October 4, 2024 |
Few fragrance launches have intrigued us as much as Infiniment Coty Paris’s I Am Dusk collection. The acclaimed fragrance writer Tony Marcus explores its five different moods, while creatives from fashion, art, music and literature respond to the sensual scents.
Those who know the history of perfume know that Coty is a legendary brand. Its perfumes from the 19th century, notably L’Origan (1905) and Chypre (1917), played key roles in shaping all aspects of modern perfume. And the mysterious and mossy accord that is Chypre, François Coty’s invention, continues to influence. There are stories about vintage bottles that sell for indescribable amounts. But perfume, like fashion, is forward-looking. Perfume is connected to science. And it imagines the future. For the first time in decades, Coty has used its name on new perfumes. There are 14 scents in Infiniment, with the range created under the direction of Sue Nabi and Nicolas Vu: Nabi was previously the president of both L’Oréal and Lancôme and together they launched skincare brand Orveda. Their new Coty fragrances have a relationship with classical French perfumery, but the way in which they radiate is modern. Coty has developed a new technology (Molecular Aura) based on a fermented sugar molecule that changes the way perfume moves over time.
“It slows down the evaporation profile of selected ingredients by gently bonding with them to extend these scent signatures throughout the day,” says Severine Dallet, the brand’s senior manager of fragrance design.
This term ‘evaporation profile’ is very telling. It aligns with my experience of the perfumes, which feel less enslaved to the traditional pyramid structure. Sometimes the scents move like an emanation or floating cloud of shifting accents.
The Infiniment range has a sci-fi look. The bottles are packaged in white cartons that look like escape pods from a spaceship. The perfumes are vegan and include ingredients such as a new upcycled alcohol that uses captured carbon dioxide from factory pollution. In addition, each scent contains only purified water and concentrated fragrance oil.
In one of their perfumes there is a rose that never dies. It flickers and dances with mist but never vanishes. It is infinite, as Infiniment suggests. The Molecular Aura technology, say Nabi and Vu, allows them to create resonant effects with fewer ingredients – they have a new power with minimalism. But the ingredients and accords in Infiniment are traditional. We are still living in a world where sandalwood is combined with jasmine, as perhaps nothing else will be so dry and sensual. The bottles themselves are “infinitely refillable”, say Coty. Or you can return them and they will be given to artists to be turned into new works.
With regard to the infinite, I am embarrassed to talk about Proust because I never finished In Search of Lost Time. And it is very clichéd to talk about Proust, perfume and memory. But in the paragraph about the madeleine, we find the word “infiniment”. A word central to that moment. His mind is tied to the madeleine but wanders ‘infinitely’ beyond it (en Français, Proust sighs, “le dépassait infiniment”). Monsieur Proust nibbles cake and reconstructs a lost world (the vast book) from his memories.
Perfume has its own way of working with the past. Coty’s bottles capture the essences of vanilla, rose, myrrh, patchouli, bergamot, the flowers of Europe, balsams of tropical trees, the incenses found in cathedrals and the DNA of nature. And each ingredient tells a story. The spices speak of great ships and traders, pirates and oceans. And chypre or lavender and vanilla belong to 19th-century Paris, a city that lives in books and paintings and the memories of François Coty, great perfumier of Paris. Catapult these bottles into space and this much of Earth will endure. Not as memory but reality. Infiniment. For ever.
from left: the five fragrances that make up Infiniment Coty Paris’s I Am Dusk collection, Un Parc de Roses en Alabama, Or de Moi, L’amour Pourpre, Après L’amour and Santal a la Vida, Photographer RIKKI WARD, Creative Director SOPHIA NEOPHITOU
Un Parc de Roses en Alabama
The perfume offers milky and woody roses. A rose that refuses to be delicate but is not violent. I couldn’t find the words or images to catch this rose because it is enigmatic and cannot be grasped. It was as elegant as beautifully drawn eyebrows. Later, when I read the notes for the perfume, I saw the word ‘leather’ and wondered how I missed the note, as it does have a delicate and fleshy leather. There are times when the rose and the leather separate, but more often they merge. Leather is often a vintage note, one that recalls the luggage of the past and the entire 1930s of Isherwood, Berlin, Nice and Deauville. An imaginary past. This is a very modern perfume because it is minimal and its transitions are gradual. But it holds this soft leather, this fragment of old time.
