Perfume Pen Pals: Meeting Frederic Malle (Part One)


Dan Rolleri attended Frédéric Malle's June 17th event at Barneys San Francisco.


Katie,

Let me go on record as saying that Frédéric Malle is the most intelligent, charming fellow in the world. He took time to answer every question, he was completely candid, slightly pretentious but always with a little smile or a comic roll of the eyes, he was just such a delight. Frédéric Malle is a delight, how about that!

He was wearing a smart blue linen suit, kind of a cool cobalt blue, and I kept thinking I could never get away with wearing a blue linen suit, not with my American build. I'd look like a bull wearing a tablecloth. But on Frédéric, it worked beautifully.

Frédéric Malle: no bull here.

The set-up was simply Frédéric with his perfumes, standing and fielding questions from the gathered group. People were moving in and out, and at any given time there seemed to be about a dozen people there. Barneys catered it, with champagne and colorful little hors d'oeuvres. (A Barneys sales associate told me, "And the champagne is actually expensive! Only the best from Frédéric Malle, I guess.")

So here's how the Malle exchange went: my friend Diane and I walked in and listened to Frédéric answer a question about perfumers. Someone had asked if there were any with whom he hasn't yet worked and would like to. He said there might be a few young ones and then he turned to all the Malle perfumers' pictures on the wall, looked them over, and said, "No. Of this generation of perfumers, I've worked with everyone I wanted to work with."

Then I asked my question. Or rather your question (“Which classic perfumes are next due for the chop with reformulation?”), but tailored for me. I asked if the EU restrictions have affected any of his own formulas. And he surprisingly said, "Oh, absolutely." So I asked which ones, and he ran his hand over the bottles and said, "Many of them."

Then he explained to everyone how the EU works, the impact it's had, how the industry has always policed itself and was fine without this political interference, that the EU sticks its nose into things about which it has no knowledge, but that his company, because it's relatively young, saw this coming. Even ten years ago, it knew which ingredients might be eliminated from use and so it crafted its perfumes with that in mind. So today when a change must be made, it's a minor one, usually just one ingredient, and he always works with the perfumer to get the new formula just right. He said if there was any perceptible difference, he would change the name, call it "Musc Ravegeur, part 2" or something.

I then asked about perfumes that have been around longer, that didn't have the luxury of anticipating these new restrictions, and he said there are many that have changed and many more that will have to. He said that he's smelled some that are surprisingly close to the original or even exactly like the original, but he knows that won't continue to be the case and there's one very established line that is in real trouble, that several key ingredients in many of its perfumes will have to change and it's basically screwed. (My word, not his. Though he inferred it.)

I asked which line, and he said he wouldn't say. To which I replied, "Guerlain?" To which he replied with a sly little smile, a raised eyebrow, a slight pause and pursing of the lips, all done with great subtlety and perhaps even unintentionally (Diane later called it "a hitch in his matrix"), and then he repeated, "I cannot say." So obviously he wasn't going to get into any specific naming of perfumes but I think you know which line about which to worry. And, it seems, the worst of these changes hasn't yet gone into effect.

M. Malle eloquently not answering Dan's question.

Anyway, we stood there for perhaps 45 minutes and just watched Frédéric Malle hold court. He talked about the process of creating perfumes, how it differs depending on the perfumers (some like to work in solitude, some are much more collaborative); how he often spends three times the money on ingredients as other high-end perfumers because for him it's about creating the very best perfume regardless of cost or commerce; how wearing perfume is, above all, making oneself more attractive and sexy, that he keeps that in mind with all of his creations, especially Carnal Flower, but that with his candles and home fragrances, it doesn't translate, that no one should want her home to smell "sexy," he said, "unless she's very self-centered."

Overall he was so very charming and patient and informative, he was signing bottles throughout, and I can't believe he stood there talking for three whole hours.

A blue linen suit, KP! Impeccable.

Dan


More with Malle in Part Two

Photos via Barneys

24 comments:

  1. Wow! Congratulations, Dan, sounds like it was quite an experience.

    Did you get to smell anything while you were there?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Dan. Now I want a blue linen suit. Thanks a whole lot.

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a wonderful experience. Thanks for sharing it with us. Looking forward to Part 2.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Stefush, you may wear a blue linen suit. Dan may not. Otherwise, he would be called "Dapper Dan."

    ReplyDelete
  5. Nora, I just realized that I smelled nothing at all during my Malle visit. Though I made Diane smell a couple things just to confirm their awfulness. My lesson: perfume isn't always pleasurable. (Thank you, Byredo.)

    ReplyDelete
  6. But what perfume was he wearing??

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sounds like the talk I went to in Toronto. He is a teeny bit pretentious but charming, isn't he!? So French. They even have a word for that pursing of lips expression - they call it a moue.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is great. My favorite line is actually the photo caption:

    "M. Malle eloquently not answering Dan's question." :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Loved this Dan, many thanks. Too bad you didn't ask him about that crazy chart, I would have loved to hear him try and explain it! Now maybe I should go and buy that bottle of Vol de Nuit sooner rather than later...

