With a loyal commitment to uniqueness and luxury, renowned French perfume brand Atelier Flou saw its first launch in the Middle East this summer. Bringing its expertise in the art of perfume to the region, the centuries-old house unveiled scents for both men and women that reflect its noble traditions.
In this conversation with the French talented perfumer behind these coveted scents, Jean-François Cabos tells us about the emotions revived through the house’s fragrances, the power of the materials he uses and the brand’s novelties.
What emotion would you use to describe the feeling of these fragrances?
We cultivate the taste for novelty in a way that respects the passing time. We do not follow trends or fashions, nor strive to astonish or surprise, but simply create for the pleasure of formulating subtle, well-balanced, refined and vibrant harmonies. Discovering and wearing these harmonies will bring you pleasure, hour after hour, and day after day…
Which types of raw materials make this fragrance line in a league of its own?
We choose the finest natural ingredients as much as possible.
Are these classic signature every day scents or fragrances for special occasions?
Let’s make everyday a special occasion …
The power of the musk and gentleness of the vanilla form a mix between masculine and feminine, is this a concept you had in mind while creating the Shamsin fragrance?
If the name of this fragrance makes you think of the powerhouse perfumes of years past, it's no accident. Luxurious and voluptuous, Shamsin is the smell of a far-flung sultanate, where meticulously kept hanging gardens and the world's most precious resins swirl together in a cloud of sheer sensuality. The jasmine is Egyptian, silk-smooth, richly floral and wondrous, while Moroccan rose weaves together with Spanish cistus for a full-bodied exoticism that could
make even the most self-assured of men weak in the knees. A soft, musky base furthers the effect, shrouding you in mysterious power while also keeping things from ever feeling weighed down. Lovers of the old school, rejoice- this one's a genuine knockout.
Liva is fresh and light but also spicy at the same time, how did you come up with this combination?
Some fragrances blow you away with their power, but rare is the fragrance that produces great power simply by drawing you in ever closer. Liva is one such scent, a spicy, lightly fruity, subtly daring dance that first captivates from a distance, and then reveals hidden depths.
Liva opens fresh and green. A burst of juicy mandarin and bergamot are cut with a lightly spiced, vegetal presence that sets the stage for a spicy heart of cinnamon, ginger and pepper. In other hands, that's a recipe for an overwhelmingly masculine scent, but here it's played for subtlety, dancing across an ever-emerging vetiver base that swells and takes center stage four or five hours in. By then, anyone around you is sure to be under your spell. Like a ballet dancer on the world's brightest stage, Liva knows that once you have an audience's attention, even a delicate dance can leave a big impression.
Sloane Rose feels ultra feminine, what type of woman wears this scent?
Sloanes are to the UK as BCBGs are to France, or preppies in the US: a fashion built around refinement, timeless style, and perhaps more than a touch of self-assured cockiness. And who among us doesn't want to feel like that from time to time? Sloane Rose is a fresh, delicate, and yet daringly sexy fragrance ideal for any woman with an indulgent- but never garish- side. Fresh, full-bodied rose from Manilla meets subtle Scandinavian violet and the rare refinement of jasmine sambac absolute for a gorgeously lush fragrance that couldn't go out of style if it tried.
Black purple is a very mysterious, dreamlike fragrance, would you say this is the most sensual of the line?
We're too old for vampires and werewolves. But that doesn't mean we don't understand the appeal of a suave, sexy man with a dark side. At times mysteriously icy and fiery hot, Black Purple is the seductive scent of a man who walks between two worlds.
Black Purple opens with rosemary and fern, chillingly herbal, that has us picturing tall silhouettes under glowing moonlight. A subtle nutmeg draws us closer, hinting at a hidden depth beneath the icy cold. Only when we're too close to escape does the ambery warmth of liatris begin to thump like a hidden heartbeat, revealing depths of passion. A beguilingly dangerous scent.
Katana, named after the Samurai sword is clearly a powerful scent, what is it about the scent that represents strength?
A testament to the elegant power of the swordsman, Katana is a bold, yet sensual fragrance of sharp edges and hidden might.The opening is a ferocious slash of cypress and juniper, full-bodied and masculine. A heart note of Guatemalan cardamom showcases Atelier Flou's gift for atypical central notes- it's big but subtle, lending an intriguing metallic element to the composition that only furthers the imagery of a razor-sharp samurai sword, slicing through opposition with meticulous precision. Supporting it all, a base of patchouli and coriander meet with just enough earthy greenness to picture our hero in a vast wilderness, slicing a path through the forest on his way to his destiny. Big, bold and purposeful, Katana is a fragrance for any man with the integrity to blaze his own trail.
Amarcord is like an understated beauty, innocent at first but secretly, extremely seductive. Is the spiciness released after a certain time?
Fellini's 1973 film Amarcord ("I remember") was, amongst other things, about the ways our memories- part factual, part emotional- create a second reality that looms larger than the actual events of the past themselves. Atelier Flou'sAmarcord explores that same space, delivering a disarmingly subtle incense scent with a spicy complexity of unexpected impact. Lush lily-of-the-valley and cool iris notes blend with smooth, soft incense to create a nostalgic vibe almost wholly untethered from any specific memory- it feels incredibly comforting without any of the typical gourmand/musk "comfort notes." By the time the spicy base emerges to the fore, you'll swear that Amarcord was the exact scent of your happiest childhood memories. It's a trick Fellini would be proud of.
Is there one that you consider your favorite?
I must say I wear them all, well, almost!
Atelier Flou’s fragrances are now exclusively availableat Paris Gallery in the UAE and are soon to belaunched in the rest of the Middle East.
Aline Agopian