Or de Moi
Tuberose has an easy signature. I didn’t have to look at the list of notes to know it. It is a very exotic flower, native to Mexico and Tamil Nadu. It is a syrupy and heady ingredient and can be overwhelming in perfume. But this tuberose is seductive and creamy. It is also grounded with a light chypre, as Coty pays homage to its own tradition. Chypre is always ‘mysterious’ (the Japanese word for mysterious is mitsuoko, which takes us to another perfume) and here it has many aspects. It is sticky, dry and a little mossy. It seems to say, “Come into this sweet and never-ending wood.” The poet Coleridge asked what would happen if you picked a flower in a dream and woke to find it in your hand. It would be something like this: an exotic (from a Western perspective) flower that glows in its own light.
L’amour Pourpre
Don’t read about this perfume before you try it. Don’t allow yourself to know the names of the notes. It’s such a stimulating, exciting perfume that it’s best to smell it blind and let it create its own associations. The ingredients and accord belong to classical French perfume but are done so well that the great notes and balsams offer new images. I felt smoke, incense and dark passages. Like being in a labyrinth or ancient temple. And then an overwhelming sensation of heat. It was Picasso’s labyrinth, where he drew his minotaur – was that his sexual alter ego? And then a trail of powder that danced with all the delicate, chiffony, mothering endings of all historic and beautiful perfumes. I could say more. I noticed both sensual and matronly notes. And a dry flower given life with a dab of warm blood.
Santal a la Vida
This is a fresh, juicy sandalwood. And despite delicate powder at the end, it doesn’t move like an old-fashioned scent. It is not single-note, but plays with that impression. It is more like one note that keeps opening into a larger version of itself. A single cell self-replicating to form an infinite pattern. There is a golden light in the perfume, perhaps borrowed from apple or pear, but it is the DNA of the santal that interests the perfumier. I never recognised the jasmine in the formula as ‘jasmine’ because it’s been transformed into a glistening follower or sensual henchman of the wood. This is a work of great tenderness that pays homage to santal. It can be dry and pale if you keep it close to the skin. And thankfully it is not too sweet. That would spoil the wood.
Après L’amour
There is a great tradition of unashamedly bourgeois notes in French scents. In 1910 these were in feminine perfumes. By the 1950s, the signatures of masculine scents and maleness. There is an enveloping tobacco and brandied opening to this perfume that is bourgeois even though it is stickier and more sensual than common or traditional usage. These notes come from tree syrups and balsams, but their imaginary world is the city at night, a character from Irène Némirovsky wrapped in furs (sorry, that’s just how it was back then), with great wealth and a Delage D8 or Bugatti Royale. Some hours after application you’ll find a delicate powder close to the skin. The perfume is a model of Serge Gainsbourg dissolving into (smoke-free) clouds of non-macho puffery. Farewell Monsieur, smoke no more and rest in maquillage.
INFINIMENT COTY PARIS: MEET THE CREATIVES
Interviews by BELLA KOOPMAN
Dimitra wears DI PETSA, Photographer RIA MORT, Film director DAPHNE SKOLARIKOU
DIMITRA PETSA, designer
After smelling Santal a la Vida, Dimitra Petsa wears a look from her archive that makes her feel a warm, vibrant goodness.
Dimitra Petsa, 30, the brains and talent behind the London-based brand Di Petsa, is well versed in the divine feminine. Drawing inspiration from her Greek heritage, Petsa learnt the beauty of classic dressmaking from her seamstress grandmother before heading to Central Saint Martins to establish her distinct design language. Combining drapery with the vision of a contemporary goddess, Petsa emphasises the beauty of the female body in all its forms, with her signature wet-look dress being donned by megastars like Bella Hadid, Doja Cat and SZA. Becoming a regular to show at London Fashion Week in recent years, Petsa was also awarded the BFC’s NewGen award for exceptional design talent in 2022.
When you first smelt Santal a la Vida, what did it make you think of?
