France
In a 2020 interview with Austrian writer and fragrance artist Paul Divjak, Der Spiegel ran the headline “There is less courage for the animalistic today.” In the interview, Divjak mentioned the independent French perfume brand Marlou, which focuses on the smells of the human body and their social significance.
The name “Marlou” has a complex history of meanings in French, ranging from the designation of a pimp to a shrewd, shady character to childish mischief. For founder Briac Frocrain, Marlou was also a personal nickname that combines social ambivalence and contrasts between purity and dirt.
At the core of each fragrance are animalic notes such as costus, civet, castoreum, musk, and indole, which create intimacy and consciously address and aesthetically integrate the imperfections and ambivalences of the human body. By combining with the individual body odor, the brand's perfumes aim to create a different scent on each person.
Marlou takes a minimalist approach to design and material selection. The main materials used are glass, cork, aluminum, uncoated paper, and a small amount of plastic. Most of the materials are biodegradable or recyclable. The bottles are made of amber glass, which protects the contents from light and thus eliminates the need for additional additives in the fragrance.
DuftFlasher
