This being the fashion focus month around the world, we’re thrilled to present a nose into the Valentino Anatomy of Dreams collection, featuring our Senior Writer Suzy Nightingale’s exclusive interview with perfumer Paul Guerlain, during which she discovered how he translated the heritage and style of Valentino into the sensational Notte D’oro fragrance for this stunning collection…
Valentino’s Anatomy of Dreams collection is a poetic voyage through the heart of the Maison’s history, the years of creative inspiration and style distilled into scent. Guided by the hedonistic heart of Rome, Anatomy of Dreams is a Haute Couture perfume collection composed of seven distinct narratives – each a bold, imaginative blend; each one crafted by a master perfumer – capturing the Maison’s spirit since their inception in 1959. The collection invites us to wander through a perfumed palazzo, with each scent a room filled with stories, colours and whispers of eras past and present.
There are so many stories to uncover, but as I was privileged to gain access to the nose behind it; let us linger on Notte D’oro. As described by Valentino, Notte D’oro conjures a banquet room in a Roman Palazzo, bathed in the dreamy glow of a thousand candles. It is a decadent perfume where the potent elixir of candle wax melds with precious oud, and a glimmering trail of deliciously more-ish almond spins promises of nocturnal indulgence. ‘Notte d’oro shimmers like liquid moonlight, reflecting the symphony of the night,’ they say; further enticing with ‘The intensity of a couture-like amber-y woody oud infused with a generous, deliciously liquor-ous almond.’
The composition weaves sweet orange oil, grapefruit oil and black cherry in the top; jasmine absolute, geranium and rose at the heart; with a base that exudes patchouli, sandalwood and that opulent oudh. It’s utterly enrapturing to wear – but how on earth does one encapsulate the spirit of a fashion house (and all that magnificent heritage) in a perfume bottle? I was lucky enough to be able to ask Paul Guerlain himself.
Working with an iconic fashion house such as Valentino, what role do their designs and aesthetic play in your creations? How do you translate a particular style in your compositions?
Paul Guerlain: ‘Our role as perfumers is to capture the spirit and heritage of the house, and balance this with your own convictions and style. So, while you get inspired by the house – which for me Valentino is a mix of heritage, tradition and innovation. With such rich colours and high-quality products – you really need to adapt your creation to match these elements. While it can be a challenge, it’s very interesting to deep dive into the world of one house.’
When working with Valentino, do you consider the fabric / materials / colours they use when composing the scents?
‘The colours and the Italian spirit were very important, but it’s also a brand that is very open to the world. It’s what we tried to express in Notte D’oro with very high-end ingredients that strike the balance of tradition and modernity.’
When you’re creating a fragrance in a collection, do you prefer for the fragrance to be entirely unique, or does there need to be a link with the other fragrances to create cohesion?
‘It’s dependent on if I’m creating the entire collection. In this case, we were looking after one fragrance, so we created our vision without considering the other fragrances within the collection. It was interesting to see the interpretations by the other perfumers as you can see their different vision and what creativity can bring.’
What was the brief for this collection – did it have a mood board or other prompts? And then, what was your starting point of translating the initial ideas?
‘The brief was quite simple as it was to interpret the identity of the house with this idea of the Roman Palazzo but with a twist. Some briefs are very specific, but it depends on what you want to do with it – you can either be very strict with it or you can interpret it in a completely different way.
The starting point was to create a fragrance using one of the most precious ingredients in the perfumer palette, and make it more accessible, to make it shine and show that it’s not simply an animatic, heavy scent. It can be intense and sensual in another way.
We built the idea around two main ingredients: oudh and almond – it was a strong idea but then we facetted the perfume for over 170 trials, so it took time. The main thing for me is to understand the identity of the house, and the environment that you want to build. For us, we were thinking about the story. We then mix these ideas to find the right balance…’
Do you remember the first ever fragrance you purchased for yourself, because you loved it?
‘Actually, I never really had to buy perfumes before but the first one I remember was Dior Homme. I was really in love with it and think it’s just perfectly blended and elegant. It’s super simple, but very complex at the same time. I think iris is one of the treasures we have in perfumery, and it’s really well balanced so you can really see all the different facets and aspects in the fragrance.’
Are there particular ingredients you often find yourself drawn to using again and again?
‘There are some ingredients that I use often but I think you also need to challenge yourself to find new ingredients. If you’re building a collection with only 30 or 40 ingredients, it can limit your creativity. I always try to get out the ingredients I like but find a combination with another ingredient for a new intensity. It’s really key in our line of work to be curious, to find what’s new and behind every door…’
Notte D’oro £105 for 30ml eau de parfum valentino-beauty.co.uk
For Valentino and Paul Guerlain alike, it is this restless curiosity and devotion to artistry that ensures each scent in the Anatomy of Dreams collection – and especially the moonlit allure of Notte D’oro – lingers in the memory long after the closing of the famed Palazzo doors. And with these eaux de parfums, we can inhabit this fragrant reverie every single time we select a scent, spritz, and allow ourselves to dream…
Written by Suzy Nightingale
