The fragrance house Lalique inspires us with a new eau de parfum called Soleil Vibrant and I am very pleased that Juliette Loehr de Meyerès, Senior Global Brand Manager at Lalique, took the time to answer a few questions about the new fragrance in the beautiful bottle reminiscent of a sun. To the perfume itself I do not want to anticipate much, because this I will present to you in the next post in a separate review. That’s why there’s not much more I can say at the moment than:
Welcome to the Duft-Tagebuch: Juliette Loehr de Meyerès from Lalique! ☺
Dear Juliette, the Lalique brand has an incredibly long history and has covered very different areas over the years – first jewelry, then crystal glass art, and later fragrances. How did this development come about?
After the death of his father, René Lalique became an apprentice to the artisan and jeweler Louis Aucoc, during which time he learned the techniques of jewelry making. As an independent designer, he made a name for himself over the years for some of the major jewelry houses such as Jacta, Cartier and Boucheron. Later he began to experiment with glass and developed his first designs.
In 1905, René Lalique opened a store at 24 Place Vendôme, where he exhibited his jewelry and glass objects made in his workshop. Perfumer François Coty was so impressed by René Lalique’s designs that he asked him to put his talent at the service of the perfume industry. Their collaboration had begun and their joint work revolutionized the perfume industry. From then on, Lalique worked increasingly on designs for the perfume industry and eventually devoted himself entirely to the more industrial techniques of glassmaking.
In 1977, René’s granddaughter Marie-Claude Lalique took over the management of the company. She renewed the tradition of jewelry design and developed the perfume business.
What values and traditions do Lalique perfumes stand for?
The history of Maison Lalique and that of perfumery are closely linked, as René Lalique played a pioneering role in the development of the modern perfume industry. His creations gave birth to extraordinary bottles, which to this day hold a special status in the world of perfumery. From the very beginning it was decided to create high quality perfumes with the best perfumers, composed with exceptional raw materials.
The fragrances are signed with a unique olfactory signature and carry the values of creativity, exquisite ingredients, long-lasting recognition and timeless compositions. The high quality of the fragrances and the care with which the bottles are worked represent the best techniques of a noble craft that combines a history rich in tradition with a push towards modernity.
Soleil Vibrant is the latest fragrance for women from Lalique. What was the inspiration for the fragrance?
With Soleil Vibrant, the House of Lalique celebrates the heroines of today. Women as radiant and talented as Marie-Claude Lalique. The granddaughter of René Lalique was an extremely creative artist who was as fascinated as he was by the grace of animals. Her most iconic creation, the “Zeila Panther,” is an expression of her unique gift for bringing crystal to life and her love for the wilds of Africa.
What makes Soleil Vibrant different from the 2019 fragrance Soleil?
Our Soleil line with Soleil and Soleil Vibrant reflects a unique sensory experience through creativity and reflection. Luminous, warm, wild, sensual, Soleil Vibrant reinvents the spirit of Lalique’s exciting Soleil collection with an unprecedented formula; one that pays special attention to the house’s sustainability strategy. Thus, the new fragrance is intended to enrich the strong identity of the line and expand the target audience of the Soleil collection with a new focus.
What are the special features of Soleil Vibrant?
Soleil Vibrant was developed using Firmenich’s EmotiWaves™ technology. In this procedure, neuroscientists evaluate the positive emotional effects of natural essences using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The results help perfumers choose ingredients that trigger feelings of energy, well-being and happiness.
To what extent does the fragrance or its ingredients take into account Lalique’s sustainability strategy?
Soleil Vibrant Lalique ingredients are biodegradable, produced with green chemistry, responsibly sourced and manufactured under Firmenich’s Naturals Together™ program – an initiative through which Firmenich protects nature’s precious resources, but also shares its knowledge to improve growers’ livelihoods and preserve biodiversity.
How does the packaging reflect the character of the fragrance?
The Soleil Vibrant Packaging is characterized by the natural and vivid gradient of a warm yellow tone. An accent on the “O” of Soleil, as the heart of a glowing sun, draws attention. A tiger print becomes visible, which represents the vibrant and energetic character of the protagonist and is completely in line with the fragrance. A new bold version of femininity, instinctive and authentic. The box is made of recyclable, FSC®-certified paper in keeping with the fragrance’s sustainable approach. FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council, an organization dedicated to promoting the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. In addition, the sustainability claims are listed on the back of the packaging to emphasize authenticity.
Natural ingredients were used. Were there any development challenges here?
Soleil Vibrant opens with a natural, sparkling Italian bergamot essence, reminiscent of the warm Mediterranean sun, promoting joie de vivre, smiles and sharing. The heart note is formed by a sensual jasmine sambac absolute recycled from India. Its floral but slightly animalic facets give the fragrance a deep carnal nuance. In the base note we have combined a creamy vanilla from Madagascar and a woody, slightly amber-like cedarwood essential oil from Virginia.
All of these ingredients are part of Firmenich’s sustainable and fair-trade Natural Together™ program. This program enables Firmenich to stay in close contact with its suppliers around the world and helps them promote fair, innovative and responsible business, from sourcing to the final product. Firmenich shares this common value with Lalique and jointly pursues the vision of sustainability as the ultimate luxury.
There were no major challenges in developing the fragrance.
After all, Soleil Vibrant was developed by Nathalie Lorson and Alexandra Monet. What distinguishes the Lalique creations of the two perfumers?
Nathalie Lorson is a classical perfumer of our brand. Her collaboration with Lalique began in 2006 with Perles de Lalique and Encre Noire and continues to be fruitful with more than a dozen fragrances shared. In the creation of some of Lalique’s most iconic fragrances, she was actively involved in shaping the olfactory DNA. Alexandra Monet entered the adventure of the house in 2017 with Mon Premier Cristal – Lumière. In 2019, she participated in the first – and already famous – Soleil by Lalique. It was only natural to bring together longtime Lalique perfumer Nathalie Lorson and one of the creators of the original fragrance – Alexandra Monet – for the new chapter of Soleil Vibrant, staying true to both the original scent and Lalique’s historic olfactory identity.
What they have in common is a great expertise in creating gentle fragrances that envelop like a cocoon, and a strong preference for exploring unusual notes. Firmenich is nicknamed “The House of Musk” because it is known as the fragrance house that has the most beautiful perfume molecules for musky, enveloping and warm scents. Both perfumers have mastered the art of composition with these sensual and long-lasting synthetic notes developed exclusively by Firmenich.
Will the Soleil collection be expanded in the future?
Our Soleil line meets the highest standards of sustainability and innovation in fragrance. We would like to continue this approach in the future to further strengthen the identity of the line, but also of Lalique.
Dear Juliette, thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions.
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