    ReplyDelete
  10. tara - considering the secrecy surrounding the practice of perfume reformulation, buying sooner rather than later is the safest bet no matter what the line.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Krista - "moue" is one of my favorite words, both for what it sounds like, and because it's perfect that the French where the ones who named such a classic French facial expression.

    Your first post on your meet'n'greet with M. Malle in Toronto (read it on Krista's blog, Scent of the Day:
    http://kjanicki-sotd.blogspot.com/2011/05/meeting-malle.html) is what put the bee in my bonnet about wanting to learn Fred's inside intel on which perfumes to stock up on before they were changed and/or ruined. As soon as Dan told me he was attending the San Fransisco event, I badgered him to squeeze the info out of Malle.

    (Read Krista's Malle Part 2 for more on his thoughts on IFRA regulations and the destruction of classic perfumes:
    http://kjanicki-sotd.blogspot.com/2011/06/frederic-malle-en-passant-and-long.html)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great question, Kristen! I wonder if he was wearing French Lover? Did you know that that name came about because when he first wore the as-yet unnamed fragrance, a friend came in for a kiss hello and exclaimed "You smell like a French Lover!"


    Nora, "Dapper Dan", lol. Well, he could be called worse things...

    ReplyDelete
  13. He could be called Flapper Dan, Clapper Dan, Napper Dan, and Dances With Whippets.

    And Byredo rules the school. I have spoken.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Stefush, I know you greatly dig Byredo Oud something or other...

    ReplyDelete
  15. :::banging head on keyboard::: Gaaaah! I'm near San Fran and would have loved to be there! I had no idea. How do you find out these things?

    ReplyDelete
  16. AIH, Information of this sort is passed by messengers among a secret cabal of perfume nerds and that's all I can tell you. Except that's not true. I found out from being on the Barneys email list.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Stefush, if you buy the suit would you also wear the jacket with your all-purpose pajama bottoms? I seem to recall you saying that they go with everything. To which I say, "go cobalt blue! "

    ReplyDelete
  18. TWO WORDS: Frédéric Malle!!!~ Now I am speechless……..

    This man is a genius. I do not care what people think of French arrogance. This man is gorgeous, loves beauty and truth. His product line is so beyond anyone else's it is almost embarrassing. Somehow, Dan, I just sort of knew Mr. Malle would have that quiet elegance and uber-chicness that has no pretention. It is just what it is. Class, Charm, Elegance and inner sensitivity. You are so blessed to have met him. I would have been a bumbling idiot in his presence. I do not know, I just really admire quality and craftsmanship. When I wear his fragrances, I get thee most superlative comments it almost gets embarrassing at times. People seem to go berserk over Carnal Flower for some reason. The complexity and depth of that fragrance is as far as I am concerned a MASTERPIECE. Yes, I know Katie would say Portrait of Woman, but as a man, I cannot wear that fragrance. I stepped into a realm just wearing Carnal Flower and the responses even from strangers overwhelms me. When I wear Malle fragrances, they actually get me in a great mood. Then, 5 - 8 hours later, you are still smelling remarkable and people are commenting even late in the evening. They are worth every penny and I can assure you his passion translates into his vocation. He has a gift from GOD and he uses it beautifully. Just imagine the beauty he has brought into all of our lives. Guess what, now I am getting addicted to Profumum fragrances. I do not like the entire line, but the ones I have chosen, they too, emote a very interesting reaction from people. I would say that 8 times out of 10 people will do a second take and ask, "What in the world are you wearing. It is amazing". Profumum is an Italian family and just from their website they look like Angels in disguise. I am so happy for you Dan. I flippin' love your commentaries and blogs on Katie's website. You two together have taught all of us sooooooo much!!!!~ You were in his presence. WOW!!!~ It just makes me speechless......

    ReplyDelete
  19. Dan, I think there may well have been a covert message in his hand gesture...it may look like a random splaying of the fingers, but is in fact part of a complex arithmetical calculation:

    4 fingers x 2 hands (you have to infer the other hand) = 8. 4 fingers plus 2 (from the sum of his hands) = 6. 6 + 8 (the total fingers in question) = 68 = code for Guerlain HQ!!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Dances with Whippets... I actually snorted!

    Good one, Stefush!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous (I'm guessing it's you, Byron) - it's such a relief when the people responsible for the works of art you love turn out to live up to their creations, isn't it?


    Vanessa - I love the perfume conspiracy theory numerology!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Katie, I did not know the French Lover story! I do like the perfume, though. Might have to give it another try, but I'm saving up for a bottle of Carnal Flower.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Bright Angel Katie: Yes, it was me who was Anonymous. You are AWESOME!!!~ Sorry about the anonymity, I do not like putting my name on personal comments for some reason. To me it is unimportant who I am. Yes, Ma'am - INDEED it is a relief when people live up to their art. Dan wrote so beautifully about him and I just knew somehow he was going to be very cool. I have no idea why, but I could just sense it. Mr. Malle is right up there with Jean-Claude Ellena. Super talented and born with this gift to bring beauty to this planet. Oh, I checked out the photo gallery too. Very, very, very nice. Dan and Katie - Thank you for this incredible blog. HAVE A BLESSED DAY!!!~

    ReplyDelete
  24. Well put, Byron: "born with this gift to bring beauty to the planet."

    ReplyDelete