I thought of warmth, the feeling of sand on your skin.
What’s your favourite thing to do at dusk?
Dance or write down my thoughts.
What does the smell of sandalwood remind you of?
For me it is a very erotic scent. It represents your first loves or love in the summer.
What does the smell of jasmine remind you of?
I would say it’s connected to my childhood because I had it everywhere when I was growing up in Greece. It’s innocence and sweetness.
How does the look you’ve chosen respond to the scent?
The dress I am wearing is called the Birthing Venus Knit Dress Red, so I think it represents the eroticism that the perfume gives.
Where in the world fills you with a warm, vibrant goodness?
Warm, vibrant goodness would be Greece.
How do you ensure you live life to the fullest?
By following my spontaneity.
Jason wears LOUIS VUITTON, Photographer JOSHUA TARN, Fashion assistants SONYA MAZURYK, YASMINE CARIAGA, MEGAN WORDLEY and GEORGIA EDWARDS
JASON OKUNDAYE, writer
After smelling L’amour Pourpre, Jason penned a short story that whispers love at nightfall, threaded with a boiling desire to seduce and attract.
Few write wiser words than journalist and author Jason Okundaye, 27. Born, raised and living in South London, he holds a first-class degree from Cambridge, has bylines in the likes of The Guardian and GQ, and has recently published his debut book, Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain. A searing and emotive account of the social history of Black gay men across the country, it focuses on the lives of six individuals and uses their stories to powerfully explore themes of marginalisation, Aids, activism and joy. Playing a significant role in filling in the gaps in the documentation of the stories of the Black and gay communities, Okundaye’s voice is a proud and essential asset to the contemporary landscape of oral history.
When you first smelled L’amour Pourpre, what did it make you think of?
It made me think of romance, actually, and of lovers and date nights. Putting on a nice scent when you’re going out to meet someone and wanting to make an impression on them.
What does the smell of lavender remind you of?
Lavender sugar pretzels, which I used to be obsessed with a few years ago, so very sweet treats basically.
What about the smell of vanilla?
It reminds me of food and some of the first scents I wore when I was young. I think when you’re young you’re quite attracted to smells that are familiar and vanilla reminds you of cake and foods like that.
What qualities in a person do you find attractive?
Comforting, good communication, handsome, loving, considerate. Just anything that makes someone a decent human and a pleasure to be around.
What are your favourite things to do at dusk?
Unwind and be around friends, just be in that social space where I’m unwinding from the working day. When was the moment you found love during nightfall? It was actually in this very park, Battersea Park, and an ex-boyfriend and I got on our bikes and cycled around to the pagoda. I felt like that was probably the first time we said that we loved each other. Obviously that didn’t last and I’m with someone else now.
LAVENDER KISSES AFTER MIDNIGHT
by Jason Okundaye
I remember one winter night when my lover and I rode our bikes through Battersea Park. We stopped, dropped the bikes and climbed up the steps of the Peace Pagoda, with its gold statue of a saffron-robe-clad Buddhist monk. There, we melted into each other’s arms, as we looked out to the River Thames, the glow of Chelsea Bridge’s lights shining on our faces as we huddled together, keeping each other warm. It’s when you’re with your lover at night that you’re most attuned to those parts of him which are more diluted in the daytime. Your senses are overwhelmed by his physical beauty. That is the intangible intensity of his presence, the timbre of his voice and his scent.
When I think back to this memory with my lover and the heat between us in that moment sitting on the pagoda, I think about the pheromones which are released from our glands, bringing us closer and closer together, making us want each other more. This attraction is even stronger when the scent of fragrance is present on the skin, its notes attuning you to those qualities you most love and desire about him. I imagine him spraying a perfume and smelling it on his neck – the refreshing, delicate and soothing scent of lavender envelopes me like glorious silk bedding. Lavender makes me think of how gentle he was with me, both emotionally and physically. How I felt safe to communicate my desires with him, if I wanted to take things more slowly or move faster, whether in the broader rhythm of our relationship or in the thrusts of making love.
