There are fewer master perfumers than there are astronauts, making it a career path that has one of the highest barriers to entry. Christine Nagel is one such master perfumer, who is also the head perfumer at Hermès. Her latest creation, Terre d’Hermès Eau de Parfum Intense, draws inspiration from the depths of Earth itself. Men’s Folio Malaysia sits down with her to learn more about the new fragrance.
Great to speak to you again. Let us start with a quick description of the Terre d’Hermes Eau de Parfum.
With this new chapter in the Terre d’Hermès story, I sought to express in olfactory terms another facet of the earth: its volcanoes, and the warmth and power of an inner fire rising forcefully to the surface.
The concept behind this scent feels very raw, almost with a visceral passion. Can you tell us about your inspiration behind this piece?
Isn’t the earth fascinating in all its expressiveness? The starting point for Terre d’Hermès Eau Givrée was the vision of an unspoilt, pure earth, alive and well under a blanket of frost. The new chapter, Terre d’Hermès Eau de Parfum Intense, offers another facet of the earth that captivates me: its volcanoes. I feel a great aesthetic emotion at seeing this subterranean impulse, this original fire that rises from the bowels of the earth in the form of a rock that is dense and absolute in its blackness. And yet it is so light.
We also get feelings of contained power. Not outwardly expressed, but held within as a smouldering source of energy. Are we on the mark about this fragrance?
That is absolutely right. For this new creation, I wanted to explore deep into the earth. An earth under which a fire smoulders. An earth that is darker, but warmer, more fiery, more intense, but I also wanted to explore a more intimate, more intense side of mankind, one that expresses the inner fire that drives us.
Did any interesting ingredients stand out to you?
I would like to single out the liquorice note. To convey the vigorous power of this inner fire, I thought I would open with assertive bergamot and a hint of black pepper with a note of burnt cedarwood. One of my suppliers then introduced me to an exceptional material, one that had never been used in perfumery before. It is natural liquorice root, which was discovered four years ago. The liquorice note in perfumery is often created using synthetic materials.
Another ingredient is roasted coffee. This had been complicated to use for reasons of colour and consistency of quality. When roasted, it can be variable in aroma. I’ve been trying to use it for a long time and now one of my suppliers has managed to create a perfectly reproducible coffee.
Were there any design choices behind the bottle that not many people know?
I am of the opinion that a fragrance is inseparable from the object that houses it. The perfect bottle is at one with the fragrance; it gives it form and becomes inseparable from it in our memory. It is identifiable by its style, the imprint of the man and know-how that gave rise to it, and by its shapes and details rooted in the house and its quality. It is elegant, functional and comfortable, but also symbolic and emblematic.
To round up this interview, what does creative freedom mean to you?
It is an idea that is very dear to the house and that is exceptional in this industry where marketing is king. It is the role of a house like Hermès, with the creative freedom it offers us, to be bold and present new directions.
This article was first seen on Mens Folio Singapore.
For more on the latest in beauty and leaders stories, click here.
