Behind the scent: Guerlain’s master perfumer Thierry Wasser on the artistry and craft of the L’Art & La Matière collection

How does the L’Art & La Matière range differ from the other Guerlain fragrance collections?

Well, first of all, the main purpose of L’Art et La Matière is actually as described in its name. See, there is the material, the one main raw material that we are expressing in each fragrance. So you have neroli in Néroli Outrenoir, musc in Musc Outreblanc, and patchouli in Patchouli Paris. When designing for this collection, it's not just about being selective with the raw materials, but the entire story is built around these ingredients. So we stage a raw material as the lead character in a movie and we construct a story.

The choice of raw materials is particularly unique because the collection’s limited volume allows us to source exceptionally rare, specific ingredients. For example, the neroli in Néroli Plein Sud comes from Morocco. Usually, we source our neroli from different parts of the world, but for this collection, we have that very specific Moroccan orange blossom. That’s what makes the collection special.

Can you describe the process of sourcing and selecting these exceptional raw materials?

For this collection, we work with smaller producers because of its limited production. And as I mentioned previously, this allows us to be more specific with our choices. I spend a good 40 per cent of my annual time sourcing, which means that we do master those sourcing routes. We know our producers dearly, closely. We have very close relationships, and that also allows us to get some special offerings from some of them. Then we get intrigued and eventually build a fragrance out of it.

Generally, it’s the usual sourcing process, but each L’Art et La Matière fragrance is named after a main raw material, so these ingredients need to be at their peak, because that’s what the collection is all about. Don't forget, they’re the lead characters, so all the spotlights are on them.

How does Guerlain ensure that the process of selecting and using raw materials is sustainable and respectful to the environment?

Sustainability, to a certain extent, starts with sustainable human relations. This, we knew how to manage. But for the other aspects of sustainability, like agriculture and ecology, we needed help. That’s why we became a member of the Union for Ethical Biotrade (UEBT), which is a nonprofit organisation that helps us assess and audit our supply chains to ensure they are up to standard for sustainable and ethical practices.

So, thanks to this membership with the UEBT, we’ve been able to source our materials whilst respecting biodiversity and human rights. Of course, everything can always be improved, so we continuously assess our suppliers and producers for their progress as part of our improvement plans, which are monitored by the UEBT. Because don’t use sustainability as a marketing tool, that’s very cynical. It's a state of mind, but we need professional help to measure where we stand, where we're going, and how we're growing because you can’t change when you don’t know what needs to be changed.

See also: How orchids hold the secret to everlasting youth, according to Guerlain’s Frédéric Bonté

Guerlain has a long history of artistic alliances, drawing inspiration from diverse forms of creative expression to captivate the senses with an aromatic narrative that sparks imagination and emotion. How do you translate these artistic influences into olfactory experiences?

In the case of L’Art et La Matière, art is often the source of inspiration, but you cannot be too literate with your inspirations. So, it goes in a triangle—I see an artistic piece, which gives me a feeling or an emotion, and then this emotion is translated into fragrance because that's my language. You don't put art in a bottle. You put the emotion from art into a bottle.

Of course, the emotions that these fragrances evoke are ultimately subjective and will vary depending on each person’s context. Is there a particular fragrance in the L’Art & La Matière collection that resonates with you most deeply?

I only listen to classical music, so very often, a classical piece could trigger emotion that we translate, but I don't like to name names. Because it’s a personal perception, and I want people to have their interpretation of their fragrances. It’s not something I like to interfere with or dictate, but fragrance is an invisible abstract world, and people can get a bit perplexed or lost in that world. They need direction, but I don’t think they do because the experience of a fragrance is very personal indeed. If I give too much explanation, I pollute the experience. They have to have a fresh approach to the scent.

Mastering the art of perfume application is a skill in its own right. What are some key application techniques and tips to ensure we get the most out of our fragrances?

Well, if you wear your fragrance on your skin, you should moisturise before applying because the scent holds longer when the skin is soft and moist. But otherwise, there are no rules. Whatever works for you, works.

Similarly, how we store our perfumes can greatly impact their longevity and overall fragrance quality, especially if they are composed of exquisite raw ingredients that may be particularly sensitive to environmental factors. As the L’Art & La Matière collection is defined by its use of exceptional raw ingredients, how do we properly store these fragrances to preserve their full aromatic potential?

Fragrances have two mortal enemies: air and light. So, once you start a bottle, air goes in whenever you spray, which causes oxidation. It’s not going to go bad after a year, but to get the best out of it, you have to use it rather rapidly because you are introducing air into the bottle with every use.

Exposing it to light will accelerate the oxidation process. I would say that the best place to keep your fragrance is in the fridge, because it's dark unless you open the door, there is no variation in temperature, and it’s always cool. But if you don’t want to do that, it should be kept in its box or in a place where it’s dark and the temperature doesn't change too much. Just remember: they don't like changes in temperature, they don't like air, and they don't like light.

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