And then I imagine smelling amber on his clothes and I remember his warmth, how the temperature always rose between us and how being with him felt like the crackle of a wood-lit fire. At Battersea Park, he had been wearing a thick, striped wool jumper and I had only come in a shirt, having convinced myself that the vigour of exercise on the bike would make extra layers uncomfortable. Seeing me shiver, he took off his jumper and gave it to me and I wrapped it around my shoulders like a blanket. I remember bringing it close to me, smelling it, being breathless at his generosity and that small act of personal sacrifice which kept me attached to him.
On the pagoda we played music. There’s a song that became ‘our song’ the moment it was released, Adele’s All Night Parking. We’d danced to it in his living room in Kennington. I buried my face into his shoulder as we mused on the gorgeous jazzy tune. And we played it again here, swaying together and singing along, ignoring the passers-by who wondered how we’d got so high up on the pagoda late at night. We had long conversations, too. I remember opening up about our families for the first time, those tough home dynamics which had informed some of our more difficult communications and problems with intimacy, and the warmth and grace we had with each other as we worked through those moments. When I think of how he held me, reassured me and allowed me to open up, I think about that meeting of lavender and amber which I imagine on his skin – the preciousness of my emotions feeling like the delicate glint of lavender. His comfort being like the warmth of amber, an ember in that winter darkness which meant we sparkled in the night.
Our emotional frankness with each other, the closeness of our bodies and the intense, heightened physical desire we felt at nighttime meant that we couldn’t resist each other in those moments. I remember lying on top of him at the edge of the pagoda, as we rolled around and nearly fell off the thing, laughing, because we were so consumed with each other. In those moments, it felt like the rest of our surroundings fell silent. The traffic on the nearby bridge was muted. All I could hear was the panting coming out of our mouths, the thumping of our heartbeats, the wetness of our kisses and the whispers of “I love you”. Being above ground and in the dark meant that it felt like nobody could see us, that we could lie there and sleep together, creating enough heat to manage us through the freezing night.
But then we remembered the bikes that we’d abandoned below. They were in our sight but hadn’t been locked up and getting too ahead of ourselves would be risking their theft. So we left the park, but not before a more intense tryst on the pagoda, him licking my face, me deeply inhaling his beautiful aroma. As we passed through the gates on our way home, I thought about how we had left our physical mark on that beautiful Buddhist tower forever, like a carving in an oak tree or placing a lock on the Pont des Arts.
When I spray L’amour Pourpre I think about that moment at the pagoda with my lover, how it marked a transition of our relationship from casual relations to sweethearts. Our love was short-lived, as those difficulties we’d discussed became more and more consequential in the daytime, but I still revisit the memories of that night. How the comfort of nightfall and the sensuality of our bodies made me contemplate a love which was pure, majestic and truly felt like home.
It’s the kind of feeling that you want to bottle up and carry around with you, releasing small spritzes of it whenever you need a moment to remember the thrill of desire and the salvational power of committed romance. I suppose, then, that this fragrance is the next best thing.
from left: Luca and Jordan wear JORDANLUCA, Photographer JOSHUA TARN
JORDAN BOWEN AND LUCA MARCHETTO, designers
After smelling Après L’amour, Jordan and Luca wear two looks from their archive that speak to a yearning pleasure.
Jordan Bowen and Luca Marchetto, the brains and talent behind London-based brand JordanLuca, are onto something good. With Bowen, 39, hailing from the UK and Marchetto, 40, from Italy, their fast-growing eponymous brand keeps traditional British tailoring and Italian flair at its heart. Keeping things fresh and subversive by infusing elements of streetwear, hypermasculinity, kink, fetish and punk, the community-focused label moved from the London Fashion Week schedule to Milan in 2022, taking the grit of the capital with it. Growing steadily since its creation in 2018, JordanLuca has built up an extensive fanbase and ample industry recognition, positioning it to be a significant influence in fashion in the years to come.
When you first smelt Après L’amour, what did it make you think of?
Luca Marchetto: It reminded me of a beautiful evening out, something very elegant, like a gala or opera.
Jordan Bowen: It smells very classic and I love the composition and the zing. It seems very aromatic. I think it’s tobacco or musk or amber or something very warm. It smells very summery and rich.
What’s your favourite thing to do at dusk?
