A look at L'Artisan Parfumeur

by William Good, 01 December 2002

Mure et Musc

Passage d'Enfer

Voleur de Roses

Mention these or the names of any of the other fragrances of French niche fragrance brand L'Artisan Parfumeur to one of its loyal followers, and you're likely to find yourself involved in a conversation (whether you want to be or not) in which the person shares his or her personal experiences with the brand. A word of caution, I am one of those loyal followers!

Allow me to share some personal history of my experience with the brand (you were duly warned!) I began my fragrance journey with L'Artisan Parfumeur two years ago, during one of my many stops at Aedes de Venustas, a fragrance oasis nestled in the heart of Greenwich Village in New York City. As a fragrance aficionado, one of my guilty pleasures (well, not SO guilty) is searching out innovative, intriguing fragrances that stop me in my tracks when I smell them. Until my introduction to L'Artisan, I had been fairly annoyed with the fragrance market which, in my opinion, seemed too interested in developing hip and trendy advertising for fairly dull and unimaginative fragrances that all seemed to converge on the following composition:

Top notes: Some kind of Vitamin C-type citrus notes
Heart notes:A few dull spices and herbs that I would ignore in my own garden
Base notes: A dose of amber and sandalwood, for good measure

At that point, I was hooked on Thierry Mugler's Angel and Angel Men and Lolita Lempicka au Masculin, because I found them to be distinctive, comfortable for me to wear, and able to elicit the occasional compliment or two from others, which I enjoy! Mind you, I still think these scents are wonderful, but I was looking for a change, a fragrance that I would not smell on others coming and going.

* * *

So, given the researcher in me and access to ye old internet, I decided to investigate what was out there in the world of fragrance. Lo and behold, I happened upon Basenotes (insert applause and roar of the crowd), Beautycafe.com, and the address for Aedes. I was intrigued by what I read of L'Artisan's scents, particularly L'Eau du Navigateur, with its delectable notes of coffee, resins, woods, and flowers.

My trip to Aedes was a turning point for my nose. Aside from the exquisite décor and incredibly knowledgeable and friendly service there, I found L'Artisan Parfumeur, which was presented in a beautiful antique curio cabinet. I sampled a number of the scents, including L'Eau du Navigateur, and was intrigued with the craftsmanship and sheer ingenuity and talent behind them.

The moment that will stand out for me, however, is when one of the owners of Aedes came over to me and suggested that I try a brand new fragrance from L'Artisan called Passage d'Enfer. It was love at first sniff! I knew then and there that I would make this fragrance mine. Its notes of frankincense, white lily, aloe wood, gloriously enhanced with sensual white musk, swirled around me, tempted me, seduced me. I succumbed to its subtle charms and immediately purchased a 100ml bottle. Many scents, both good and bad, have crossed paths with my nose since my first meeting with Passage d'Enfer. However, Passage strikes a chord and resonates deeply with me. Even now, two years after my initial purchase, I reach for it and look forward to the first spritz o' the day with as much excitement as when I first began using it.

* * *

Now that I've shared some of my thoughts and personal experience with L'Artisan Parfumeur, I'd like to offer some practical information about the brand and what makes it so innovative and superb.

L'Artisan Parfumeur was the creation of master parfumeur Jean Laporte. 1976 marked the year in which the first boutique was opened in Paris. (Laporte sold the company in 1985 and went on to create another fragrance brand called "Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier".) A woman by the name of Marie Dumont became Managing Director of L'Artisan Parfumeur in 1990 and continues to oversee the brand in that capacity. Interestingly, she has used her background in advertising and journalism to nurture and grow the brand.

L'Artisan Parfumeur is keenly aware that its devotees are discerning individuals who want fragrances that are not only unique and "smell good"; they seek out scents that are multidimensional, that evoke memories, and that are a reflection of themselves. As such, L'Artisan is not solely about fragrance, it's about lifestyle.

* * *

So, you might ask, what are these fragrances? Well, I'm more than happy to help you out.
L'Artisan's fragrances span a wide range of categories. The fragrances are housed in exquisitely-crafted cut glass bottles, with a gold top adorned with L'Artisan's crest. The bottles come in black boxes with the name of the fragrance running down the front of the box on a colored bar that is reminiscent of a banner. On the top of the box is a brief description of the fragrance (in French) that awaits you.

