OLFACTORY SYMPHONIES
WHEN SCENT BECOMES SOUNDS, DISCOVER THE MUSIC OF FRAGRANCE.
The parallels between music and fragrance are impossible to ignore. We talk of composing, of orchestrating, of a fragrance accord. A note rings louder here, whispers more softly there, instantly sparks a new obsession, stirs memories long forgotten. Building on this striking similarity, Guerlain pioneers new ways to bring fragrances to life through sound.
Reflecting this pioneering spirit, Olfactory Symphonies extend the fragrance experience, bringing scents to life through sound.
HOW IT WORKS?
THE GUERLINADE
It all begins with the Maison Guerlain’s signature fragrance trail: the Guerlinade.
One could say that these six raw ingredients – iris, jasmine, bergamot, rose, vanilla and tonka bean – are the base notes of each Guerlain composition. Arranged and orchestrated to perfection, at least one of them is present in every Guerlain fragrance. An olfactory signature, synonymous with the Guerlain Art of Perfumery.
THE ART OF VANILLA
Guerlain has been using vanilla in excess since 1925. This was the year when Jacques Guerlain created Shalimar, one of the world’s first ambery fragrance.
THE ART OF JASMINE
At Guerlain, jasmine is used in communelle form. This art is a secret method of assembling ingredients from different sources and harvests long lasting quality.
THE ART OF THE ROSE
At the dawn of Guerlain, there was the centifolia rose. For almost 200 years, this French-born rose with its rich, fruity scent, has remained the ever-beating heart of Guerlain fragrances.
THE ART OF BERGAMOT
Back in 1853, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain chose bergamot to bring a breath of vibrant freshness to his Eau de Cologne Impériale.
THE ART OF THE IRIS
The irone-rich Iris pallida iris butter used by the Maison was first exalted in 1906 with Après L’Ondée.
THE ART OF THE TONKA BEAN
Naturally present in tonka beans, coumarin was first used by Guerlain in 1889 for Jicky by Aimé Guerlain.
DISCOVER THE FRAGRANCES
Guerlinade is a secret accord that blends the Maison’s six most beloved raw materials into an olfactory seal that has characterised the fragrances of Guerlain since its earliest beginnings. Excessively concentrated and transformed through an exclusive art of formula creation, these six materials each possess a golden number that is revealed in Les Extraits Signature.
We used the scientific method SPEAK, developed at IRCAM (The Sound Institute), the company offers advanced software solutions for sound and music professionals, while also providing premium consulting services to help brands create unique sonic experiences. It allows for the creation of sensory correspondences between semantic dimensions shared by different senses. In this project, we facilitated a dialogue between hearing and smell: each ingredient was associated with its own sound identity based on its character.
All the sound creations were composed and performed by the musicians and sound designers of IRCAM Amplify, without the use of automated generations. AI could be utilized in other contexts, but here, we preferred a sensitive, artistic, and custom-made approach.
The ingredients used to create a perfume all have a role, personality, and history. We sought sounds or instruments that share these characteristics to compose a coherent ensemble, based on the composition of the perfume. For example, bergamot, which is the top note of Shalimar, has a sharp but rounded attack and evokes a crystalline, light, dynamic sensation. These characteristics led us to choose a glockenspiel, which provides that metallic aspect with a clear attack while remaining soft and round. Each ingredient in the perfume thus has its "sound twin," and its role in the symphony depends on the intensity and importance it has in the olfactory scenario.
Perfume evokes sensations and emotions that can be translated through sound. By accompanying the olfactory scenario of the perfume, music can amplify its impact, making it more immersive and accessible, especially in contexts where the sense of smell cannot be engaged (such as websites, digital retail, etc.).