LM: Cycling, because usually after work I go to the gym and dusk is the moment when I cycle back home. I love feeling tired after a workout. It’s what I do every day.
JB: I like watching the sun go down, especially in the winter when the nights are shorter. I think it’s important to catch the last few moments of the sun. There is something quite pagan about it. I love doing that.
What does the scent of tobacco remind you of?
JB: I love the smell of tobacco because it reminds me of smoking, which I miss. I know I shouldn’t but I do. Smoking when it feels more full-bodied, you can smell and taste it and everything feels much more intense.
LM: Same. I love the smell of tobacco and it reminds me of smoking. Now I’ve quit, I’ve been a very good boy.
JB: I love the smell of tobacco and perfume. It’s sweet and bitter, it’s challenging.
What does the smell of ginger remind you of?
JB: The first time I smelled ginger was when I was 12 and I went to see my auntie in Los Angeles. It was the first time I’d smelt something so powerful that you could eat. There is such an interesting relationship between gourmet fragrances and, of course, edibles. There’s something sumptuous about ginger, it’s very sharp.
LM: It reminds me of when I moved to London because in Italy we didn’t use ginger. Coming to London is when I first discovered that ginger flavour in food.
When was a moment you felt yearning?
LM: I miss a long drive on a sunset going somewhere. I usually do it during summer. I miss driving in London.
JB: I’m not a nostalgic person so I don’t really yearn for the past, but I’ve been yearning for the sea and the beach. For the sun and the smell, and the experience you get when you are somewhere dry and hot.
What’s the most pleasurable thing you’ve ever done?
LM: It’s simple but I love it: swimming naked. Every time we go to the beach, we always find a nudist beach. The feeling after a very long hour in the sun when you go in the water and you’re naked and you swim, I think it’s one of the best physical experiences you can have.
JB: One thing I’ve done is get sober. I’ve been sober for 15 years. It’s the difference between living life in black and white, then technicolour. It sounds like a cliché but it’s true. Life is wild and honesty is the most pleasurable, best and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
How do the looks you’ve chosen respond to the scent?
LM: I think there is something very classic about this perfume, so the look I choose is classic Luca: ribbed cotton T-shirt with laser work, a pair of denim [trousers] with a nice stone wash and shoes with a kitten heel.
JB: I’m thinking about the different tones and textures of the perfume, its sensuality of leather and the warmth from the orange. I’ve got this AW24 sweater on from our last show and it makes me feel very warm. I’m smelling the perfume and I can smell the amber. It’s very sensual.
Kim wears top by MAISON MARGIELA, T-shirt by COMME DES GARÇONS, jeans by Y/PROJECT, Photographer JOSHUA TARN
KIM TURNBULL, DJ
After smelling Or de Moi, Kim created a radiant soundtrack of charismatic tunes, bathed in a golden glow.
Kim Turnbull, 23, has always been destined for stardom. Born in London, the multi-genre DJ picked up mixing from her music-loving father, taking to it like a duck to water. This early introduction has meant that, despite her youth, Turnbull’s career is already taking off, with fans flocking to the sound of her bouncing blend of amapiano, Afrobeats and hip hop.
Stationed behind the decks for high-profile clients like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu and us lot at 10 Towers, Turnbull has also appeared on NTS, at Fabric and Paris’s Fête de la musique. Her influence doesn’t stop there: Turnbull has established herself as a fashion darling, too, sitting front row at Burberry, Ahluwalia and Simone Rocha.
When you first smelt Or de Moi, what did it make you think of?
Of being young at my family’s house in France, being in nature, in summer. Feeling a warm summer’s breeze, while sitting out in the sun and relaxing.
What’s your favourite thing to do at dusk?
It depends on the weather. If it’s nice outside, then I like to be there with friends. I’ll be getting in the mood for nighttime from daytime, maybe having a drink somewhere. Or I’ll be at home opening the windows, playing some good music and letting my nighttime creativity flow through.
What does the smell of tuberose remind you of?
Nature, summer and being outside. The tuberose is a flower that only blooms at night.
How does nighttime spark your creativity?
