In 1983, the Sultan of Oman decided to give a new life to the haute perfumery in his country and create perfumes with the famous Omani incense, which is still considered the best in the world. For this, the legendary perfumer Guy Robert was invited. The fragrance Amouage Gold became the crowning achievement of his career, and Oman became world famous.

Text by Tamara Gezerdava

Today, Amouage fragrances are known in 80 countries around the world and desirable for hundreds of thousands of women. L'Officiel Baltic spoke with perfumer Quentin Bisch and creative director of Amouage Renaud Salmon about the brand's new perfumes Purpose and Guidance from the third chapter of the Odyssey Collection Escape.
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LO: Quentin, could we start off with the wonderful story of the incense tree the image which inspired Purpose?
QB: It really is a wonderful story. Renaud gathered several perfumers in Oman to show us the country, to help us feel the culture of that place, which Amouage reflects in its fragrances. During the trip, we saw the incense tree in its natural habitat, that is, in the desert, where there is absolutely nothing. However, the idea for Purpose was born earlier, at the National Museum of Oman. There is a large dark room, with a wall size picture of the same incense tree in the desert: its trunk, its rare leaves trying to survive, and an endless blue sky. When I saw this image, I immediately told Renaud that it was the one for the fragrance he was inviting me to work on.
This clean and clear trunk growing from the barren soil, those leaves and roots that cling to life in the midst of nothingness. And that tree managing to cry such precious incense tears, creating this jewel out of nothing! Its roots stay very close to the surface of the earth to catch the slightest drop of moisture, and the tree turns all that moisture into resin. This is a very powerful image, it inspired me to create a composition built around the notes of Omani incense, light, almost citrusy, fresh, aldehydic, some woody notes and a root &mdash; vetiver.

LO: Is there a beautiful story behind Guidance too?
QB: Definitely! It's a legend about sailors approaching Oman who smelled incense and followed the aroma. It was like a lighthouse for them, and you know how both a lighthouse and incense aspire towards the sky. I also imagined a tower reaching towards the sky, in which, perhaps, a princess lives, and she has a garden with flowers and animals, a lost paradise. Thinking about it, remembering oriental fairy tales, I created a floral bouquet of jasmine, rose and osmanthus, with fruity, dried fruit and gourmand undertones. I then added pear and hazelnut at the start and a woody, sandalwood note. Later this explosion of taste and color develops into something sensual, creamy, sandalwood with vanilla and, of course, incense.
LO: I don't know the sales figures, but I'm sure it's a bestseller.
RS: You are absolutely right. And I wouldn&rsquo;t say that the success was unexpected, because when we were working on Guidance, we could tell that it was powerful, exceptional, and when we wore it, we saw how people reacted. I always say that when my samples disappear quickly, it's a very good sign. Although we were still not quite prepared for the full scale of the Guidance phenomenon!
QB: I don&rsquo;t agree with Reno, I knew it! I knew and told him.

&ldquo;Amouage aestetics is simplicity revealing an exciting complexity&rdquo;

