Meet the Perfumer: Clement Gavarry
The creator of Liberty LBTY.’s new fragrance tells us about bottling 150 years of history and collaborating with the Royal Academy Schools
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Meet the Perfumer: Clement Gavarry
The creator of Liberty LBTY.’s new fragrance tells us about bottling 150 years of history and collaborating with the Royal Academy Schools
For 150 years, Liberty has been at the forefront of the artistic movement, fostering a new generation of artists through original design projects and collaborations. To celebrate our anniversary, we partnered with another iconic London institution, the Royal Academy Schools, to find the artist for our newest Liberty LBTY. scent.
Titled ‘Liberty 1875’, after Liberty’s founding year, the fragrance was part of a competition hosted between Liberty and the RA, where students and recent graduates could submit an artwork in response to three original scents. The winning combination would become our newest Liberty LBTY. fragrance, decorated with the artist’s work.
Here, perfumer Clement Gavarry tells us about the perfume he created, which inspired artist Esther Gamsu’s winning submission.
What was your starting point for this fragrance?
My first inspiration came from the building - carrying all the DNA and the heritage of the brand. The wood is full of history and richness; different textures.
Secondly, I was inspired by a quote from Arthur Liberty himself. He says that he was determined not to do existing fashions, but to create new ones. That resonated a lot with me. I really wanted to create something new; be a rule breaker, be a trendsetter. To combine ingredients that are not supposed to go together, and find the harmony between them. That's how I came up with this fragrance.
Can you tell us about the different notes of the scent?
I created a smoky tuberose, which blends very well the richness and the smokiness of the woody notes and tobacco. These combine with tuberose that is full of femininity and opulence.
Tuberose is a flower from India. It's part of the white flower family; very feminine, very powerful. It has that texture a bit like coconut, with that same creaminess. When you smell it it's very heady - it fills up a room. I then combined the tuberose with tobacco, to bring that smokiness, and that richness which represents Liberty.
Vanilla is another ingredient that brings sweetness, and on top I used juniper berries. Juniper is a beautiful note - very fresh and sparkling. It brings a lot of light and brightness to the composition. It’s the perfect complement to that smoky tuberose for giving the scent some air and openness when you wear it. I also used some bergamot to bring a bit of a citrusy sparkle to the creation.
Liberty has always been at the heart of the artistic movement, and this fragrance represents that. Can you tell me a bit about the competition and the partnership with the Royal Academy Schools?
I submitted two out of three fragrances. 16 students from the RA Schools, both current and recent graduates, entered the competition. Each of them had to pick one of the three fragrances and create a design matching the scent. Esther, the winner, picked the smoky tuberose scent and created this beautiful design matching both the scent and Liberty’s brand.
Why do you think it's special that Liberty is partnering with a young artist to continue this legacy?
To me, it's the present and the future. These young artists are beginning their career, but oftentimes, that's when you get the most creative. I remember when I started perfumery school, that's probably when I was the most creative, because I also had the most freedom. It's the same at the Royal Academy Schools - these upcoming artists, are full of energy, creativity.
What resonated for you about Esther’s artwork?
She created a knitted textile that has been reproduced on the cap. It almost feels like it’s moving when you touch it. It’s a design that captures both Liberty’s heritage, and the modernity of the fragrance.
What’s your signature as a perfumer?
Working with natural ingredients. My family worked in the perfume industry making natural ingredients, so I grew up surrounded by that.
As a child, I was lucky enough to have jasmine growing in my backyard. The flower only blooms once a day and then it falls to the ground. Every morning my mother would pick the fallen flowers and bring them up to my bedroom, and I would wake to the scent of jasmine.
Over the years, I also realised that I'm very attached to woody notes. With woody notes, there is texture, richness, warmth, sensuality, and combining that with florals creates a beautiful harmony.
How do you want someone to feel when they're wearing 1875?
I hope the wearer will feel like themselves, but full of confidence.
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