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November 18, 2014
L’Artisan Parfumeur | Introducing
L’Artisan Parfumeur
A Gift from Grasse, the Homeland of Fragrance
L’Artisan Parfumeur Launches Latest Fragrance “Caligna,” Rich with Nature’s Bounty
Grasse, located in the Provence region along the Mediterranean coast. Last autumn, L’Artisan Parfumeur captured inspiration from the rich nature of Grasse in its “Grasse Collection.” On May 8th (Wednesday), the latest fragrance, “CALIGNA,” joins this collection.
Text by TANAKA Junko (OPENERS)
The Secret Ingredient: Jasmine Marmalade?
Blessed with a climate and topography that provide an abundance of precious aromatic plants year-round—such as lavender, myrtle, jasmine, rose, orange blossom, and mimosa—Grasse is known as a sacred place for perfumers. In late November 2012, the Paris-based maison L’Artisan Parfumeur revisited this locale, announcing a new series named the “Grasse Collection.”
The Grasse Collection pays homage to this revered place that captivates perfumers, while also expressing the “four seasons” woven by Grasse’s rich nature through scent. The newly added “Caligna” is a fragrance characterized by its fresh and radiant scent, reminiscent of a gentle spring breeze.
This latest fragrance was created by Dora Baghriche-Arnaud, a rising French perfumer. She focused on “Clary Sage,” a symbolic aromatic plant of Grasse that often plays a supporting role. While its expressive scent—fresh, sensual, green, woody, fruity, and ambery—has appeared in various fragrances as a secondary note, it has rarely been used as the protagonist.
“I didn’t want to create a typical fragrance with just rose and jasmine. So, I decided to use clary sage, known for its spicy aroma with a hint of sweetness and warmth. For the base notes, I used relatively uncommon scents from lentisk and pine needles, originating from shrubs native to the Mediterranean coast. The woody base notes and clary sage add modernity to the traditional floral scents of rose and jasmine.”
Another element subtly supporting Caligna’s scent is the jasmine marmalade that Baghriche-Arnaud encountered at a restaurant in Provence. The moment she tasted it, she was inspired: “This will bring out the charm of clary sage!” Her intuition proved correct; the jasmine marmalade, with its subtle bitterness within its sweetness, along with fig, perfectly enhances the allure of clary sage.
Caligna, brimming with the abundant gifts of Grasse’s radiant nature, promises to transport us on a liberating journey, like a warm breeze sweeping across the Mediterranean landscape with just one spritz.
"Photo: Blaise Lavigne"
Dora Baghriche-Arnaud
Dora Baghriche-Arnaud, who grew up between the Mediterranean, rich in scents and sounds, and Paris, a center of art and fashion, embodies the new generation of perfumers: natural, playful, and endlessly curious. She draws inspiration from natural ingredients, nature itself, contemporary art, and people. When creating a fragrance, she visualizes a scene in her mind, translates it into an idea, and then transforms that idea into scent. This is her first collaboration with L’Artisan Parfumeur.
Caligna Eau de Parfum
Price | ¥24,150 [100ml]
Release Date | April 24th (Wed.) *Pre-sale at L’Artisan Parfumeur Omotesando Main Store, Isetan Shinjuku, Ginza Mitsukoshi, Hankyu Umeda Main Store, and L’Artisan Parfumeur Online Store.
May 8th (Wed.) Nationwide release
Launching simultaneously with Caligna are two new candles: “Printemps (Spring)” and “Été (Summer).”
Grasse Collection
Printemps Candle / Été Candle
Price | ¥8,400 each [200g] *Approx. 60 hours burn time
Release Date | April 24th (Wed.) *Pre-sale at L’Artisan Parfumeur Omotesando Main Store, Isetan Shinjuku, Ginza Mitsukoshi, Hankyu Umeda Main Store, and L’Artisan Parfumeur Online Store.
May 8th (Wed.) Nationwide release
Inquiries
L’Artisan Parfumeur Omotesando Main Store
Tel. 03-6419-9373
http://www.artisanparfumeur.jp/