Renaud, when exactly did you join Amouage?
RS: In 2019, four years ago. The first fragrance made under my direction was Interlude Black Iris. I wanted to create a perfume that would both be an hommage to the brand's past and reflect my creative vision.
LO: How would you describe the forty-year history of the brand? Its aesthetic has noticeably changed several times, hasn't it?
RS: Yes, definitely. However, one should differentiate between the brand's philosophy, craftsmanship and style. I don't think the philosophy and craftsmanship of Amouage have changed, they have evolved, matured along with the eras. The Amouage philosophy is built around generosity, it aims at creating rich, rich aromas. As for the style, it has changed over the four decades of the brand's existence, and today I want to create fragrances that are modern, but reflect the philosophy and uniqueness of Amouage.
LO: So what is the modern style of the brand like?
RS: In my opinion, it is sincere, devoid of chi-chi, each of its elements plays an important role in recreating a strong and pure emotion. I would say it's simplicity revealing an exciting complexity.
LO: Quentin, it will not be an exaggeration in any way to call you a visionary. You are the author of an impressive number of bestsellers, not one, not two, which could be explained by a coincidence, but there are much more. How do you do it?
QB: I don&rsquo;t understand this myself and I can&rsquo;t explain it, I&rsquo;m just as surprised by it as people around me. Creating each new scent, each new story, I try to be frank and true to myself at this particular moment in time. I hate lying and cheating, I've had to do it in the past and I can't stand it. I must be in harmony with my own values; in order to create, I cannot help but be free. Creativity for me today is where I can be free. It's interesting to note that my bestsellers have nothing in common, just as there is no commonality in the aesthetics or DNA of the brands that released them.
LO: Sounds like you are incredibly lucky to have that freedom.
QB: When it comes to freedom in perfumery, anger starts boiling in me. It is extremely difficult for a perfumer today to maintain this freedom with all the commercial restrictions, consumer tests, and the number of people who express their opinions on what he does. How can you remain confident in what you do, in the work you are creating, if the picture is not painted by the artist, but by twenty advisers who guide his hand with a brush across the canvas? Today perfumers are not allowed to express their vision, and I thank Renaud every day for giving me freedom of expression.
How is it possible to find the golden mean between the brand&rsquo;s desire to earn money, which means indulging mass consumer's taste, and at the same time its natural aspiration to create original, creative compositions? In my poinion, Amouage has succeeded in this.
QB: It has not just succeeded, Amouage has provided for the possibility to find this golden mean.
LO: What exactly do you mean by these opportunities?
QB: Trust in the perfumer, taking enough time, being in no haste, and a small number of iterations (trial versions of a fragrance. - ed. note) - Guidance had very few of them.
RS: When I came to Amouage, I asked myself this exact question. Amouage is an independent perfume house owned by the Omani royal circle, and it was crucial for me to understand what degree of freedom they were willing to give me and how much the message that was conveyed to clients diverged, as it often happens, from behind-the-scenes reality. And they told me: &ldquo;Renaud, sales is not our goal, our two main goals are: to make Amouage more and more desirable every day, and to make it more and more recognizable." The fact that this will likely lead to more people wanting to buy Amouage fragrances is a consequence, not a goal.

LO: Speaking of the philosophy and uniqueness of the house, could you tell us what stands behind it from a technical point of view, what makes this generosity possible?
RS: My creative workshop is located in Muscat, right above the factory. In the perfume industry, owning a production is a rather rare and unique phenomenon. Nowadays a scent can be created without touching any fragrance material, just by sending emails. And although this to some extent makes the perfume world more democratic and opens doors to talented people, for me perfume is something that needs to be lived, touched, worn, tasted, something that needs to be allowed to mature. With Guidance, we waited two years and did a very small number of iterations. And between iterations, we wore it leisurely, which today is an unprecedented luxury.
Another important factor is the fact that Amouage has the opportunity to produce its own perfume substances, which is also rare, and can afford a budget that ensures the quality of the ingredients, their high concentration, and most importantly, the time for the composition to mature.
LO: In your opinion, is the Golden Age of perfumery in the past or is it laying ahead?
QB: I thinkg there have been many Golden Ages. The closest to us is the 90s, of course, with the degree of freedom given to perfumers and the passion and conviction with which they worked. But I think that same freedom and conviction, coupled with more possibilities for perfumers of sharing their passion with the public, will lead to a new Golden Age in the future.
RS: I agree. Nostalgia also often brings me back to the masterpieces of the 80s and 90s, and five years ago I would have said that perfumery was going in the wrong direction and was losing quality. But since I came to Amouage, and I&rsquo;m not just talking about our portfolio, I have seen that a generation of perfumers has emerged who are capable and, in a sense, obliged to take our world to new horizons, to a new Eldorado. I think we will see many wonderful fragrances in the years to come.
Amouage perfumes are available in boutiques Cr&egrave;me de la Cr&egrave;me in the Baltic States and on <a href="https://cremedelacreme.shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cremedelacreme.shop</a>

Tamara Gezerdava
A perfume critic, blogger and lecturer
@<a href="https://www.instagram.com/toma.aroma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">toma.aroma/Instagram</a>
@<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdWWJ7j0qgY_j5H8qzVZ-TA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toma Aroma/YouTube</a>

The creators of Amouage. Interview with Quentin Bisch and Renaud Salmon

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