Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Perfumer François Demarchy on the Double-Meaning Behind the Notes of Dior Sauvage Elixir

Perfumer François Demarchy on the Double-Meaning Behind the Notes of Dior Sauvage Elixir

Scent and sound come together with the notes of the newest mens fragrance from Dior, created by the maisons longtime nose and fronted by Johnny Depp.



Inspired by rock 'n' roll, Dior's latest men's fragrance, Dior Sauvage Elixir, strikes a chord with a blend of lavender, grapefruit, and spices. Created by master perfumer François Demarchy, the nose saw the notes of the fragrance come together in an energetic melody.

An art form and a science, developing a fragrance requires a level of experimentation comparable to improvising a song. “You need to search and play to find a good combination that will live in harmony,” Demarchy tells L’OFFICIEL. “It takes craft and knowledge and rarely happens by accident.”

But once you have the key notes-in song or scent-you can choose which ones to amplify. For the Elixir, lavender is at the heart of the fragrance. Demarchy worked closely with Philippe Soguel, a distiller based in the southeast region of France, to source the lavender essence.

“Our Lavender Angustifolia comes from the Baronnies massif in the French Provençal Drôme region,” Soguel says. “We distill lavender and other aromatic plants that grow in this unique part of Provence, transforming them into raw materials. Bleu Provence is a company that we have deliberately kept at a modest size in order to maintain our requirements for very high quality. To that end, I work hand in hand with local producers, chosen for the quality of their harvests as well as for their commitment to developing organically certified crops.”

From this starting point, Demarchy brought in other woody, fresh, and spicy notes to complement the lavender for an intoxicating effect. Housed in an enticing midnight blue bottle, this more refined iteration of Dior’s Sauvage fragrance offers a potent blend that pleases the senses. To give us more insight into the process of creating such a striking scent, Demarchy speaks to L’OFFICIEL about the inspiration behind Sauvage Elixir and collaborating with the face of the fragrance, Johnny Depp.



L'OFFICIEL: Can you tell us about the main notes of Sauvage Elixir?

FRANÇOIS DEMARCHY: For Elixir, I wanted to find the heart, the soul of Sauvage. I removed, streamlined, and simplified, in order to express the rare density of the fragrance. It was a really interesting exercise, finding the essence of the product. It’s much harder to get rid of some ingredients than to add some, interestingly. To do this I used different ingredients but mainly, the essence of Lavender Angustifolia that brings its really floral note. Then the warmth of wood note arrives with an amber accord, which is I believe the powerful signature of Sauvage. Then comes a liquor-like, appetizing note of liquorice. With them, Haitian Vetiver leaves its slightly earthy masculine imprint, which converses wonderfully with the juicy tangy hint of lingering grapefruit. To finish, a Patchouli heart essence surrounds them, to create the link between all these woody note.


L'O: In fragrance, often perceived feminine ingredients like florals, or lavender in this instance, are transformed for men's fragrances. What makes it more masculine in this context?

FD: First of all as a perfumer I don’t really believe there are per say masculine versus feminine scents. I like to think I can play with all ingredients in all types of perfume, and whether it is worn by men or women is their choice and their choice only. For instance, did you know there are always floral notes in masculine Dior perfumes? Because combined with the right ingredients, you can nuance anything. Also, you must have in your mind the smell of the Lavandin and not the real lavender that is the Lavender Angustifolia that we used in this new fragrance. These are really two different smells and combined with woody ingredients as described before, this is really a stronger, more powerful scent. Still floral but intense and woody.



L'O: How does music relate to creating a fragrance?

FD: It's all about the notes! I don’t like talking about synaesthesia too much, I tend to stay careful because, yes, there are some bridges and parallels between music and fragrance, but it’s not to be taken to the first degree that both work the same way.

The most beautiful thing they have in common is the power to take you places. Both music and fragrance are used as powerful tools for your memory, it gives you access to a feeling from a certain times, it’s almost as if it gave you a key to unlock a memory, and that’s beautiful.

In terms of universe, combining music and fragrance can bring out a powerful feeling too, like Johnny Depp’s guitar riff is a perfect match for the new Sauvage Elixir scent.


L'O: Where do you see men wearing Sauvage Elixir? What mood does it evoke?

FD: Everywhere and for every occasion! (Laughs) there is no rule, each person is free to do what feels right to them, that’s what’s great about perfume. Sauvage was a pioneer in the message that it sent: I am trying to seduce no one, I’m on a quest for myself only, I’m leaving everything behind, “I gotta get out of here” as he says! I think as men and women, too, we identify to that need of big spaces, going back to nature, leaving behind every non-essential aspect of your life, not caring. And since 2015, we always try to go further, without ever betraying who the character is at his core. Same goes for the olfaction: we go deeper and deeper but staying true to Sauvage and what it stands for-exceptional raw materials, virility, and freshness.



