Castelbajac's colorful scent

On the occasion of the launch of his new perfume, couturier Jean-Charles de Castelbajac let us at osMoz into the secret.
By Laurence Mamy . 18/05/01

"Scatter the colors, sow poetry and reap a day of bliss." A tad dreamy, that's how Jean-Charles de
Castelbajac presents his latest creation: a perfume he personally designed.
"A perfume is above all an expression of emotions." The couturier wanted to bring back the tender and fun childhood moments. "To bring back those memories hidden in a shell where sensuality is just under the surface. A perfume is also meant for seduction. It's more like a virtual armor, a companion."

A smell that evokes happy childhood memories

"When I searched my imagination for olfactory memories, the first thing that came to my mind was the sickly sweet flavor of almond, the scent of white glue I used in school. The glue had the name of a woman: Cleopatra. For me, that name associated with the smell evokes happy childhood memories.
Other memories invaded my mind: intoxicating fragrances that were impossible to capture into a perfume: the smell of morning dew, for instance."

I like women who are at peace with their ego

Which famous women would he have liked to dress with his perfume? "Rose Bertin," says he without hesitation. "Marie-Antoinette's talented seamstress who created for the queen some very simple chiffon, organdie and tulle dresses, or fabulous hats. Then there is Lauren Bacall or Elodie Bouchez for whom I have great admiration. Those women are at peace with their ego, and generally speaking, those are the types I like." But for the couturier, it is anyway "deeply moving just to think that strangers will be wearing my perfume and somehow they will enter my imagination."
"To create this perfume, I called upon Maurice Roucel of Dragoco who is one of the best noses of our times. Without him and his team, I wouldn't have been able to do anything," he adds unassumingly.

Red is the bottle

The bottles represent the two themes that have punctuated the couturier's collections for 25 years:
the color red and garments designed for protection against the elements (blanket coats, Teddy bear coats, padded cocoon coats and other modern light armors). Jean-Charles de Castelbajac likes primary colors that are imbued with joie de vivre such as Mondrian's colors, especially the red, which for him symbolizes energy, sensuality, candies and balloons that are let free on a celebration night.

The Nomad, the Companion and the Medallion

"I imagined three different designs. Each bottle represents and attitude, a way of life. The first one,
"Le Nomade", a 30 ml pocket spray, comes in a miniature padded survival bag. It's easy to carry as you can clip it on to the belt. The second bottle, "Le Compagnon", comes in a red padded glass to be kept at home. The third bottle, "Le Médaillon", comes inside a strange metal shell. White lettering stands out against the red color of the bottle. There is one subtle detail: a small hiding space in the shell can hold a picture or a billet doux.