At Kobayashi's "Bi-Fine Laboratory." photo by IDEGUCHI Keiko

The Relationship Between Brands, People, and Fragrance

YoshidaMy hope with this project, starting with our conversation today with Kobayashi-san, is to eventually create my own brand's fragrance.
KobayashiA signature product, as it were.
YoshidaWhat are your thoughts on fragrances for fashion brands?

KobayashiA brand's fragrance is directly linked to its concept and image. Brands that create avant-garde clothing often have pioneering scents, while others might be floral or unisex; the expressed personalities vary greatly. Fragrance is truly about history; there's always a reason behind why we like a particular scent. Women who are heavy smokers might favor tobacco-like fragrances, or be drawn to the scent of fruits they enjoyed eating as children.

YoshidaThe world of my designs is considered real clothes, not avant-garde. I also place importance on proposing styles based on suits, so I'd like to be particular about things like the container design. It just occurred to me, but perhaps a bottle like Edo Kiriko cut glass would be nice.

KobayashiThat sounds wonderful. Regarding fragrance, if you imagine the most exquisite part of your own experiences and capture it with just a single drop of essence that expresses it, that alone can become a distinguished signature.

photo by IDEGUCHI Keiko

YoshidaBut that might reveal my upbringing (laughs), my true profession. It's a bit scary.

KobayashiA person's preferences in scent truly change based on their upbringing and early childhood experiences.

YoshidaRomance is similar, isn't it?

KobayashiYes, fragrance is memory.

Now, onto the next step...

YoshidaHow should I approach creating a fragrance?

KobayashiWell, to start, there are floral scents. Single floral notes extracted from flowers have a simple, pleasant aroma but lack complexity. Also, floral scents alone tend to dissipate quickly. Then there's the floral bouquet, which allows you to enjoy various flower scents, like holding a bouquet. Into this, we incorporate synthetic elements. For oriental scents, adding notes like musk, amber, vanilla, or nutmeg gives the fragrance presence, depth, and character. There's also aldehydic, which is a synthetic fragrance with a powdery scent, evoking an image suitable for traditional Japanese attire.

YoshidaI've heard of those essence names before.

KobayashiMany of the masterpieces known as "Grand Parfums" are chypre-based. These are floral bouquets with added scents of laurel and oakmoss, found on the Greek island of Cyprus. They are not sweet but have a crispness, like taking a deep breath in Yakushima, with the profound scent of mossy conifers.

YoshidaI see.

KobayashiOn the other hand, green floral scents are like the fresh, young leaves you'd smell immediately after plucking grass with your bare hands, evoking the image of running on a thin, green lawn.

YoshidaWow, your descriptions are incredible.

photo by IDEGUCHI Keiko

KobayashiTruly, perfumes are liquid jewels. If you follow the rules, they can bring a profound sense of luxury to your spirit.

YoshidaChoosing a fragrance is very similar to choosing and styling clothes.

KobayashiThat's why the rules are important.

YoshidaWill I be okay tackling fragrance creation with my limited knowledge?

KobayashiYou'll be fine. In fact, not knowing too much might allow you to create something closer to your own vision. Next, I'd like to introduce Mr. Yoshioka, who loves perfume and imports it himself. I believe he is on the board of the Japan Fragrance Association, so you should be able to hear about the current perfume market and trends, backed by data.

YoshidaThank you for your time today.