Jacques Zolty compares favorably with any typical perfumer - in addition to his own brand of fragrances, the eminent Frenchman has a career of a world famous fashion photographer behind his back. In the 1980s, he shot such world-famous stars as Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Eva Herzigova, Rudolf Nureyev and other legendary characters of the bohemian get-together.
And he created his eponymous brand Jacques Zolty not just out there, but on the island of millionaires of Saint Barthélemy in the Caribbean, where he moved in the 1980s after many years of travel. There, inspired by the beauty of the surrounding world, he began to create fragrances that literally immerse you in an atmosphere of serenity.
At what point did you realize that you wanted to discover such an art form as perfumery?
I am a professional photographer, and for me to capture that very moment and capture it on film is the main goal of my work. When I first came to Saint Bar, I was overwhelmed by the beauty of this almost wild island. I admired the sea, sand, sun, nature landscapes. And I photographed a lot. But at some point, it seemed to me that the photograph did not convey the sensation of true beauty that I experienced well enough. Everything around me exuded aromas, love itself was in the air, and I turned to the possibilities of perfumery in order to fully convey the feelings that overwhelmed me.
Does perfume have something in common with photography? Has your photography prowess helped you in your new hobby?
Partly: when I look at a photograph of the sea, I literally smell the sea. When I see a photograph of a wheat field, I can smell the smell of wheat.
Photography helps to capture the moment, to keep it forever. Perfume, in fact, does the same: it makes it possible to associate a moment with a certain chord, we associate this moment with a scent. Therefore, the fragrance for me is the olfactory embodiment of photography.
What difficulties does a person experience when deciding to start a perfume business?
For me, there were no particular difficulties, because there was no idea as such about the perfume business. There was a scent made for me by a friend of mine, a perfumer, and many friends, including many famous people, constantly asked me where this scent could be bought. Then I met Cindy Guillemann, the founder of the Italian perfume house Moresque, we became friends, and she invited me to jointly develop this perfume history. Of course, I think that I am very lucky, thanks to the people around me, I don’t have to think about business at all, it’s enough to think about good fragrances.
Who are the famous people you have worked with that inspired you to create this fragrance?
We can say all of them! Salvador Dali, Princess Diana, Cindy Crawford, Patrick Demarchelier, Philippe Starck, Mark Glaviano and many other friends of mine. On Saint Barth, they all seem to rip off their masks and become real, very sweet, charming and simple people. I think that it is for such sincere, beautiful and talented people that I make fragrances, each of which contains a part of this amazing island.
Which ingredient will you never use and why?
There is no such. I am against any restrictions.
Give advice to a person who dreams of finding his own scent, but does not understand perfumery at all?
Start with my A Bientot! In general, you can give a lot of advice. Remember the happy moment, or just trust your taste. But I am a supporter of practical solutions. First, choose a fragrance that contains a lot of natural absolutes. They blend perfectly with body odor and, by changing a lot, create your own personal scent that is very attractive to those around you. Secondly, there are a number of notes that always have a certain effect, for example, tuberose will always be very seductive, and citrus fruits will cheer you up. Decide what you need more now and apply.
What's the story behind J'Suis Snob?
Je suis Snob is the title of my favorite song by Boris Vian. He is a wonderful French writer and musician, friend of Jean-Paul Sartre, author of the novel "Foam of Days", one of the best French novels of the twentieth century. I like the word snob itself. If you save him from negative connotations, then this is a person with a very bright personality, who prefers to live his own life.
Tell us about the first scent in your life that impressed you?
First favorite scent is L'Eau by Diptyque. Then it was a kind of sign of belonging to a bohemian, and as soon as I moved to Paris, the first thing I did was buy one for myself. I remember, it seemed to me very unusual, and then I discovered that literally all my friends use it. At one party where I met Alain Delon and Catherine Deneuve, I counted eight people with the L'Eau scent, then I decided that as much as I liked it, I needed to find something else.
Do you have a scent that you dream of creating? If so, what will it be?
I have a lot of ideas, I think I will be able to realize many of them. What will these scents be? Very beautiful. I promise.
