L'Officiel Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour of Olfactive Studio
Bertrand Duchaufour has always brought a unique touch to fragrance. After getting his start at Florasynth Paris and Créations Aromatiques, the olfactory talent became the perfumer-in-residence at L'Artisan Parfumeur in 2008, building his reputation as a master with unusual, nature-based scents. Outside of this, Duchaufor has collaborated with the perfume houses of fashion favorites including Comme des Garçons, Givenchy, and Dior. His many fragrances, totaling more than 50, capture the essences of locales, archetypes, and more, giving a scent to visionary aesthetics.
With his forward-thinking, artistic ideas, it's only natural that Duchaufour's latest collaboration is with Olfactive Studio, a brand that explores the relationship between images and smells by fostering both photography and perfume. His creation, Leather Shot, uses notes including bitters, iris, and cedar to create a woody, spicy olfactory journey to where the water meets the sea in New Zealand. But beyond discussing its core identity, the perfumer has let L'Officiel USA in on the fragrance's spiritual color, favorite time period, and code name. Below, Duchaufour reveals the nostalgic yet intense world of Leather Shot.
If Leather Shot was the star of its own movie, which actor would play the starring role?
The movie would be like Once Upon a Time in America, directed by Sergio Leone and starring Robert de Niro.
What color does your fragrance smell like?
Blue with a little grey, like the color of a Russian Blue cat.
Which city/place in the world does your fragrance encapsulate best?
New York City!
If you had to place your fragrance in an iconic decade past, which one would it be?
The 1930s, alongside the time of Art Deco.
What item from your wardrobe would you compare your scent to?
A suede blue coat.
What music do you think your fragrance most aligns with?
Miles Davis' Kind of Blue.
If your fragrance had a night out on the town, what drink would it order at the bar?
Caol Ila Whisky
If you were to relate your new scent to a book, what would it be? Why?
The Great Gatsby because of the decade, the style, and the powerful sillage.
If your new fragrance had a soundtrack, what three sounds would play once you spray the scent?
The voice of Billie Holiday, Chet Baker's trumpet, and Bill Evan on piano.
If it wasn’t called Leather Shot, what would it be called?
Blue Leather was the code name of this fragrance from the start!