L'O: What was it like working with Johnny Depp? How do you think he embodies the fragrance?

FD: It was an experience! We shot a little film together last year...He was very focused, very interested in talking about perfume, because in his mind it is a both a sensory and intellectual craft that he admires. You can feel he has a lot of culture and background, his mind seems to work non-stop. He made me discover the Moscow Mule and I must say it is a very interesting accord, it works really well! The Dior man is outside of stereotypes and that’s precisely how [Depp] is. He is free from the expectations, that’s what Sauvage is about.




L'O: Depp plays guitar in the campaign for Sauvage Elixir, underscoring the connection to music. What music do you enjoy personally?

FD: I am often asked that question and I must say I really enjoy classics like the Beatles, it takes me back to long road trips in the U.S.-it takes me straight to vacation in my mind!

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Threatens Retaliatory Tariffs After EU Imposes €2.95 Billion Fine on Google
Tesla Board Proposes Unprecedented One-Trillion-Dollar Performance Package for Elon Musk
Gold Could Reach Nearly $5,000 if Fed Independence Is Undermined, Goldman Sachs Warns
Uruguay, Colombia and Paraguay Secure Places at 2026 World Cup
Trump Administration Advances Plans to Rebrand Pentagon as Department of War Instead of the Fake Term Department of Defense
Big Tech Executives Laud Trump at White House Dinner, Unveil Massive U.S. Investments
Tether Expands into Gold Sector with Profit-Driven Diversification
‘Looks Like a Wig’: Online Users Express Concern Over Kate Middleton
Florida’s Vaccine Revolution: DeSantis Declares War on Mandates
Trump’s New War – and the ‘Drug Tyrant’ Fearing Invasion: ‘1,200 Missiles Aimed at Us’
"The Situation Has Never Been This Bad": The Fall of PepsiCo
At the Parade in China: Laser Weapons, 'Eagle Strike,' and a Missile Capable of 'Striking Anywhere in the World'
The Fashion Designer Who Became an Italian Symbol: Giorgio Armani Has Died at 91
Putin Celebrates ‘Unprecedentedly High’ Ties with China as Gazprom Seals Power of Siberia-2 Deal
China Unveils New Weapons in Grand Military Parade as Xi Hosts Putin and Kim
Rapper Cardi B Cleared of Liability in Los Angeles Civil Assault Trial
Google Avoids Break-Up in U.S. Antitrust Case as Stocks Rise
Couple celebrates 80th wedding anniversary at assisted living facility in Lancaster
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
The White House on LinkedIn Has Changed Their Profile Picture to Donald Trump
"Insulted the Prophet Muhammad": Woman Burned Alive by Angry Mob in Niger State, Nigeria
Trump Responds to Death Rumors – Announces 'Missile City'
Druzhba Pipeline Incident Sparks Geopolitical Tensions
Cost of Opposition Leader Péter Magyar's Economic Plan Revealed
Germany in Turmoil: Ukrainian Teenage Girl Pushed to Death by Illegal Iraqi Migrant
United Krack down on human rights: Graham Linehan Arrested at Heathrow Over Three X Posts, Hospitalised, Released on Bail with Posting Ban
Asian and Middle Eastern Investors Avoid US Markets
Ray Dalio Warns of US Shift to Autocracy
Eurozone Inflation Rises to 2.1% in August
Russia and China Sign New Gas Pipeline Deal
Von der Leyen's Plane Hit by Suspected Russian GPS Interference in an Incident Believed to Be Caused by Russia or by Pro-Peace or by Anti-Corruption European Activists
China's Robotics Industry Fuels Export Surge
Suntory Chairman Resigns After Police Probe
Gold Price Hits New All-Time Record
UK Fintechs Explore Buying US Banks
Greece Suspends 5% of Schools as Birth Rate Drops
Apollo to Launch $5 Billion Sports Investment Vehicle
Bolsonaro Trial Nears Close Amid US-Brazil Tension
European Banks Push for Lower Cross-Border Barriers
Poland's Offshore Wind Sector Attracts Investors
Budapest Central European Fashion Week Kicks Off
U.S. Celebrates Labor Day
Hungarian National Team Captain Scores Epic Goal
EU is getting aggressive: Four AfD Candidates Die Unexpectedly Ahead of North Rhine-Westphalia Local Elections
Japanese Customer Sways from VW to BYD after “Unbelievable” Test Drive amid Dealership Expansion
Nestlé Removes CEO Laurent Freixe Following Undisclosed Relationship with Subordinate
Pickles are the latest craze among Generation Z in the United States.
Giuliani Seriously Injured in Accident – Trump to Award Him the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Deadline Day Delivers Record £125m Isak Move and Donnarumma to City
Nvidia Reveals: Two Mystery Customers Account for About 40% of Revenue
×