Text: Natalia Orlova-Obolenskaya FOR THE UNDEFINED PERSON, THE AROMAS OF THIS OLD PERFUMERY HOUSE MAY APPEAR DISAPPOINT. LET CREED CREATES ITS MASTERPIECES FOR TRUE Gourmets, USING ONLY NATURAL, HIGH-QUALITY AND RARE RAW MATERIALS. THE PRESIDENT OF THE HOUSE, THE SEVENTH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DYNASTY - ERWIN CRIDES, PRESENTED IN DUBAI LEGENDARY MILLESIM 18, IS DISCUSSING THE PECULIARITIES OF Niche Fragrances in an Exclusive Interview.
What does luxury mean to you?
Erwin: Luxury ... It's hard to say what luxury is today. Since for me this concept is associated with the past. With what happened before the production of perfumes was put on stream. With the era of the triumph of ingredients - the main components of any prestigious aroma. And now the market is full of various brands and consumer goods. Everything is done quite quickly and simply, especially if there is demand. And true luxury is the ability to work with rare and very expensive raw materials. And stay on the level for a long time, maintaining a high quality product.
What is your opinion on the perfume industry? What is the current state of affairs in the art of creating fragrances?
Erwin: Art is an extremely important aspect in creating a fragrance. It is not limited to the material world, to some kind of framework. On the contrary, it always offers new opportunities for creativity. The perfumer can be compared with a painter. You do not tell the painter what he should do? Like, here use this color here, and here draw such a country! No, perfumery as an art provides absolute freedom. But the perfumer and the artist have a budget, because doing art requires certain costs for the ingredients. And when it comes to budget, significant differences are immediately apparent between the art and the art of perfumery.
So, unlike the freedom of the artist, the freedom of creativity of the perfumer is still limited?
Erwin: Alas, being engaged in creativity, the perfumer must constantly control the budget and consumption of valuable ingredients. In addition, in the art of perfumery now everything is built on marketing, trends and fashion are being created. But in art one does not need to follow trends, on the contrary, it is necessary to create something new, unusual. Art is not controlled by money. It exists for its own sake! So current fashion brands are not art for me.
What are your fundamental principles in the development of perfumes, plans for the future, strategy?
Erwin: Recently, we have seen an increase in demand for niche perfumes. In my opinion, people began to better understand high-class aromas. They are increasingly ordering or wanting more and more niche flavors. But their production is also growing. And the need for oud is growing (udar oil / agar - the most valuable component of prestigious perfumes - ed.). You know that its production has already been put on a commercial basis. All the medalists in the selective sector (fashion brands offering selective cosmetics on the market, marked by professional awards - approx. Ed.) Are now striving to work with oud. And their strategy is its commercial production.
And niche perfumery is also overly commercialized today. However, we do not strive for quantity! We are ready to work on one, but really unique aroma. And how and from what exactly it is created is very important for us. And the attitude of our customers to quality and the desire to possess our aromas is exactly what defines today and will determine the Creed strategy in the future.
What exactly makes a fragrance unique?
Erwin: Honestly, when we work on a new fragrance, we have to strictly control every stage of production and every ingredient. Therefore, when I start creativity, I first of all wonder how much it will cost in the end. I am always called the maximum amount in euros that can be spent per kilogram of one or another rare raw material. And if in the process of work the budget suddenly increases, then significant problems may begin.
Have to raise prices?
Erwin: And it will be very difficult to explain to customers who ordered the fragrance the sudden price increase and why they had to spend more than the indicated amount per kilogram of base. Indeed, the high cost of niche perfumes is quite difficult to accept. But working on formulas with my assistants, I understand that our aromas can cost more than 2,000 euros per kilogram! They are unique and contain rare and highly valuable ingredients. We prioritize quality. And when quality comes first, the issue of value fades into the background. But that’s how people work - they love bargaining! And they try to save money and get excellent quality. However, if you really want to get superior quality, you are not bargaining!
In recent years, it has become fashionable to offer masterpieces of past years. They are literally put on stream. Does Creed have a rich history and there are many reasons for mass production of unique replicas?
