I met Rémi Pulvérail, founder of luxury niche perfume lab L’Atelier Français des Matières (The Atelier of French Materials) a couple summers ago in Paris. ERIS perfumer Antoine Lie introduced us, and I became intrigued by Rémi’s background in perfumery as a sourcer for major perfume houses, his stories of working friendships with crop-growers around the world, and his dedication to wrenching from every petal, leaf, bud, stem, root, and rind their most beautiful olfactory facets. I also got to smell some of the amazing fragrances that used AFDM extracts.
There was poetry and purity in his vision of perfume ingredients. In a perfume world that is ever flattening the unusual qualities of perfume ingredients to standardize each one’s scent profile, Rémi appreciates the subtle variations in each ingredient, variable due to provenance or the season of harvest. His “Grands Crus” terminology, borrowed from wine parlance, indicates that the ingredients come from rare and limited crops. These will never be ingredients for mass perfumery. Their rarity and the care with which they’re handled hark back to a time before perfumery went industrial and mass.
In addition to providing extracts and full-production capabilities for niche perfume brands, AFDM has its own fragrance line. In a fragrance like the limited edition Jasmin de Chérifa composed by Nathalie Feisthauer from his Anthologie de Grands Crus line (named after Chérifa the jasmine grower in Egypt he worked with), not only do you get real jasmine (not a given in most jasmine perfumes), you also get olfactory snapshots of various seasons in this authentic jasmine’s life cycle. Chérifa was asked to use flowers from his fields’ early, middle, and late crops to impart— in one fragrance— complex facets of jasmine, at once fresh and fruity, creamy floral, and animalic indolic. It takes an artful approach like this to capture multiple facets of an ingredient’s character.
In the Antoine Lie-composed Iris Perle by Les Indémodables, Rémi’s wife Valérie’s perfume line, the Moroccan mimosa absolute is extracted from hand-selected flower buds, not the entire flower and stem as characteristic of most mimosa fragrances. This creates a rich and pure mimosa without herbaceous qualities.
Are you getting the picture of an almost fetishistic attention to detail I’m talking about?
And of course ERIS’s Mxxx., the more animalic version of Mx., benefitted from AFDM’s gorgeous ingredients - a sumptuous Trinidad cacao never before used in perfume, chosen by Antoine Lie for its spicy, rich, animalic qualities; specially-selected ambergris chosen for its balance of creaminess, saltiness, and animalic character, tinctured in-house; the rarely used Hyraceum, also tinctured in-house; and a “green” Madagascan vanilla processed using special freezing and extraction techniques to preserve a creamy, fruity, confectionary vanilla.
As a perfume lover who came to appreciate the quality of vintage perfumes I encountered as I researched and wrote my blog and book, it was heartening to know that there are still people like Rémi who want to preserve the values of quality over quantity (or cost) in perfume, and who appreciate the variability of nature’s wild beauty over the airbrushed flatness of a standardized ingredient.
I recently interviewed Rémi and asked him to tell me more about AFDM, to share his perfume philosophy, and to explain why we need perfume more than ever.
A sumptuous sampling of raw materials, the lifeblood of L’Atelier Français des Matières. PHOTO CREDIT: Emmanuel Ngoc Nguyen.
FIRST OFF, HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THE PLAGUE TIMES? I IMAGINE ANNECY ISN’T DEALING WITH COVID-19 THE WAY PARIS OR NYC ARE, BUT THERE MUST BE RESTRICTIONS?
REMI: In France the restrictions were the same all over the country, so no exception for our place! We have been able to shift a large part of our manufacturing capacities very quickly to the production of hydro-alcoholic lotion (hand sanitizer), which has totally offset the loss on perfumes sales. Our work to develop innovative botanical extract recipes is growing fast and has not been impacted; the same for our expert consultancy (technical projects, strategy, acquisitions). For the time being, we’re the lucky ones!
FOR READERS WHO ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH L’ATELIER FRANÇAIS DES MATIERES, WHAT IS IT, HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN AROUND, AND WHAT ARE ITS PROJECTS?
REMI: The company was founded 5 years ago…time flies! We create and manufacture limited edition and bespoke perfumes. And we create and manufacture innovative natural extracts using in-house technology compliant with the principles of “green” chemistry and sustainability. These extracts are for use in our own projects and which we offer to select independent perfumers who share our philosophy of excellence. We also fully manufacture finished perfumes here. Some of our Grands Crus ingredients are from small crops that only AFDM has access to, and we are the only lab in France that combines all of these specific forms of perfume expertise in one place.
