Every second fragrance by Kilian is about temptation. Do you think perfume is the main seduction tool?
One of. Shoes, underwear, jewelry and makeup are also important. We have just launched perfumed lingerie with the French company Fleur du Mal: the fragrance will be encapsulated right in the lace. A jewelry line is on its way, with which Eli Top is helping us: he started at YSL, and for the last 15 years was a jewelry designer for Alber Elbaz at Lanvin. I don’t understand yet how to deal with shoes. My close friends from Aquazzura have been asking for collaboration for a long time - we think. Here's makeup - a clear story. I'll start with lipstick. Lips are my fetish. Then the eyes.
You have a wildly curious approach to scent selection. Are you bragging?
We do not start from the notes, but we invite the person to decide which side he is on: light or dark. If you come to our perfume bar at TSUM, you will see that the fragrances in it are arranged not according to olfactory groups, but according to the principle "from light to dark." This is how four "families" have turned out, which are paralleled with alcoholic beverages. We now pour some perfumes into carafes. After all, I'm from the Hennessy cognac clan - the position obliges.
Layering is popular today - layering one scent on top of another. How does by Kilian feel about this?
We are moving in this direction. Small teaser: a cool mix comes from Rose Oud and Vodka On the Rocks. And don't even ask me why.
You have a lot of gourmet compositions. Is this a personal weakness - or is it a trend?
If you look at the international top 10, you will see that eight positions are "edible" flavors. The only exceptions are two: Chanel 5 and J'ador from Dior. Previously, vanilla was the finishing touch to most formulas. Today - the substance is ethylmaltol with a caramel smell. We add it quite often to complete the composition. Yes, perhaps, today it is already a kind of trend.
Will millennials be happy?
Let's be honest: Generation Y is quite indifferent to fragrances and does not wear them often. Makeup is different: it is noticeable and helps to stand out. Take the youth makeup Kat Von D or Too Faced: what could be the equivalent of these brands in the world of scent? It is hard to say. There is no perfume brand on the market today that knows how to speak to millennials in their language. Wait and see.
Posted in SNC 106, April 2018.
