From ambrosial fruits to the sweet nectar of fresh blooms, nature has inspired perfumers since time immemorial. The brainchild of Jean Laporte, L’Artisan Parfumeur offers an artistic interpretation of nature through its fragrances. What few know is that the brand was born out of a challenge, a plaisanterie. A friend had asked Mr. Laporte, who was then training as a chemist, to create a banana scent to accompany his fruit costume to a gala at the Folies Bergères.
This request, given out of jest, sparked the passion in Mr. Laporte to experiment and create original scents with “natural essences.” Following the banana scent, he soon created grapefruit and vanilla fragrances. The success of his debut collection led to him being named L’Artisan Parfumeur, the craftsperson of fragrance, by perfume enthusiasts.
The rest, as they say, is history. For 40 years, the brand’s classic fragrances remain unchanged and are a true mark of confidence in its alchemy. Each dark and smoky glass bottle carries its perfumer’s name, as an homage to the artisanal craftsmanship behind the creation of each refined fragrance.
L’Artisan Parfumeur’s scents draw inspiration from botanicals, the French landscape, and the imaginative powers of nature. Here are some key creations we love.
La Collection Passage d’Enfer EDT
If Mother Nature’s most sublime offerings could be bottled into scent, La Collection would be it. From juicy peaches to crisp blackberries, each fragrance in the collection is crafted to capture a single natural ingredient in its truest form. Beguiling and mysterious, the Passage d’Enfer EDT is a bestseller for good reason. Its name is a witty play on words, representing a moment suspended between hell and paradise. This divergence is similarly reflected in the contrasting facets of incense, where its dry and poignant freshness is rounded by white musk and lilies.
Les Paysages Un Air de Bretagne EDP
The finest flowers and plants take centre stage in this collection of fragrances, which pay tribute to French landscapes and the nurturing qualities of nature. Think of the collection as an olfactory travel diary, whose most popular stop is the Un Air de Bretagne EDP. Recalling the Brittany coast, the fragrance evokes sea breeze tinged with salty sea spray and wild landscapes. On this canvas, seaweed and cypress is overlaid to balance the tempestuous heart of the fragrance. Meanwhile, the unique marbling on the bottle suggests the region’s rocky coves and white sandy beaches.
La Botanique abyssae EDP
Celebrating the dreamlike world of nature, the La Botanique collection reveals the secrets of flora that only awakens once night falls. This vision is brought to life via the well-loved 33 Abyssae EDP. Perfumer Daphne Bugey took inspiration from the eucalyptus forests in Portugal where she calls home. The tall dense trees hide the sun, invoking “the darkness of water”. These dizzyingly tall trees also reminded Bugey of the “vast depths of the seabed”.
Along with its name, each fragrance also features a number that corresponds to the number of edits that were made to the original formula to achieve the final scent. Abyssae was created only after 33 trials. The result is a woody, fresh fragrance with rose, cashmeran, and eucalyptus.
Accompanying the perfume house’s creations are a collection of leather pouches, which pays tribute to the roots of French perfumery and Métier d’Art. The deeply intertwined history of perfumery and tannery is reflected in these pouches, which are crafted and assembled by hand. Each pouch can be personalised with eight colours and a choice of three travel sized fragrances from a collection of ten L’Artisan Parfumeur iconic scents, making them perfect gifts for both travels and the upcoming festivities.
L’Artisan Parfumeur is at 391 Orchard Road #B1-33A, Takashimaya S.C. Ngee Ann City. You can reach the boutique at +65-82235034.