We also provide technical consulting for the fragrance and flavors industry, and in addition to the two lines of perfume I and my wife started, Anthologie des Grands Crus and Les Indémodables, we have clients including Rolls Royce, 5-star hotels, and the RICHEMONT Group comprising famous watchmakers and jewelry brands.
On the natural extract side, we work with a few perfumers and also for companies involved in food supplements, which is a huge market for natural extracts.
“MODERN PERFUMERY HAS BECOME A MASS PRODUCTION INDUSTRY DOMINATED BY A HANDFUL OF BIG PLAYERS, UNFORTUNATELY RELEGATING CREATIVITY AND QUALITY OF INGREDIENTS TO SECOND PLACE. MY IDEA WAS TO RETURN TO THE ROOTS BUT USE ALL THE MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN AN OPERATING MODEL THAT WOULD REMAIN ARTISANAL. ”
PHOTO CREDIT: Emmanuel Ngoc Nguyen
IN ADDITION TO THE MANUFACTURE AND BOTTLING OF ERIS MXXX., AFDM PROVIDED STANDOUT INGREDIENTS IN MXXX. THAT REALLY DISTINGUISH IT. THE AMBERGRIS, CHOSEN BY ANTOINE LIE AND TINCTURED BY JEAN-PHILIPPE PARIS, AFDM’S IN-HOUSE SCIENTIST; THE SPECIAL TRINIDAD CACAO, NEVER USED BEFORE IN A PERFUME; THE MADAGASCAN “GREEN” VANILLA; AND THE TINCTURE OF HYRACEUM.
THE STORY OF EACH OF THE INGREDIENTS SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT AFDM AND HOW YOU WORK. CAN YOU EXPLAIN IT TO THE READERS?
REMI: Ambergris is the most important one, a traditional ingredient once used in famous perfumes, probably best known in Guerlain fragrances. We selected and purchased a big block of ambergris from Stéphane Piquart of BEHAVE, and it might last us two years. You can’t break it into small pieces or you’ll lose the scent. We use a modern ultrasound machine to break it down into the smallest components possible and then our in-house scientist Jean-Philippe Paris tinctures it for about six months. When we compare this ambergris with what we used to buy, this is superior: it has many more facets, power, and longevity. But because each block of ambergris will be different, consumers need to understand the ingredient won’t be standardized. Another production of Mxxx. once this ambergris runs out will be slightly different.
The Trinidad cacao we used in Mxxx. is really special. We partnered with a French chocolatier who was working at Bernachon, a famous chocolate maker in Lyon. He created his own chocolate business, and as a result he had access to many kinds of “grand cru” chocolate of varying qualities and from different countries. Antoine Lie selected four, and the Trinidad Tobago variety was the most special.
In processing the Trinidad cacao used in Mxxx., we kept the cocoa butter because it has important aromatic components. Without the butter, you’d lose the milky, animalic, confectionary facets.
We also used green solvents and ultrasound technology extraction at a low temperature to keep a cacao with its full spectrum of aromatic molecules preserved.
ERIS Mxxx. extrait, featuring natural ambergris (7%), hyraceum, “green” Madagascan vanilla, and a sublime Trinidad Tobago cacao used in perfumery for the first time.
“IN PROCESSING THE TRINIDAD CACAO USED IN MXXX., WE KEPT THE COCOA BUTTER BECAUSE IT HAS IMPORTANT AROMATIC COMPONENTS. WITHOUT IT, YOU’D LOSE THE MILKY, ANIMALIC, CONFECTIONARY FACETS. WE ALSO USED GREEN SOLVENTS AND ULTRASOUND TECHNOLOGY AT A LOW TEMPERATURE TO KEEP A CACAO WITH ITS FULL SPECTRUM OF AROMATIC MOLECULES PRESERVED.
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We have a few partners that travel the world for rare ingredients. Once or twice a year they visit us and show us, for example, gums, spices, or any dried botanicals, and if we are interested, we process them. We work with traditional materials; sometimes there are new botanicals. We’re always in search of potential ingredients with our connections.
Jean-Philippe Paris, AFDM’s Scientific Director and the man responsible for the beautiful tinctures and extracts in ERIS PARFUMS Mxxx. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Ngoc Nguyen.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF PERFUME AS REFLECTED IN AFDM PRACTICES?
REMI: We walk the talk and position ourselves in the high-end segment where innovation, creativity, and expertise are necessary.
HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE PERFUME WORLD?
REMI: By chance. I have a finance background. I actually started in a famous and old fragrance house in Grasse called CHARABOT. Just after being hired, I was trained in the in-house perfumery school for six months to learn how to smell and understand perfume creation and ingredients. (I studied next to Oliver Polge actually, the current CHANEL perfumer!)
I pursued the on-board training program for a full year in each of the company departments: production of natural extracts and fragrances, quality control, sales, marketing, and regulatory. Next, I became a Fragrance Sales manager for the EU market. I also managed clients and countries in the Middle East as well—Iran and Turkey in particular.
I then moved to Givaudan as key account manager for L’OREAL, still in sales, before shifting to sourcing in 2003 where I totally fell in love with natural ingredients because of the people I met in all the countries where we were sourcing these ingredients. These were family businesses using traditional agriculture and ancestral know how.
“PERFUMERY AND ART ARE WHAT MAKE US DIFFERENT FROM ANIMALS. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO LIFE. ”
Photo Credit: Emmanuel Ngoc Nguyen
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START L’ATELIER FRANÇAIS DES MATIERES?
REMI: Modern perfumery has become a mass production industry dominated by a handful of big players, unfortunately relegating creativity and quality of ingredients to second place. My idea was really to return to the roots but use all the modern technologies in an operating model that would remain artisanal. We do what others can’t either because the markets/clients we target are too niche, or because they do not have the expertise.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE CURRENT PERFUME MARKET?
REMI: Some in the niche market are led by true entrepreneurs which is very refreshing in this world of established companies. There’s also an emerging trend for sustainability, naturals, and green chemistry in perfumery.
The industry is at a crossroads: leaders are still generating huge profits and this is ironically their main problem. Profits are a huge argument not to change anything! If you look at leaders, from fragrance houses to perfume brands, the business model has not changed for decades. The way big brands communicate on major launches is still the same (and so boring). Distribution has turned to a mass market model. And many consumers don’t find pleasure anymore spending time in a perfume retail store.
A lot is being lost in terms of knowledge and education and in the meantime some addicted consumers and also bloggers are becoming real experts. All of this is mixed up and one should be very careful about fake news or journalists/bloggers who are no longer independent but are rather being paid by brands to spread pre-written messages.
I am lucky to be married to a niche distribution expert and we have our own retail space which is a wonderful opportunity to experience trends, be in contact with real perfume lovers, and to test some new ideas like private perfume consultations.
For him? For her? Who cares? Rémi and I share a favorite, Grey Flannel, my signature scent in high school.
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE PERFUMES?
REMI: I have always used 5 to 10 different perfumes. Some of my favorites are: Grey Flannel Geoffrey Beene [EDITOR’S NOTE: My high school favorite!] , Monsieur Balmain, Versace l’Homme, Féminité du Bois Shiseido, Paco Rabanne pour Homme, Pour un Homme de Caron.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PERFUME INGREDIENT?
REMI: Immortelle and cistus. They remind me of my home country, Corsica. But also orange flower and jasmine, which remind me of my second country - Morocco- where I was raised until the age of 10. I love both so-called masculine and feminine accords and perfumes.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SMELL?
Fresh baked bread, which is my “madeleine de Proust” and reminds me of the traditional Kesra, which is baked in the streets in Morocco and historically produced during the Ramadan period.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF A PERFUME?
REMI: My two grandmothers’ perfumes: Femme de Rochas and L’air du Temps Nina Ricci. They’re the smell of elegance, respect for the elders, and of course are very nostalgic!
YOUR MOTHER’S AND FATHER’S PERFUMES?
REMI: My dad wore Eau Sauvage Dior and still does, but the original formula. My mum used Kouros YSL, which is quite unusual for a woman.
WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE DO YOU THINK ARE DRAWN TO SCENT?
REMI: Of course it’s a question of education (like food) and curiosity as well. Most of the time perfume lovers are epicurean people, they like good food, and some others may be fond of cigars, wine, whisky for instance and other things that are also related to the senses. A part of them are far less interesting as they just want to be trendy and are still very brand-driven!
WHY DOES THE WORLD NEED PERFUME?
REMI: When Winston Churchill was asked to cut arts funding to support the war effort he responded, “Then what are we fighting for?” Perfumery and art in general are what make us different from animals, and even if they’re not profitable, they are essential to life, like education. A good scent is one that we love regardless of advertising, trends or marketing strategies like the stupid classification of masculine/feminine perfumes!