Between Photography and Perfume Art: An Interview With Thomas de Monaco

We take a look into the world of a creative director who builds a bridge between photography and perfume art with passion and innovation.

I believe in beauty. And beauty comes from within. Fragrances have to work right there - first on yourself, then on others.

Thomas De Monaco

As a photographer, artist and creative director, Thomas De Monaco has been enriching the luxury perfume industry for more than two decades. Developing fragrance concepts and bringing them to life with a perfumer is more than just a profession for the Swiss-born artist - it is a passion that he pursues with a spirit of innovation and a great deal of artistic freedom. Since 2020, Thomas has been bringing his unique vision of fragrances to the world with his eponymous label Thomas De Monaco .

In an interview, he gives us an insight into his work and shares the special stories and philosophies that make his fragrances so extraordinary.

From the lens to the bottle: what made you decide to continue your creative journey from photography into the world of fragrances?

TDM: For over twenty years, I have been working in Paris as a creative director and photographer for all the big luxury houses you can dream of. From Armani to Cartier and Hermès to Yves Saint Laurent - mostly for their fragrance divisions. My approach is always to say goodbye to marketing-driven constraints and replace them with a creative and emotional attitude. Experimentation also plays a major role in this. Around 2018, I started to develop my own fragrance concept. The DNA of my collection, which has already grown to six designs this year, frees itself from the idea of the classic fragrance pyramid and focuses exclusively on the overall effect that comes from the gut and the heart. It is intense, radiant and long-lasting, just like I develop my images in photography - subjective and authentic.

You recently launched three Extraits de Parfum, each designed to capture a particular emotion.

Your fragrance "Fuego Futuro" is described as a meditative journey that draws its inspiration from the wilderness and shamanic rituals. How did the creative spark for this fragrance come about?

TDM: I am particularly interested in the positive emotions that my fragrances revolve around. Intense emotions trigger physical reactions, they can cause a tingling sensation or even make you shiver. "Fuego Futuro" is about the feeling of freedom, independence, the urge to move forward without knowing exactly where the journey will take you. My perfumer, Maurus Bachmann, and I simply cleared our heads when developing "Fuego Futuro". We went in search of the mystical, the woody and the earthy - the power of mate tea from South America, the intensely narcotic timut pepper from Nepal, the aromatic hay from Mongolia and the cedar wood from Alaska. Hovering over everything is the hint of incense smoke. The result is a fragrance that is far more than just a perfume, it is an aura that surrounds you - the nomad as a poet of the endless wilderness.

"Raw Gold (Extrait de Parfum)" is described as a hymn to eternal youth, torn between innocence and guilt. How did you manage to capture this ambivalence in the fragrance? Were there any memories that influenced its creation?

TDM: The re-work of "Raw Gold" takes as an Extrait the values of the first, limited version, but has become softer and more mature and is now entirely dedicated to sensuality. It seduces and allows itself to be seduced, defies convention and plays with allure. Still very unpolished and wild - like raw gold. Davana oil now brings in the sweetness, and the lipstick is still present in the form of orris, which combines excitingly with the leather notes. The fragrance is absolutely authentic for me and stems from my adolescence in the early 70s. It is the sum of an era that everyone experienced in their own way - whether then or now. I think the fragrance has a maddening aura, a dichotomy of innocent dominance, impossible to escape.

"Sol Salgado" takes us into the seduction of an endless summer. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind the creation?

TDM: Who doesn't love those endless summer evenings? The feeling when the golden hour seems to last all day. When the humidity of the seawater crystallizes under the hairline on the back of your neck. When the day-blooming plants say goodbye and the sweet shoots of the night burst forth. Sol Salgado brings everything together here and yet offers much more space for the poetry of happiness. Friends have warned me that this story could become the scent of summer 2024. But I just let myself drift, finding this blend of lime blossom and smoky vanilla simply incredibly beautiful. What's addictive about this fragrance is not only its radiance, but also its longevity, which still lingers on the skin as the sun rises.

As Creative Director, you work hand in hand with the perfumer to turn your ideas into fragrances. How do you ensure that the resulting fragrances truly reflect what you have envisioned?

TDM: Mutual trust, understanding each other's knowledge, openness to new ideas and a willingness to accept criticism are important. But above all, I have a clear vision of the future of my brand; ideas and goals always come from me. I have been working as a creative director for over twenty years. After this time, you recognize the potential of your partners and try to take them along on this wave in the long term. This also creates a certain intimacy, in which big words are often no longer necessary.

Criticism of your own artistic work is always a challenge. How do you personally deal with criticism of your fragrances?

TDM: I am receptive and try to categorize the criticism. Unfortunately, many critiques lack depth; they are bothered by superficialities. That doesn't get you anywhere. I'm not interested in mere categorization. Tell me stories and draw me to other positions. That's where I come in and take a lot of time for discussions.

In conclusion: How do you hope people will remember your fragrances? Is there a particular message you want to share with people through your brand?

TDM: I believe in beauty. And beauty comes from within. Fragrances have to work right there - first on yourself, then on others. My fragrances are for the here and now. They are effective and convey much more than just outward appearances; they are conveyors of character and authenticity. That's how I would like it.

Image sources: Thomas De Monaco