Broadly speaking, they offer a variety of floral, oriental, woodsy, and citrus/fruit-based juices. For example, one of their floral scents is Orchidee Blanche, which recalls the aroma of white orchids, incorporating notes like vanilla, iris root, honey, and jasmine. They have a number of intriguing oriental scents, including Passage d'Enfer, Tea for Two (which calls to mind a pot of steaming, smokey tea and a plate of gingerbread; it contains notes like aniseed, tea, ginger, honey, and vanilla), and Dzing! (constructed around the idea of a circus, it offers notes of musk, white iris, and sawdust essence!)

Their woodsy fragrances include traditional-type fragrances like Santal (sandalwood) and Vetiver, but also such intriguing concoctions as Voleur de Roses (containing notes of Bulgarian rose, plum, patchouli and woods), and Premier Figuier (one of the first ever fig-based fragrances, it contains notes of fig, coconut milk, and sandalwood). L'Artisan's citrus/fruit range includes L'Eau de L'Artisan (the "signature fragrance" of the brand, it contains notes of verbena, mint, basil, fresh-cut grass and seaweed), and Mure et Musc (a subtle, delicious blend of blackberries, red berries and musk, this is one of L'Artisan's best-selling fragrances – it recently celebrated its 20th anniversary!). There are many other L'Artisan fragrances, I am offering you only a highlight of the range.

* * *

As I mentioned earlier, L'Artisan is about lifestyle. The brand recognizes that scents and fragrance are an important part of who we are and how we live. Consequently, their product range reflects this by offering a wide range of beautifully crafted candles, room/ambience sprays, burning oils, bath products, and gifts. Seamlessly connecting the worlds of fragrance, their candles and home fragrances are derivations of their eau de toilettes. For example, Mure Sauvage is a blackberry-based room fragrance reminiscent of the Mure et Musc fragrance. L'Artisan also offers beautifully constructed terracotta amber balls that house amber crystals which, set on a table, add a touch of the exotic to your décor and release the spicy-sweet, mysterious scent of amber into the room. You can also select their fragranced car pochettes that smell of amber and, when placed in the car, offer a subtle, charming aura to your driving experience. (Perhaps aromatherapy reduces road rage?)

Personally, I am always excited to see what L'Artisan Parfumeur offers at the holidays. They have a Christmas candle which releases a magical blend of incense, sandalwood, white orchid, and musk, and is housed in a frosted glass container adorned with gold shooting stars. One of my purchases from L'Artisan this holiday season has been their Les Epices de la Passion. This is set of three 15ml bottles of eau de toilettes that have been created as "love potions". Included in the set is Piment Brûlant (based on a love potion of Moctezuma, it contains notes of hot Mexican red pepper and chocolate), Safran Troublant (containing notes of saffron, vanilla, and sandalwood), and Poivre Piquant (blending notes of fiery white pepper, liquorice, milk, and honey). This set is housed in a red satin box, reminiscent of a hatbox. I'm getting hungry writing about them!

* * *

Interestingly, I recently read that L'Artisan is opening its first flagship store near the Louvre Museum in Paris in November 2002, and will be nearly 5 times the size of its boutiques. One of the exciting offerings at the store is the opportunity for customers to develop their own fragrance and assemble personalized gift sets. The store will also house references (books, etc.), and hold exhibitions and conferences for individuals interested in learning more about the ever-evolving world of fragrance. Managing Director Marie Dumont has noted that this type of store might do well in other areas of the world. (I'm keeping my fingers crossed that L'Artisan brings one to New York City; otherwise, I'll need to save my loose change for airfare to Paris!)

Based on my personal experience, I stand behind the brand and am proud to be one of its loyal followers. If you are interested in introducing yourself to, or learning more about, the world of L'Artisan Parfumeur, I suggest going to an Internet search engine, such as Google or Yahoo!, typing in "L'Artisan Parfumeur" and see where your journey leads you. While limited in distribution, the brand is available in such locations as Barneys New York, Henri Bendel, and Aedes de Venustas in New York City and in other areas of the country. There are also a number of sites online that offer L'Artisan's merchandise. Take the chance and try out the brand. I think you will enjoy what you find!

About the author

William is a US-based writer and a big fan of L'Artisan Parfumeur

All articles by William Good

Categories: , Good Scents, L'Artisan Parfumeur

A look at L'Artisan Parfumeur

About the author

Editorial

Posts

Fragrances