tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post8283291454651635727..comments2024-03-28T08:33:47.462+01:00Comments on Grain de musc: Jean-Claude Ellena's "Diary of a Nose": the Illusionist plays on transparencycarmencanada /Grain de Muschttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-19494723097364507522011-04-26T09:38:59.571+02:002011-04-26T09:38:59.571+02:00Persolaise, the olfactory illusions is also someth...Persolaise, the olfactory illusions is also something he explains in his first book, a little conjuring trick he uses with journalists on occasion apparently...<br />I don't know whether there are any plans to translate. You may remember that the first book, or some modified version of it, was announced a while back, then the project got stalled and no more was heard about it... The French is fairly simple and someone with an intermediate level should be able to work it out.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-67192936478932343942011-04-26T09:35:21.558+02:002011-04-26T09:35:21.558+02:00Thanks for this review. I wonder if my French will...Thanks for this review. I wonder if my French will ever be good enough to allow me to read the book for myself.<br /><br />Those 'olfactory illusions' sound wonderful, as does the idea that associations are more important than proportions.Persolaisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04192014353722036319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-41527947577907638092011-04-25T22:52:20.495+02:002011-04-25T22:52:20.495+02:00Emma, well obviously at Hermès they make business-...Emma, well obviously at Hermès they make business-driven decisions and hiring JCE has turned out to be a sound one both from an aesthetic and PR point of view: this is his second book, with another one partly about him. Which doesn't detract from the quality of his pedagogy towards the public -- no other top-name perfumer has had that level of freedom to communicate, or wanted to take it. Perfumers weren't stars in Roudnitska's time.<br /><br />As for the wearer adding his/her own story, I'd say that was the case for any perfume but JCE seems to imply he works it into the perfume's very structure.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-1772202620677432262011-04-25T21:57:24.043+02:002011-04-25T21:57:24.043+02:00I also believe Ellena elaborates his style in term...I also believe Ellena elaborates his style in terms of aesthetics over marketing. Obviously his book is about the art of perfumery and his style, however it's pure marketing strategy for Hermes because in France and worldwide their market is wealthy middle-age conservative clients who most certainly don't buy the collections of Versace and Alexander McQueen. They let go Gaultier after he designed the spring/summer 2011 Hermes collection which was a total flop and just hired a new designer more in tune with their aesthetics of modern 'bon chic bon genre'. The owners of Hermes must believe they have the perfumer that's right for them.<br /><br />On it's up to the wearer to fill in the blanks, when it comes to niche perfumers, they all say something along these lines. Lutens believes it's the wearer that brings out the true nature of the perfume, I think Mathilde Laurent also believes in this.Emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14706122421354946264noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-59733256953796267822011-04-25T19:58:03.147+02:002011-04-25T19:58:03.147+02:00Marla, I think simplifying formulas is often a res...Marla, I think simplifying formulas is often a response to two things: keeping the production line simple, and reassuring customers -- the traceability angle. People often prefer to have perfumes with the names of their main note, or at least something they think they can identify.<br />It's also part of a general move towards figuration, at least in the niche/exclusives sector -- same type of consumer who'll buy fresh and organic. And it's a lot easier to do the Nth vetiver or oud than to come up with a novel abstract form.<br />In JCE's case it's truly a matter of aesthetics over marketing, I'd say.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-77187576327977314152011-04-25T19:17:31.447+02:002011-04-25T19:17:31.447+02:00It's interesting to learn of another perfumer&...It's interesting to learn of another perfumer's manner of composition- they all seem to have different ways of going about it, don't they? I do appreciate JCE's "concision" and airiness, the only perfume of his I actively dislike is Mousson. Some of them are too ephemeral for me to buy, but I've enjoyed trying them. I've heard from, and of, several perfumers now that have actively chosen to simplify their designs over the years, though not usually to the point of true minimalism. Simplicity and concision do seem to be in the air, though! ;-)<br />-MarlaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-57979916306028535812011-04-25T14:42:20.334+02:002011-04-25T14:42:20.334+02:00Hilary, I had some thoughts on Barthes myself, bec...Hilary, I had some thoughts on Barthes myself, because of the fragment form and JCE's reflections on his own practice, both of which reminded me of Roland Barthes par Roland Barthes. But you point out another direction for thought. That said, I disagree partly with the way JCE analyses classic perfumes -- surely some didn't have that tendency to dominate discourse. But then, an artist defines himself by what he rejects as much as by what he pursues from history. JCE's lineage is clearly Roudnitska's, though in the book he distinguishes their respective approaches -- apparently they fell out for a while because JCE had written ER that he was too dogmatic.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-35858727154937260652011-04-25T14:38:24.286+02:002011-04-25T14:38:24.286+02:00Anna, I was kind of torn between frustrating Engli...Anna, I was kind of torn between frustrating English-speaking readers by just reviewing the book in French, and frustrating them by offering them no more than a glimpse! I thought at least it would be interesting for people to know what it was about... Haven't heard of a translation yet, hope it happens.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-76304987153058107292011-04-25T14:22:40.638+02:002011-04-25T14:22:40.638+02:00Ellena's idea that the 'space' in his ...Ellena's idea that the 'space' in his compositions offers their wearer a chance to fill in the blanks with their own ideas is really interesting- it's as though he thinks his style is somehow less didactic, more polysemous than classic perfumery. I was reminded of Barthes' distinction between the readerly and the writerly text - perhaps Ellena's perfumes aspire to be 'writerly' scents? Another possible connection to language. Fascinating post, thank you!Hilarynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-38930531183629062942011-04-25T13:37:36.992+02:002011-04-25T13:37:36.992+02:00Fascinating food for thought. I applaud Ellena'...Fascinating food for thought. I applaud Ellena's attempt to illustrate and explain his working methods.<br /><br />Based on your lucid article, I'll certainly seek this out when (if?) an English edition is available.<br /><br />cheerio<br /><br />Anna in EdinburghAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-55148225331586089162011-04-25T09:16:23.954+02:002011-04-25T09:16:23.954+02:00Emma, Jean-Claude has often said making fragrances...Emma, Jean-Claude has often said making fragrances long-lasting wasn't something he considered aesthetically relevant... something many people may not agree with. It's certainly at odds with the current trends of the market for scents so loaded with musk and wood notes they just never quit.<br /><br />Transparency, I must say, is a word he doesn't use in the book to define his style, but he does refer to watercolours, calligraphy and Japanese woodblock prints: art that leaves spaces in between the shapes, rather that fill out the whole canvas. <br /><br />One may not enjoy wearing his perfumes -- that's a matter of taste -- but Ellena has got an aesthetics, a direction, and he's able to explain it, give us a peek into his creative process. It's a rare enough occurrence in the perfume world.carmencanada /Grain de Muschttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04046101625425953248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4922907157797061660.post-49056925648768386332011-04-25T01:28:28.049+02:002011-04-25T01:28:28.049+02:00To me transparency and minimalism in perfumery are...To me transparency and minimalism in perfumery are just excuses for what is political correctness. Now it seems that the Jardins and the Hermessence series are selling good, obviously there's a certain clientele seeking high end refined yet barely there fragrances. Ellena was hired to fill Hermes' marketing strategy. I don't find that kind perfumery particularly interesting, I haven't even smelled Hermessence Iris yet, maybe I'm missing out something, who knows but if I want a fresh, transparent crowd pleaser, I might as well buy Cartier de Lune for a fraction of the price.Emmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14706122421354946264noreply@blogger.com