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Louis Mariette




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Cellotape Magazine Founder/Editor in Chief Michael Dye



Madeleine Ringer

Renowned milliner, Louis Mariette, tries a new hat this year - one of fragrance, exotic extravagance, and luxury. Entering the sphere of scent with his handcrafted, intricate, unisex perfume. Cellotape sits down with Mariette to discuss his new haute couture parfum oil, his travelling inspirations, and how there is utopia in the challenge of creation.

You held your first show as a milliner in Milan 2002! Can you describe how you began your creative career as a self-taught milliner?

Like most aspects of my life, the greatest joys and experiences have always occurred by accident and that inevitably came about through the love and support of others. As a past party planner, I used to dress up the hostess as part of their theatrical appearance to their guests; on such occasions it could mean making fresh flower headpiece garlands for them to wear with their outfit for an English quintessential garden party. My career transition initially happened when stylist, creative director, Cellotape founder, and friend, Michael Dye, approached me; he insisted I create some headwear for an Italian fashion house, Clips, for their catwalk show in Milan. After politely refusing, claiming that I am not a professionally trained milliner, he effortlessly seduced me with the theme of the 1950’s Orient Express train. Alas - I succumbed!

What then followed was rather gobsmacking. Harrods heard about me through the show and they commissioned me to showcase the millinery pieces within and in the front of the store windows with my name. I was then invited to create a special headpiece for the opening of their new millinery and bridal department. For this, I created a £1.5 million platinum and diamond hat, called “Chapeau d’amour”. I went on to being invited to be a judge on series five of Britain’s Next Top Model, as well as presenting the BBC Royal Ascot 300 Years Celebration, and being asked to be the official milliner to Investec Derby. The rest is history!

Your designs have been worn by countless celebrities, including fashion icons Lady Gaga and Kate Moss, and you’ve collaborated with prestigious jewellery brands like Swarovski and Boucheron. How did you find yourself transitioning into crafting fragrances?

The transition was totally effortless. I already had a very specific vision of what I wanted. In fact, the real work began on the very first day of lockdown; I had my design sketch of the Oriental perfume bottle display sculpture cabinet. The design entailed working and sculpting in Italian white clay and wood cabinetry for the prototype. Additionally, the hugely technical aspect of turning my various clay components into the final luxury elements. This transition in creating the very best of my ability in design and craftsmanship, gave me the opportunity to work with the very best artisans. Beautiful well-dressed discerning ladies who adore style, elegance, uniqueness, luxurious accessories, well, a fine scent is a “bon marriage” of them.

Travelling has long played an essential role in your design inspirations. For your fragrance, Storms of the Emerald Emperor, how did your travels influence the scents and design? Travel has been pivotal in who I’ve become; whenever I get to speak to the younger generations, I am a preacher of travel! I know they will open up their mind, heart, and sense of adventure, and become fully empowered by this.

My travels to the most remote, exotic places on the planet, such as the Kalahari desert or remote regions in the Himalayas like Bhutan, Bird Island in the Indian ocean, have been a constant source of fascinating inspirations to my design creations with millinery, my jewelled headpiece collections and the new perfume.

Travelling through Asia drew me to the exotic aspects of the Orient of the Cabinet design, such as lotus flowers which represent purity and are an auspicious symbol in Buddhist culture. Japanese crane birds, pearl dragons, the phoenix bird, and koi carp are all ornately carved by myself around the cabinet and trellising around the central column. Huge inspirations were visiting the volcanoes on the island of Sumatra and summiting Mount Kilimanjaro - they are Mother Nature’s creators of the planet. I had the volcano lava colours layered and incorporated into the bottle design.

Travelling was also key to the notes in the luxuriant perfume oil. Passionate about fascinating flowers and trees, I already knew my favourites and what notes would combine exquisitely together. I wanted the perfume oil to be applied on the wearer's skin and react to each individual’s natural body skin oil. The initial crisp scent reminiscent of the banyan leaf, bergamot and bamboo would take you on a journey through to the various floral heart notes such as ylang-ylang, plum blossom, orris (iris root), and end in the deeper sensual luxuriant notes of amber and sultry musk’s.

What inspired you to handcraft the initial designs using traditional methods, such as woodcarving and claywork?

Like most crafts, it is important to push your skills further. Since school, I trained in craft, design, and technology, so my hunger for working in various skills and materials was already there. Once you have a design in mind, you have to deconstruct it and work backwards to the start.

As this design is exceptionally complex, it could have only been possible due to my highly skilled team of British artisans. Roger Dunkin, a lapidarist, turned my perfume dipper stopper into green cut crystal stone and intricately carved red jasper stone lotus buds. Glass sculptor extraordinaire, Allister Malcolm, achieved producing a highly technically challenging perfume bottle layered with various colours and cut by Nick Gritton, a dying art rare skill. The journey continued to be fascinating as the Merrell Casting team interpreted my designs into sterling silver complete with the new King Charles hallmark. Leo Onoufriou of Justcastings and myself worked closely on the Japanese black Akoya pearl perfume diffuser necklace. Finally, to present the luxury perfume accessories, Meyer Sarfati and I collaborated to have them housed in luxurious custom-made crafted boxes made in cherrywood and finished in an exquisite piano varnish. I felt this detailing would be important as heirloom pieces. Technical aspects such as building a hollow, lattice cut central column embellished with entwined lotus stems and buds was an interesting challenge. Every single fine, detailed nuance of the clay elements took exceptional time and craftsmanship, as it was all hand done by myself. Focus and patience are key ingredients, however, the passion and total enjoyment that went into the journey pushed all my skills to the forefront, and that has been “utopia” for me.

Is there a story behind the fragrance’s name?

It was inspired by a bygone age, theatrical and powerful, influenced by the regal finery of ancient Oriental rulers.

How has your career as a milliner shaped your artisanry, and in turn, your design process for the fragrance?

Like all beautiful designs, what lies behind the façade is a complex of technical aspects. If I think back to my millinery creation of “Princess Neptune”, an ornate, jewelled, scallop shell headpiece submerged in a water tank, photographed by Zena Holloway…you see why the analogy of an elegant swan moving effortlessly on a lake surface but paddling furiously under the surface came about!

To make a booking for an exclusive VIP Louis Mariette experience appointment to view the design and experience the perfume, please see here.

www.louismarietteperfume.com
Instagram : louismariette.perfume