Author! Author! 20 famous perfumers: the third five

This name cannot be pronounced in the presence of Serge Luthen: he immediately starts to get nervous, and Luthen’s nervous at his age is harmful. But the fact is that the Englishman Christopher Sheldrake, in fact, until 2005, created the formula of all the fragrances for the brand Serge Lutens: and those bells that are sold only in the Palais Royal in Paris, and those geometrically flawless bricks that are sold all over the world . Luthen and Sheldrake met long ago - in the early 1990s, when both were still working for Shiseido. Lutin served as creative director there, and Sheldrake created (together with Pierre Bourdain) the eastern woody scent of Feminite du Bois. Lyuten always had a nose for talent, therefore, having left Shiseido for free swimming, he called Sheldrake with him. For a while, everything was fine - Sheldrake experimented with his favorite patchouli, Luthen provided a secular component, and the brand of his name was gaining momentum. My beloved Bois de Violette, where the violet and cedar are masterfully mixed, is Sheldrake's nose work. He also needs to say a big thank you for Arabie, A la Nuit and the famous Borneo 1834. But in 2005 Sheldrake returned to Chanel, where he managed to work in his youth, and focused on Les Exclusifs. He works with Jacques Polz nostril in the nostril and again remains slightly in the shadow. Although Coromandel (all the same, his favorite patchouli, by the way) and Sycomore (cedar-sandal-musk-vetiver and all this with tobacco, in collaboration with Polzhem) - this, in my opinion, is not a shame to present at the Last Judgment. For Luthen, according to the contract, Sheldrake can no longer work. My favorite Serge Lutens Sarrasins, released in 2007 and created by Sheldrake, appeared only because the fragrance formula was created before signing the contract with Chanel. It is said, however, that the last Luthen Bas de Soie was also developed by Sheldeik. But perhaps Luthen pulled this formula out of its distant and secret bins.

Since we are talking about Chanel, it's time to recall Jacques Polje. Since 1978, he is the main, official and stately nose of the brand. And not some kind of brand, but that Brand, who created the perfume Tour d'Effel number 5 and since then has not ceased to strengthen the grandeur of this colossus in every possible way, occasionally polishing and plastering the facade, releasing variations on a given theme and changing Nicole Kidman on Audrey Thoth. Polzh, of course, also put his nose to these restoration works, creating in 2007 Chanel No. 5 Eau Premiere - the same neroli, roses, jasmine, ylang-ylang, amber, vetiver and sandalwood, but in a softer, more tender and non-irritating version. In total, over the years at Chanel, Jacques Polzh created more than 30 (!) Different flavors, trying to faithfully observe the handwriting at home. To list everything is quite difficult, but you probably know them: Chanel Allure (1996), Chanel Allure Homme (1998), Chanel Allure Homme Edition Blanche (2008), Chanel Beige (2008), Chanel Bois Noir (1987), Chanel Chance (2002 ), Chanel Chance Eau Fraiche (2010) ... Egoiste, Allure, Coco and Coco Mademoiselle in different years acted on the population of the earth, like narcotic drugs, they needed to be smelled by all means. Behind this friendly line of emphatically laconic bottles, the early works of Polzha were lost long ago, and it was he who in 1970, in collaboration with Michel Hy, presented the world with Rive Gauche Yves Saint Laurent and changed Chanel with Emmanuel Ungaro several times (Senso and Diva, for example). Whoever Polzh is, a great perfumer or a talented diplomat (after all, working for so many years in one company!), Perfume maniacs can argue for hours. I personally unconditionally love his 31 Rue Cambon from Les Exclusifs collection, and this summer I wore Cristalle Eau Verte all the way (2009), the sequel to Cristalle, released in the 1970s, although it may have seemed too superficial to someone.

