BAZAAR speaks to in-house perfumer for Guerlain, Thierry Wasser on his latest creation: the Neroli Plein Sud
From opening their first ever store in Kuala Lumpur at The Exchange at TRX to releasing a brand new addition to their iconic L’Art & La Matière fragrance collection, Guerlain are starting off their year with a bang. With the full L’Art & La Matière collection now available to explore in our city,the launch of the Neroli Plein Sud comes at the perfect time. On top of the new in-store experience, BAZAAR had the opportunity to converse with Theirry Wasser, in-house perfumer for Guerlain to learn more about the new fragrance and the story behind this enigmatic bouquet.
Was there a specific story you wanted to tell with the Néroli Plein Sud?
The tale unfolds in Morocco, a nation abundant with diverse blooms, notably cultivating orange blossoms, particularly neroli. The celebration of travel, freedom, and the vibrant essence of Morocco, resonates through theNeroli, akin to a captivating postcard extending an invitation to explore the warmth and beauty of the country.
Can you describe Néroli Plein Sud in three words?
That’s very challenging. But I’d say, vibrant, fresh, and intense.
You mention both fresh and intense, isn’t that quite a contrast?
Yes, fresh and intense—that’s exactly why you have the contrast. The sea, the desert.You need this to express the movement in the story because a fragrance is not just something nice in a bottle, it tells a story and to tell a story you need these contrasts to help give you the illusion of rhythm.
Sustainability is something that gets talked about quite frequently with perfumery now.Were there any challenges or goals set when creating this new fragrance?
Yes we take sustainability very seriously, and it is not a communication tool, it’s not a marketing tool—it’s a state of mind. And there weren’t any challenges per se, because when you design a fragrance, you already have your sourcing ready. We can’t design something with organic neroli from Morocco and suddenly be short or have a problem with quality or quantities. We also make sure that the CO2 extraction of all our raw materials is very neutral, and a very natural way of extracting the scent.
Having created a number of fragrances already,what is your favourite part of the process?
When you do, you tend to try to tell a story, and this story obviously comes from your own life and your own experiences. You pick a moment that you want to share, so the process is rather personal. It is a great moment for a creator to express himself through their work and share what they want to tell.