It’s completely different to daytime. I feel like I’m almost a completely different person. Working in nightlife, there’s a whole different community, vibrancy and creativity that comes to life at night compared to the daytime.
How did the scent of Or de Moi inspire the curation of your playlist?
It made me think of the setting and weather I might be in and what I might want to listen to. It’s a very summer-inspired playlist.
What has helped you to build your charisma as a DJ over the years?
Confidence, getting better at what I’m doing, being around other people and growing into my own sound. Also by letting my work speak for itself, not comparing myself to other people and allowing for my own unique style. It’s key to be comfortable and confident within yourself.
When was a time you felt radiant?
I felt very radiant when I was DJing at the 10 party for Sophia.
Click here to listen to the playlist featuring: The Isley Brothers Summer Breeze, Outkast Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1), Jill Scott Golden, Cleo Sol Self, Sault Masterpiece, Roy Ayers Ubiquity Everybody Loves the Sunshine, Alicia Myers I Want to Thank You, Zhané Request Line, Raphael Saadiq and Q-Tip Get Involved, Brandy (feat. Ma$e) Top of the World, Brandy I Wanna Be Down, Amerie Why Don’t We Fall in Love, De La Soul (feat. Snoop Dogg) Pain, Loose Ends You Can’t Stop the Rain, Tems Crazy Tings, Juls Palmwine Riddim, Dalton Soul Brother, Ojerime I Know Now, Slum Village (feat. John Legend and Kanye West) Selfish, Cleo Sol Don’t Let It Go to Your Head, Theophilus London (feat. Menahan Street Band) Rio, Sade Hang on to Your Love, Marvin Gaye Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), LL Cool J (feat. Amerie) Paradise, The Undisputed Truth Smiling Faces Sometimes, Erykah Badu Back in the Day (Puff), Madlib (feat. Frezna) Yo Yo Affair Pt. 1 & 2, p-rallel and Venna WestBorn, Solange Cranes in the Sky, Idris Muhammad Could Heaven Ever Be Like This
Saïdou wears his own clothing
SAIDOU DICKO, artist
After smelling Un Parc de Roses en Alabama, Saïdou created an artwork (opposite) that’s an ode to all who name the sky their own.
Born in Burkina Faso, artist Saïdou Dicko, 44, now resides in Paris, where he’s building his career as a self-taught visual artist. Anchoring his work in explorations of shadow and light, Dicko’s striking pieces focus on themes ranging from equality, union and maternal love to freedom and humanity. Boasting a healthy presence at exhibitions, fairs and international biennials, Dicko has ensured that success hasn’t eroded his kindness, with significant portions of all his sales going to a variety of charities. A talent with heart, his work blends cultural heritage with an innovative vision, reflecting his dedication to personal expression and social advancement.
When you first smelt Un Parc de Roses en Alabama, what did it make you think of?
The rose first inspired me [to think of] nature! It’s the idea of imagining roses in nature. And smelling scents is, above all, about childhood. Behind that, there’s a hidden code in homage to Rosa Parks, a woman fighter, a story around that. And also roses in everyday life, as gifts, for moments of sharing, for celebrations, for going out to dinner somewhere. This is what inspired me.
What does the smell of leather make you think of?
It takes me on a journey. It’s like travelling! It takes me to Morocco, to the medinas, to the souks, because it’s also associated with colours.
What does the smell of roses make you think of?
It immediately brings you into nature. You imagine fields of roses. You want to spend the whole day smelling that scent and reminiscing about beautiful memories of childhood and joy.
What’s your favourite thing to do at dusk?
Above all, it’s about walking and admiring the beauty of the sunset. If the sun comes out, that is, because in Paris it’s not often there. But for me, it’s more sunrise than sunset, because I work at night. My day actually starts at sunset.
What inspires you in general?
My inspirations come from everyday life. And then childhood, which is an inexhaustible source of joy. It’s the imagination, that’s what inspires me a lot. And above all the present moment, enjoying the things that are around us, such as encounters, travel, family and friends. That’s it.
Saïdou Dicko, Un Parc de Roses en Alabama, 2024
Taken from Issue 73 of 10 Magazine – RISING, RENEW, RENAISSANCE – out NOW. Order your copy here.
