Trudon’s newest perfume ‘Absolu’ has been created by nostril Antoine Lie as an ode to the orange blossom. ‘It’s a highly effective fragrance,’ he says. ‘To me [orange blossom] is essentially the most common flower, one which transcends all eras.’
Because the oldest candle producer on this planet, ‘transcending eras’ is Jean Provost’s raison d’etre, as Trudon’s artistic director and CEO. The Maison was based in 1643 by Claude Trudon, coinciding with Louis XIV’s reign and the institution of his courtroom at Versailles, and have become the palace’s official wax-maker up till the French Revolution. Provost joined Trudon in 2019, a few years after the model debuted its first assortment of perfumes by Lie, Lyn Harris and Yann Vasnier.
Marrying a historical past that spans virtually 4 centuries with modern scent-making, Provost’s imaginative and prescient for Trudon has included collaborations with Olivier Rousteing’s Balmain. On the identical time, beneath his management, it has joined the likes of Chaumet and Hermès as one in all France’s Residing Heritage Corporations.
In April (2024), a Trudon dwelling perfume assortment captured the Versailles gardens in bloom. ‘Absolu’ is decidedly extra autumnal, marking the transition into a brand new season with honey notes of orange blossom absolute and saffron, resinous cardamom, wealthy Tonka bean and smoky Guaiac wooden. Right here, Provost and Lie inform Wallpaper* the story behind it.
Trudon ‘Absolu’ by Antoine Lie: an intoxicating orange blossom fragrance for the beginning of autumn
W*: When you’ve got an concept for a perfume, how do you resolve which nostril to work with? Within the case of ‘Absolu’, why was Antoine Lie the precise perfumer to create this scent?
JP: The perfumer’s sensitivity, style, observe file and enthusiasm to work with Trudon are key. I choose one perfumer per mission, for them to translate an concept. And, they’re at all times supplied with quite a lot of freedom. Antoine Lie is a grasp perfumer with great sensitivity and soul. I needed somebody of that calibre to create ‘Absolu’ so the fragrance may really feel timeless but additionally communicate to the current day.
W*: And because the perfumer engaged on ‘Absolu’, how did you develop the perfume?
Antoine Lie: The concept was to create a really emblematic fragrance for Trudon, one that will convey the model’s story, heritage and DNA. So it was developed in the identical means I work with all my purchasers and companions: via real artistic dialogue and collaboration between Julien and me. Any such collaboration is extremely vital to me.
Antoine Lie is a grasp perfumer with great sensitivity and soul.
Julien Provost
Wallpaper*: What are the important thing inspirations behind ‘Absolu’?
JP: Louis XIV served as inspiration for ‘Absolu’. When he was raised because the Solar King, he imposed his tastes on all facets of courtroom life, together with fragrance. The younger king detested the pungent, animal notes utilized by most and most well-liked the extra delicate floral notes. Orange blossom was his absolute favorite.
He would require to be actually doused with orange blossom water within the mornings. They’d use massive syringe-like gadgets to spray the scented water on him and his clothes. I at all times needed Trudon to applicable a number of the nice pure elements of the world of perfumery. Orange blossom was on the highest of my checklist (and it’s additionally a private favorite, too).
(Picture credit score: Courtesy of Trudon)
The Trudon artistic course of is guided by 4 key ideas: richness, naturality, singularity and high quality.
Antoine Lie
W* Why did you select notes of saffron and Tonka bean to marry with the orange blossom absolute, which is floral and recent?
AL: I used some robust elements with numerous persona so as to add a twist to the orange blossom as a result of I needed to create one thing extra intricate. A simple interpretation didn’t make sense to me; ‘Absolu’ has a complexity. Saffron was used so as to add depth and verticality to this perfume and Tonka bean provides energy and richness. But additionally a contact of softness.
W* How do you create a perfume that feels ‘Trudon’?
AL: The Trudon artistic course of is guided by 4 key ideas: richness, naturality, singularity and high quality. In creating ‘Absolu’, for instance, I intentionally selected to not use many artificial notes or typical industrial elements. As an alternative, I centered on elements that weren’t solely pure but additionally traditionally important. This strategy ensures that every aspect within the fragrance resonates with the identical sense of authenticity and heritage that Trudon represents.
W*: What makes a perfume a ‘Trudon’ perfume?
JP: A Trudon perfume is delicate, timeless, authentic and complex, with stunning pure elements at its coronary heart. ‘Absolu’ [is all these things] due to Antoine Lie’s distinctive artistic strategy.
Trudon ‘Absolu’, £210, is accessible now.
trudon.com
Supply: Wallpaper
