensuality appealed to him. And indeed, the fleeting beauty of the top note carries the sun in the heart. This light-footed, approachable nature, the minimal citrus, the fresh herbs and the warm, sensual, slightly humanizing labdanum also take me by storm.
The mineral one guesses directly. This direction associates Gilles Thévenin with a temple. At his suggestion, the incense portion was increased in the fragrance, so that the sacred aspect is also emphasized. Through balsamic notes such as resins, styrax and benzoin and also through amber, Akkad later becomes "physically tangible".
The pyramid suggests a dark fragrance and honestly does not appeal to me at all. I was completely surprised that although Akkad "Noire" comes along, the fragrance shines amazingly bright. This ambivalence comes close to squaring the circle and gives an idea of what an extraordinary talent Delphine Thierry has.
At this point, I would write in other comments about the fact that lovers of incense fragrances absolutely must test. That all who love NU by Yves Saint Laurent and Coco or Coco Noire should go directly to the souk and acquire a bottling as soon as possible. But I don't. Because Akkad is niche perfume in the best sense of the word, craft of great emotions. Everyone should enjoy it at some point, because few fragrances have as much personality and such a natural aura as this perfume. The fact that not everyone can wear Akkad is not the deciding factor.
My conclusion: occasionally explore the boundaries of your comfort zone, because that's where the adventure begins. And also test against your preferences. In doubt for the doubt.
Sources: "The fragrance account for exciting gentlemen" - Die Zeit // "Fragrances like cathedrals" - Handelszeitung // "The fragrance renaissance" - Manager Magazin // "The eccentric of fragrances" - GEO // www.lubin.eu // Wikipedia
We are in the 18th century in France. Pierre-François Lubin is only 10 years old and lives with his parents not far from the Parisian studio of Jean-Louis Fargeon, with whom he is just beginning an apprenticeship. The famous perfumer awakens Pierre-François' love for fragrance essences at an early age. The boy Lubin is 18 when he leaves his patron and with him the capital, which is troubled by the revolution. He continued his education in Grasse, where he learned the "Italian method" from Tombarelli. When the political dust slowly settled, he returned to Paris and completed his knowledge with his old patron. Lubin becomes not only an excellent perfumer, but also an extremely skillful businessman. He opens his first Maison called "Au Bouquet de Roses" in Paris. Lubin expands and exports his creations - the first fragrance house ever to do so - to America. His clientele included Empress Joséphine, Napoleon's wife, the English King George IV and Tsar Alexander I. Fame, honor and fortune paved his path through life. Only one thing is not granted to him, there is no male heir, no one to take over his manufactory from the family.
Felix Prot, his former apprentice and loyal employee, continues the business. Lubin becomes a successful and professionally managed under several generations of family Plot. What then follows in the mid-twentieth century sounds extremely promising at first. Large corporations buy the fragrance manufactory, but Lubin becomes a hit neither with Henkel, nor with the 4711 manufacturer Muehlens, nor with Wella. The brand leads a shadowy existence, goes down miserably among the many beauty products.
Salvation comes in 2004, when Gilles Thévenin, who until then was the creative director at Guerlain and head of marketing at Rochas, makes a momentous decision. He literally goes to the extreme limits of his comfort zone and even beyond. He sells all his belongings. His prestigious house, his cars and his antiques soon find new owners. In his own words, he describes this time as follows: "My grandmother was crying. Then, at 45, I was alone in a room, a former servant's quarters. But I was happy. It was almost like getting married. I knew I was going to dedicate myself to this company. I want to keep the quality perfumery alive."
At the beginning, he works mainly with two well-known "noses", with Delphine Thierry and with Thomas Fontaine. Thomas is the architect and also the Indiana Jones of fragrances. He systematically assembles his creations, fragrance brick by fragrance brick, building "cathedrals". He is also the master of reformulations. Delphine Thierry takes a completely different approach, she is the poet among perfumers, conveying feelings, moods, telling stories. She is also the creator of Akkad.
Many comments and Lubin's website say that Akkad was created in reference to the Mesopotamian ruler of Akkad - Sargon. "The essence of Akkad is the gift of the beautiful Ishtar, who loved and protected me. It contains the most precious ointments of Pound and the islands of the great sea and those much farther away. This ambergris is like the light that illuminates my kingdom, the most precious treasure of my kingdom." (Quote www.lubin.eu). But this is only half the truth. The first inspiration for Akkad comes from Provance, where Delphine Thierry has lived with her family for a few years. From her house in a small village, a stone path leads to the river. As she walked along this very path one summer day, she reflected on the fact that stones do have a subtle scent. She enjoyed the scent of spices such as thyme, oregano and also that of rock roses. This "luminous area", the sweaty skin, a bath in the river at the end of a hot August day, the exuberant and happy feeling, sensuality, the sun going down were the real emotional sources for Akkad. Gilles Thévenin allowed the fantasy worlds around the later fragrance to emerge. He accompanies each fragrance development, which takes well over a year, until the creation is balanced and harmonizes with the name, bottle and story.
Please forgive me the long introduction. I am often as fascinated by the people behind the scenes as their compositions and I find their inspirations stimulating.
Thévenin already liked the first fragrance creation of Delphine Thierry very much. The link between sun, nature, stone and sensuality appealed to him. And indeed, the fleeting beauty of the top note carries the sun in the heart. This light-footed, approachable nature, the minimal citrus, the fresh herbs and the warm, sensual, slightly humanizing labdanum also take me by storm.
The mineral one guesses directly. This direction associates Gilles Thévenin with a temple. At his suggestion, the incense portion was increased in the fragrance, so that the sacred aspect is also emphasized. Through balsamic notes such as resins, styrax and benzoin and also through amber, Akkad later becomes "physically tangible".
The pyramid suggests a dark fragrance and honestly does not appeal to me at all. I was completely surprised that although Akkad "Noire" comes along, the fragrance shines amazingly bright. This ambivalence comes close to squaring the circle and gives an idea of what an extraordinary talent Delphine Thierry has.
At this point, I would write in other comments about the fact that lovers of incense fragrances absolutely must test. That all who love NU by Yves Saint Laurent and Coco or Coco Noire should go directly to the souk and acquire a bottling as soon as possible. But I don't. Because Akkad is niche perfume in the best sense of the word, craft of great emotions. Everyone should enjoy it at some point, because few fragrances have as much personality and such a natural aura as this perfume. The fact that not everyone can wear Akkad is not the deciding factor.
My conclusion: occasionally explore the boundaries of your comfort zone, because that's where the adventure begins. And also test against your preferences. In doubt for the doubt.
Sources: "The fragrance account for exciting gentlemen" - Die Zeit // "Fragrances like cathedrals" - Handelszeitung // "The fragrance renaissance" - Manager Magazin // "The eccentric of fragrances" - GEO // www.lubin.eu // Wikipedia
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