Erwin: I see a certain problem in the wide promotion of great aromas. For example, we could well repeat the success of a number of our fragrances from the time of the Empire. But where to get such an amount of such valuable raw materials? Some components are simply not available. Others no longer exist. Even the priceless oud is now on the verge of extinction!
What is also very important - we do not develop strategic plans to conquer the market of niche perfumes. And do not do renovations! We just want to create our own fragrances and not follow market trends ... We try to stay away from everything commercial. And they are ready to work with the ingredients, and not to establish their mass production! And we ourselves plan what and how to do it, even if it does not correspond to fashion trends. This is the credo of our dynasty. My grandfather and father did this - people with their own point of view and independent thinking. I also like not to follow the fashion line. And to offer customers fragrances that they are eager to wear and which are interesting to us. Believe me, this is an invaluable experience!
Do you use your aromas?
Erwin: Of course! But I don’t have a loved one. I prefer to change aromas and do not adhere to any one bouquet. Most often I wear Aventus. But during the working week I do not use perfumes. Only deodorants or soap. And I also do not use products from our luxurious collection of perfumed soaps. Only on weekends do I allow myself to enjoy the luxury of Creed.
I admit, I really like to soak in the bathroom and relax in the company of my own scents! But during work, I behave like an ascetic. Even today (and I came to Dubai on business!) I don’t use perfume and strictly monitor that there are as few different smells as possible around me! I have to protect my nose ... And if I wear our Original Vetiver, Original Santal or Himalaya, I will not hear anything. And I can’t work ...
How do you choose aroma, nuances, shades?
Erwin: I choose a fragrance, just like you, for example, choose a beautiful dress! And if you like blue, and I offer you certain shades of it, then, relying on your own taste, you decide which one is yours. And if you don’t like something or don’t go, you begin to consider other offers in this color scheme. I choose my fragrance from those that my colleagues perfumers offer me. And rely on my nose. It is the nose that helps me to distinguish and explore the notes and nuances of all our future masterpieces. About Creed Perfume House was founded in 1760 in London by James Henry Creed. And still remains the property of the dynasty. All niche perfumes are traditionally created from natural raw materials using valuable and expensive ingredients. High quality and durability of unique aromas have attracted eminent customers, including Queen Victoria. The fragrance Fleurs the Rose Bulgare, created by her order, provided Creed with the glory of a great perfumer and the status of an official supplier of perfumes for the royal court. The benevolence of another influential person - the empress Eugenia, magnificent and understanding in exquisite perfumery, helped Creed in 1854 to conquer Paris - the center of art, luxury and the most prestigious brands. It was France that ensured success with the most eminent clients of the XX and XXI centuries - from Winston Churchill, Marlene Dirich, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly to John Kennedy, Lady Dee, Kate Middleton and Michelle Obama.
Creed perfumers revived infusion - a technology for producing aromatic components from plant substances under the direct influence of boiling water. Niche brand fragrances are recognized as the most unique of those created manually. At the same time, the House promotes the concept of fragrances with history.
Today, many of Creed's masterpieces, created at different times for historical figures, are produced in limited quantities and sold in branded boutiques ...
Issued in a limited edition specifically for the Harrods distribution network. The name of the fragrance perpetuated the opening date of the first Harrods stores - 1849.
Even the colors of the bottle (green for the container, gold for the lid) remind of the famous uniform of Harrod "s Green Man - bright symbols of the era.
The style and bouquet of aroma are fully consistent with the traditions of Creed. So, pronounced nuances and notes are designed to reflect the creative spirit of the times of the Empire. It is known that the creators were inspired by the reign of Queen Victoria, one of the most famous clients and fans of Creed. Times of sophistication, artistry and creativity. And also - the creative atmosphere of the 1851 World Exhibition, held in Hyde Park (a couple of blocks from Harrods) and presented the world with masterpieces of art, culture and new technologies.
Vintage luxury - and the name of the fragrance translates as "Vintage" - is a gift from Oliver Creed as a modern neodyndi, one of whom, incidentally, is considered to be his son Erwin, the heir to the dynasty, the curator of traditions and the current president of the eminent Perfume House.
