Scentsual Delight

Marc Jacobs’s iconic perfume, Daisy, has a delightful update. It’s fresher. It’s fruitier. But the Daisy Eau So Fresh retains the signature woody musk dry down of the original Daisy. L’Officiel India spoke to the nose behind the freshness, Alberto Morillas.

Since its foray into perfumes, in 2006, Marc Jacobs has been on the lust list of every woman, for her dresser. For its scintillating scent that mixes luxury with style, as also for its fantastic packaging that goes beyond the realm of just pretty bottles and caps. Like Daisy...innovative in its combination of flowers, fruits, wood and musk, and playful with the Takashi Murakami plastic daisies around the golden cap. When we came across the younger, more flirtatious Daisy Eau So Fresh, we were piqued. So we dialled Alberto Morillas, master perfumer at Firmenich, the fragrance house where Marc Jacobs perfumes are manufactured.

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Tell us the story of Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh.

The idea was to create a floral fragrance that evokes freshness in a very feminine way. My inspiration was a thought: To give a new emotion and approach to freshness, not the obvious citrus, zesty top notes associated with freshness. Instead, we used the pulpy, lush heart of the citrus, which is much more subtle and adds sensuality with an accord, based on the idea of ‘warm skin’. So the top notes are natural raspberry, grapefruit and pear, the heart is violet, wild rose and apple blossom, and the base is musks, cedar wood and plum.

What is the mood of the fragrance?

Fun and playful. It infuses happiness with its sparkling fresh construction.

What kind of woman is the Daisy Eau So Fresh meant for?

The core value of this perfume is about being positive and living life to the fullest. It’s more about your state of mind at that moment. So wear it whenever you want a feeling of joy about you. And I think that should apply to every woman, every single day of her life.

What, according to you, is the scent of a beautiful woman?

I don’t think of a certain smell. I think of a sense of confidence. Of a way of carrying herself. She is someone who inspires awe and can take your breath away.

Is the concept of a signature fragrance relevant? Or do you feel fragrances are meant to change as per the season, mood or occasion?

If you find a fragrance that works for you, you should wear that fragrance. And you can wear that fragrance every single day of the year. That being said, I do believe that some fragrances work better in certain temperatures and situations. I also think fragrances have the power to affect your mood, so if you need to feel sexy, or cheerful, or in-charge, a change in fragrance would make sense.

They say every perfume smells different on different people. What is the interplay between a person’s natural fragrance and the perfume they wear?

The same fragrance, on different people, develops in different ways, influenced by skin type and the natural scent of the skin. We also all live different lives, eat different things and work in different climates. Yes, even altitude, temperature and varying humidity have an impact on the evolution of fragrance. At Firmenich, we evaluate these climate factors when developing fragrance, although, a bigger reason is pure chemistry: Men and women smell different because our bodies are different. And so, fragrances react in different ways, sometimes bringing out the fresh top notes faster and sometimes the warmer base notes.

Do you feel there’s a connection between fashion and fragrance?

The connection between fashion and fragrance can be seen when they complement each other, when the brand and the fragrance make sense together. Like in Marc Jacobs. He represents this idea of luxury well. His brand is coherent, always eye-catching and always a little bit whimsical in its approach. I believe those qualities come to life in Daisy Eau So Fresh as well.

What is your personal signature, that special characteristic that defines your fragrance?

The right equilibrium between nature and technology. I like to blend ingredients offered by nature—floral, citrus, herbal, woody and spicy ingredients—with olfactive molecules isolated and synthesized by our scientists at Firmenich. I also pay careful attention to the quality of the materials I use in my fragrances. People from within this industry know my style and recognise it.

What are your favourite notes for winter?

For the colder months, I like fragrances that will keep me warm: woods or roses. Musks also give me a sense of cosiness, almost as if I am being bundled up in a coat or blanket.

From the January 2014 issue of L’Officiel India.