This lady, one of the most famous perfumers in the world, is actually our compatriot. Sofia was born in 1945 in Belarus, and it is completely incomprehensible who she would have served in the USSR if her family had not been able, by hook or by crook, to move first to Poland and then to America. If this had not happened, the world might not have known such fragrances as Tresor Lancome, Paris Yves Saint Laurent and Eternity Calvin Klein - well, or they would be completely different. For Elizabeth Taylor, Sofia Groysman made Diamonds and Rubies and White Diamonds. A couple of times she ordered perfume Nancy Reagan personally. Groisman has a distinctive feature that allows her handwriting to guess even to non-professionals: she makes the base notes sound at once, without waiting until they disappear and the upper notes are blown away by the wind, so you can hear her compositions almost at once. Another nuance: Sophia Groisman does not tolerate any unisex and until recently avoided adding citrus notes to women's fragrances. Therefore, the 1990s with their minimalism were not the best times for her. She didn’t quite sit back, but didn’t do much in 10 years. Pour Femme for Bvlgari (1994), Yvresse for Yves Saint Laurent (1993) and Tentations for Paloma Picasso (1996) will, of course, remain in the memory of the most sensitive to smells of humanity, but now we have much more chances to try Outrageous! (2007) for Frederick Mal and Parisienne for Yves Saint Laurent. In Outrageous !, by the way, citrus sounds, and more than confidently. Still, time takes its toll, and the great Tresor will not be in fashion tomorrow.

I love this perfumer unconditionally, and his latest piece - Wonderwood for Comme des Garcons, which smells like all the trees in the world at once - I can inhale like an elixir while standing in Moscow traffic jams. According to the concept of CDG, this fragrance is also unisex. Many, however, find him more masculine than feminine: he is too woody. But it seems to me that it is as sexy as the girl in her boyfriend's shirt. Well, that is very sexy.

Antoine Lee, who graduated from Givaudan Perfume School and now occupies the post of chief perfumer of his alma mater, generally has a strong love with CDG. He made for this brand, declaring its independence from the requirements of the market and having made a name for itself on this dubious thesis, many flavors: Commes des Garcons Energy C: Lime (2008), Commes des Garcons Energy C: Grapefruit (2008), gold Commes des Garcons 888 (2008) and Daphne for Daphne Guinness (2009). Antoine Lee also works closely with the "freedom-loving Orange Republic": he is the author of Etat Libre d'Orange Secretions Magnifiques (2006), Etat Libre d'Orange Je Suis Un Homme (2006), Etat Libre d'Orange Rossy de Palma Eau de Protection ( 2007, co-authored with Antoine Mezondier) and a few other quite hooligan tricks in the same vein. But all this, obviously, for the soul. And for business, Antoine Lee makes Burberry Brit Gold (2005), Calvin Klein Contradiction (1997, with Daniela André) and a smell that I would recommend to all men before a responsible date - Z Zegna Extreme for Ermenegildo Zegna (2007). Although there is, of course, he and Gucci Rush for Men (2000).

In reproach to Antoine Lee, I can only deliver fruitless attempts to regain the former glory of Salvador Dali - in the mid-2000s he made several equally dull aromas for this brand. But, in my opinion, this is the case when the managers of the brand itself should take responsibility.

A woman legend who won the 2005 Oscar perfume - Francois Coty Award and created over 50 years of work in the industry for more than 50 fragrances, half of which deserve admiration, and the other half - at least attention. Sophie likes to slightly dust her fragrances, almost all of them have a soft velvety, that’s why they love her so much at home with a rich history, like the Givenchy house, for which Sophie made several hits in a row - Organza (1996), Organza First Light (2004), Very Irresistible for Women (with Dominique Ropion and Carlos Benen) and his summer version Very Irresistible Soleil d'Ete (2007). With Benen, they released Premier Jour for Nina Ricci (2001), Cacharel Promesse (2005), Bvlgari Jasmin Noir (2008). Sophie's latest fragrance, Beauty for Calvin Klein, didn’t inspire me, but it doesn’t detract from her previous achievements. I like her Guerlain Cologne du 68 - a fragrance released in a limited edition for the anniversary of the house in 2006 and, in my opinion, is an excellent example of the modern interpretation of the famous “Herleniada”, and I like Kenzo Eau Indigo Pour Homme (2009). Sophie made some more sporting and light fragrances for Joop and Jil Sander, but, in my opinion, sport and lightness are not its subject. Organza she was great. Sophie once said that the inspiration for this fragrance was the image of Vivien Leigh, and for Premier Jour, a jar of white and white cream. Who would have thought.

^{Yana Zubtsova worked for 15 years as the beauty director of the magazines Domovoy and Harpers Bazaar, was a feature editor at Vogue, during her career she visited about 1869 presentations of new perfumes and interviewed almost all of the main perfumers of modern times. Despite the vast experience in the field of perfume industry (both positive and negative), loves fragrances. He is currently Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Sex & The City magazine}